Evaluation of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production by Pseudomonas using a composition control plasmid (PCC) utilizing lignin as carbon source

• Grant number: 15/02058-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: May 01, 2015
• End date: October 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: José Gregório Cabrera Gomez
• Grantee: Lucas Garbini Cespedes
• Supervisor: Blake A. Simmons
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 13/13495-8 - Control of P3HB-co-3HHx copolymer composition through gradative expression of phaA e phaB genes in Pseudomonas sp. LFM461 as host, BP.MS

Abstract

Recent efforts towards renewable chemicals production from cellulosic and hemi cellulosic feedstock have attracted attention to a byproduct of this process, lignin is now an interesting opportunity of cheap and largely available carbon source. Thus, economic viable bioprocess can be achieved through the fermentation of lignin or pretreated lignin by microorganisms producing high value chemicals. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are a group of polyesters produced by bacteria with thermoplastic, biodegradability and biocompatibility properties. We have built a plasmid (pCC) that could control the composition of PHA leading to different polymer properties of PHA produced. Our aim in this project is to evaluate the PHA amount and composition by Pseudomonas hosting pCC using lignin and/or pretreated lignin as carbon source. (AU)