Isolation of bactéria producing polyhydroxyalkanoates containing short-chain-length and medium-chain-length monomers from plant oils

Author(s)

Tatiana Sayuri Matsuda

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI)
• Defense date: 2009-12-09

Examining board members

José Gregorio Cabrera Gomez; Marilda Keico Taciro; Elisabete Jose Vicente

• Advisor: José Gregorio Cabrera Gomez

Abstract

The potential of polyhydroxyalknoates (PHA) production from plant oils was evaluated especially in Aeromonas spp. Ten isolates presenting features of Aeromonas spp. (yellow colonies in GSP agar and production of P3HB-co-3HHx) and similar ARDRA profiles were obtained. Two isolates producing PHAMCL were also obtained and further identification experiments will be needed to confirm their position in Aeromonas genus. P3HB-co-3HHx containing different molar fractions of 3HHx were produced. Isolates producing P3HB-co-3HHx from soybean oil or lauric acid were unable to produce P3HB from glucose suggesting their incapability to generate 3HB monomers from acetyl-CoA. Introduction of a plasmid harboring P3HB biosynthesis genes from Ralstonia eutropha into isolates able to use efficiently soybean oil as carbon source allowed the production of P3HB but not PHA containing HAMCL suggesting an inefficient transfer of intermediates from &#946-oxidation to PHA synthase. (AU)