Summary
The synthesis of poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) [P(3HA)] by a new Alcaligenes species was investigated. The new species was grown on various carbon sources such as n-alkanoic acids of carbon numbers ranging from C2 to C22, plant oils and animal fats, and accumulated P(3HA) within the cells. When the bacterium was cultured in mineral media containing sodium salts of n-alkanoic acids, the homopolymer of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] was produced from n-alkanoates of even carbon numbers, whereas the copolymer of 3-hydroxybutyrate and 3-hydroxyvalerate units [P(3HB-co-3HV)] was produced from n-alkanoates of odd carbon numbers. Relatively high yields of both dry cells and P(3HA) were obtained by the use of n-alkanoates from C12 to C16 as the sole carbon source.
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Akiyama, M., Taima, Y. & Doi, Y. Production of poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) by a bacterium of the genus Alcaligenes utilizing long-chain fatty acids. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 37, 698–701 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00174830
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00174830