Physiological characterization and genetic engineering of Pseudomonas corrugata for medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates synthesis from triacylglycerols

Curr Microbiol. 2002 Mar;44(3):189-95. doi: 10.1007/s00284-001-0086-5.

Abstract

Pseudomonas belonging to the rRNA-DNA homology group I produce medium-chain-length (mcl)-polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). We show that P. corrugata, a member of this group, accumulates 0.5-1.0 g of mcl-PHA/L of culture when grown on glucose (Gl) or oleic acid (Ol). The predominant monomers of Gl-PHA and Ol-PHA are beta-hydroxydecanoate and beta-hydroxyoctanoate, respectively. The molecular masses and polydispersity of P. corrugata PHAs are higher than those typically found with other Pseudomonas. We electrotransformed P. corrugata with a plasmid pCN51lip-1 carrying Pseudomonas lipase genes to generate strain III111-1. The recombinant strain grew on intact triacylglycerols (TAGs) to 1.9-2.7 g of cell-dry-weight/L of culture. The yields and the predominant repeat-units of PHAs obtained from the lard- and tallow-grown III111-1 were similar to those of Ol-PHA from wild-type cells. In contrast to other Pseudomonas species, P. corrugata III111-1 grown on TAGs at temperatures up to 36 degrees C was not significantly affected with regard to cell yields, amounts of PHA produced, and the repeat unit compositions of the polymer.

MeSH terms

  • Biopolymers / biosynthesis*
  • Biopolymers / chemistry
  • Decanoic Acids / metabolism
  • Genetic Engineering
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Oleic Acid / metabolism
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Pseudomonas / genetics*
  • Pseudomonas / growth & development
  • Pseudomonas / metabolism*
  • Recombination, Genetic
  • Temperature
  • Triglycerides / metabolism*

Substances

  • Biopolymers
  • Decanoic Acids
  • Triglycerides
  • Oleic Acid
  • myrmicacin
  • Glucose