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Title: POLY(HYDROXYALKANOATES) FROM AGRICULTURAL LIPIDS AND COPRODUCTS

Author
item Solaiman, Daniel
item Ashby, Richard - Rick
item Foglia, Thomas
item Marmer, William

Submitted to: American Chemical Society National Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/15/2003
Publication Date: 3/1/2004
Citation: Solaiman, D., Ashby, R.D., Foglia, T.A., Marmer, W.N. 2004. Poly(hydroxyalkanoates) from agricultural lipids and coproducts [abstract]. American Chemical Society National Meeting. Paper No. CELL 183.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Animal fats, vegetable oils, and the coproduct streams (FOC) generated from the refining or utilization of fats/oils are renewable feedstocks useful for the fermentative production of biobased products such as biopolymers, biosurfactants, and oleochemicals. These feedstocks offer structural diversity that can translate into product variation, and their costs are often competitive with traditional substrates such as glucose depending on the market conditions. In this paper, we present the results of our research on the use of FOC to produce poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs). Our screening and genetic enhancement efforts resulted in the identification and construction of Pseudomonas strains capable of using FOC to synthesize short-side-chain (ssc-) and/or medium-side-chain (msc-) PHAs. By selective feeding of FOC without or with polyethylene glycol included as a putative chain-elongation inhibitor, we could obtain PHAs that have different repeat-unit compositions (RCs), molecular weights (MWs), and physical/thermal properties. We also developed genetic manipulation methods to affect the RCs, MWs, and in vivo stability of PHAs. Furthermore, we devised post-production modification methods to improve the mechanical properties of films made from FOC-derived msc-PHAs. Our research demonstrates the potential of FOCs as feedstocks for fermentative production of tailored PHAs, the properties of which could be further improved through post-production modification.