Perspectives for Biotechnological Production and Utilization of Biopolymers: Metabolic Engineering of Polyhydroxyalkanoate Biosynthesis Pathways as a Successful Example

This article provides an overview of biopolymers, classed according to their chemical structures, function and occurrence, the principles of biosynthesis and metabolism in organisms. It will then focus on polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) for which technical applications in several areas are currently con...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Macromolecular bioscience 2001-01, Vol.1 (1), p.1-24
Main Author: Steinbuchel, Alexander
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Biological and medical sciences
Biotechnology
Exact sciences and technology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Genetic engineering
Genetic technics
Methods. Procedures. Technologies
Modification of gene expression level
Organic polymers
Physicochemistry of polymers
Polymers with particular properties
Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts
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Summary:This article provides an overview of biopolymers, classed according to their chemical structures, function and occurrence, the principles of biosynthesis and metabolism in organisms. It will then focus on polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) for which technical applications in several areas are currently considered. PHAs represent a complex class of bacterial polyesters consisting of various hydroxyalkanoic acids that are synthesized by bacteria as storage compounds for energy and carbon if a carbon source is present in excess. Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate), poly(3HB), is just one example. Most other PHAs are only synthesized if pathways exist which mediate between central intermediates of the metabolism or special precursor substrates on one side and coenzyme A thioesters of hydroxyalkanoic acids, which are the substrates of the PHA synthase catalyzing the polymerization, on the other side. During the last decade, basic and applied research have revealed much knowledge about the biochemical and molecular basis of the enzymatic processes for the synthesis of PHAs in microorganisms. The combination of detailed physiological studies, utilization of the overwhelming information provided by the numerous genome sequencing projects, application of recombinant DNA technology, engineering of metabolic pathways or enzymes and molecular breeding techniques applied to plants have provided new perspectives to produce these technically interesting biopolymers by novel or significantly improved biotechnological processes or by agriculture. Some examples for successful in vivo and in vitro engineering of pathways suitable for the synthesis and biotechnological production of PHAs consisting of medium‐chain‐length 3‐hydroxyalkanoic acids and short‐chain‐length hydroxyalkanoic acids will be provided.
ISSN:1616-5187
1616-5195
DOI:10.1002/1616-5195(200101)1:1<1::AID-MABI1>3.0.CO;2-B