Open AccessBiotechnological strategies to improve production of microbial poly‐(3‐hydroxybutyrate): a review of recent research work
Author(s) -
Peña C.,
Castillo T.,
García A.,
Millán M.,
Segura D.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
microbial biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.287
H-Index - 74
ISSN - 1751-7915
DOI - 10.1111/1751-7915.12129
Subject(s) - cupriavidus necator , polyhydroxybutyrate , azotobacter chroococcum , biocompatible material , polyhydroxyalkanoates , azotobacter vinelandii , polyester , bioplastic , biodegradable plastic , industrial microbiology , fermentation , chemistry , biochemical engineering , materials science , bacteria , pulp and paper industry , organic chemistry , biology , nitrogen fixation , medicine , nitrogenase , ecology , genetics , nitrogen , biomedical engineering , engineering
Summary Poly‐(3‐hydroxybutyrate) [ P (3 HB )] is a polyester synthesized as a carbon and energy reserve material by a wide number of bacteria. This polymer is characterized by its thermo‐plastic properties similar to plastics derived from petrochemical industry, such as polyethylene and polypropylene. Furthermore, P (3 HB ) is an inert, biocompatible and biodegradable material which has been proposed for several uses in medical and biomedical areas. Currently, only few bacterial species such as C upriavidus necator , A zohydromonas lata and recombinant E scherichia coli have been successfully used for P (3 HB ) production at industrial level. Nevertheless, in recent years, several fermentation strategies using other microbial models such as A zotobacter vinelandii, A. chroococcum , as well as some methane‐utilizing species, have been developed in order to improve the P (3 HB ) production and also its mean molecular weight.