Production of unsaturated polyesters by Pseudomonas oleovorans

Pseudomonas oleovorans was grown separately on 3-hydroxy-6-octenoic acid and 3-hydroxy-7-octenoic acid as the only carbon source and under ammonium nutrient-limiting conditions to produce storage polyesters. The polyesters produced contained mainly unsaturated C8 units. Small amounts of both the saturated and the unsaturated C6 units were also present, but only about 1% of the saturated 3-hydroxyoctanoate units was detected. The polyester obtained from 3-hydroxy-6-octenoic acid, which was a mixture of the cis and trans isomers, also contained units with cis and trans double bonds. The weight average molecular weights of the polymers produced were in the range of 339,000-383,000 as determined by g.p.c. relative to polystyrene, with Mw/Mn ratios of 1.8-2.1. The mechanism of PHA formation from n-octene previously reported is discussed in relation to the present results, and the two were found to be in good agreement.