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Updated: Mar 18, 2026

Transcript and Metabolite Profiling for the Evaluation of Tobacco Tree and Poplar as Feedstock for the Bio-based Industry
Published on: May 16, 2014
Production of Biodegradable Polyester by a Transgenic Tobacco
H Nakashita1, Y Arai2, K Yoshioka1
1a The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN).
Abstract:
The acetoacetyl-CoA reductase gene (phbB) of Ralstonia eutropha and the poly[(R)-(-)-3-hydroxyalkanoate] synthase gene (phaCAC) of Aeromonas caviae were introduced into tobacco plant by Agrobacterium mediated transformation method. The resulting transgenic tobacco expressed both introduced genes and the expression of these genes was confirmed by enzymatic analysis and western blotting. GC-MS analysis of the chloroform extract of tobacco leaves indicated that the transgenic plant produced biodegradable polyester, poly-[(R)-(-)-3-hydroxybutyrate]. GPC analysis indicated that the number-average molecular weights (Mn) and polydispersity (Mw/Mn) were 32,000 and 1.90, respectively.
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