Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 22, 2026
08:36
Scaled-Up Preparation of an Intermediate of Upatinib, ACT051-3
Published on: April 7, 2023
1.5K
Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) terpolymer production from volatile fatty acids
Hye-Rim Jung1, Jong-Min Jeon2, Da-Hye Yi1
1Department of Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Konkuk University, 1 Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-701, Republic of Korea.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
|July 17, 2019
Summary
Researchers engineered a Ralstonia eutropha strain to produce novel polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) terpolymers. This microbial synthesis allows for tunable material properties by adjusting volatile fatty acid ratios.
Area of Science:
- Microbial biotechnology
- Polymer science
- Synthetic biology
Background:
- Microbial synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) offers versatility in polymer properties through monomer incorporation.
- Terpolymers, with three distinct monomers, present greater compositional variability and property tuning compared to copolymers.
- Ralstonia eutropha is a well-established microorganism for PHA production.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize a novel terpolymer, P(3HB-co-3HV-co-3HHx), using a metabolically engineered Ralstonia eutropha strain.
- To investigate the influence of volatile fatty acid ratios (propionate and butyrate) on terpolymer composition.
- To compare the properties of the synthesized terpolymer with those of copolymers.
Main Methods:
- Metabolic engineering of Ralstonia eutropha Re2133 by deleting phaB genes and overexpressing a synthetic PHA operon.
- Cultivation of the engineered strain with varying ratios of propionic and butyric acids as carbon sources.
- Analysis of terpolymer composition using gas chromatography (GC) and H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.
- Thermal analysis of the synthesized terpolymers.
Main Results:
- The engineered R. eutropha strain successfully produced P(3HB-co-3HV-co-3HHx) terpolymers, unlike the wild-type strain.
- Terpolymer composition was controllable by adjusting the ratio of propionic and butyric acid feedstocks.
- Incorporation of 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) and 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) monomers was confirmed.
- The synthesized terpolymer exhibited distinct thermal properties compared to copolymers derived from the same volatile acids.
Conclusions:
- Metabolic engineering enables the targeted synthesis of PHA terpolymers with tunable monomer ratios.
- The ratio of volatile fatty acids significantly impacts terpolymer composition and resulting material properties.
- This approach offers a pathway to develop novel PHA materials with tailored characteristics for specific applications.
Related Concept Videos
01:11ortho–para-Directing Activators: –CH3, –OH, –NH2, –OCH3
7.3K
All ortho–para directors, excluding halogens, are activating groups. These groups donate electrons to the ring, making the ring carbons electron-rich. Consequently, the reactivity of the aromatic ring towards electrophilic substitution increases. For instance, the nitration of anisole is about 10,000 times faster than the nitration of benzene. The electron-donating effect of the methoxy group in anisole activates the ortho and para positions on the ring and stabilizes the corresponding...
7.3K
01:17Piaget's Stage 3 of Cognitive Development
1.0K
During Piaget's concrete operational stage, from ages 7 to 11, children exhibit a marked increase in logical thinking skills, specifically in relation to tangible, real-world events. This stage is characterized by the development of several essential cognitive concepts, including conservation, reversibility, and classification, all of which support the child's evolving capacity for structured thought.
Conservation and Constancy of Quantity
A significant cognitive milestone in the...
Conservation and Constancy of Quantity
A significant cognitive milestone in the...
1.0K
01:27Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists
612
5-HT3 receptor antagonists, such as dolasetron, granisetron (Kytril), ondansetron (Zofran), and palonosetron (Axoli), are crucial in managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) and postoperative nausea. These drugs selectively block 5-HT3 receptors in the visceral vagal and spinal afferent nerves, chemoreceptor trigger zone, and the vomiting center. They have a rapid onset of action and can be given as a single dose before chemotherapy. Ondansetron and granisetron, in particular,...
612
01:28Overview of Fatty Acid Metabolism
36.7K
Lipids also are sources of energy that power cellular processes. Like carbohydrates, lipids are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, but these atoms are arranged differently. Most lipids are nonpolar and hydrophobic. Major types include fats and oils, waxes, phospholipids, and steroids.
Fatty acids are catabolized in a process called beta-oxidation, which takes place in the matrix of the mitochondria and converts their fatty acid chains into two-carbon units of acetyl groups. The acetyl...
Fatty acids are catabolized in a process called beta-oxidation, which takes place in the matrix of the mitochondria and converts their fatty acid chains into two-carbon units of acetyl groups. The acetyl...
36.7K
01:10Volatilization
5.7K
Volatilization gravimetry is an analytical technique that measures the mass lost due to the volatilization of the substance. This technique is used to estimate the amount of volatile material in a sample. To perform this method, heat a known amount of the sample to a high temperature in a crucible or other suitable vessel. The volatile substance in the sample evaporates, and the vapor is completely expelled from the crucible either by heating the sample or bubbling a stream of inert gas through...
5.7K
04:02Weak Acid Solutions
42.3K
Few compounds act as strong acids. A far greater number of compounds behave as weak acids and only partially react with water, leaving a large majority of dissolved molecules in their original form and generating a relatively small amount of hydronium ions. Weak acids are commonly encountered in nature, being the substances partly responsible for the tangy taste of citrus fruits, the stinging sensation of insect bites, and the unpleasant smells associated with body odor. A familiar example of a...
42.3K