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Biosynthesis of High Molecular Weight Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) by Wild-Type Cupriavidus necator H16 Using Sugar Acids
Jia Yi Cheah1, Kousuke Takashima1, Masatake Kanai1
1Macromolecular Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry for Life Sciences and Agriculture, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8502, Japan.
Abstract:
This study investigated whether pectin-derived sugar acids can serve as effective carbon sources for poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P-(3HB)] production in Cupriavidus necator H16. We attempted to utilize sugar acids, including glucuronic, galacturonic, and gluconic acids, as the carbon sources for the biosynthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) by wild-type Cupriavidus necator H16. Among the three types of sugar acids tested, only gluconic acid was used as the carbon source for PHA production. When cultivated on gluconic acid at a controlled pH, C. necator produced significantly higher biomass, increased P-(3HB) accumulation, and elevated polymer molecular weight compared with fructose-grown cultures. The resulting P-(3HB) exhibited enhanced mechanical strength and crystallinity, demonstrating the material advantages of utilizing gluconic acid. These findings demonstrate the potential of gluconic acid as a viable substrate for the production of high-quality P-(3HB).
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