Biosynthesis and Characterization of Poly(3-hydroxy-4-pentenoic acid)

• Published in: Macromolecules Vol. 32; no. 22; pp. 7389 - 7395
• Main Authors: Valentin, Henry E, Berger, Pierre A, Gruys, Kenneth J, Filomena de Andrade Rodrigues, Maria, Steinbüchel, Alexander, Tran, Minhtien, Asrar, Jawed
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 02-11-1999
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Bioconversions. Hemisynthesis; Biological and medical sciences; Biosynthesis; Biotechnology; Chemical operations; Crosslinking; Exact sciences and technology; Fractionation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Microorganisms; Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Organic acids; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymerization; Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts; Purification; Solvents; Ultraviolet radiation; Photochemical crosslinking; Sucrose; Molecular structure; Ester polymer; Butyrate(hydroxy)polymer; Biosynthesis; Experimental study; Chemical modification; Light sensitive polymer; Aliphatic polymer; Preparation; Microorganism culture; Epoxidation; Bacteria; Burkholderia; Unsaturated polymer
• ISSN: 0024-9297; 1520-5835
• DOI: 10.1021/ma9905167

Burkholderia sp. was grown on sucrose-containing mineral salts medium with phosphate limitation to induce poly(hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA) accumulation. Under these conditions the cultures accumulated 3-hydroxybutyric acid (3HB) and 3-hydroxy-4-pentenoic acid (3HPE) containing polyesters. Solvent fractionation of the purified polyester indicated the presence of two homopolymers, poly(3HB) and poly(3HPE), rather than a co-polyester with random monomer distribution as has been reported previously [Rodrigues, M. F. A.; da Silva, L. F.; Gomez, G. C.; Valentin, H. E.; Steinbüchel, A. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 1995, 43, 880]. The simultaneous accumulation of two homopolyesters by Burkholderia sp. was confirmed by NMR spectroscopic analysis. Therefore, this is the first report on accumulation of a poly(3HPE) homopolyester and its accumulation from structurally unrelated carbon sources. Purified poly(3HPE) was cross-linked by UV radiation and subjected to epoxidation using 3-chloroperoxybenzoic acid. Introduction of epoxides into the 3HPE homopolyester was found to increase the glass transition temperature.