A new microorganism, Pseudomonas sp. HJ-2 was isolated from sludge and the PHA production of this microorganism was investigated. This microorganism produced sel-PHAs, mcl-PHAs and mixtures of scl-and mcl-PHAs from various carbon substrates. It was fo...
A new microorganism, Pseudomonas sp. HJ-2 was isolated from sludge and the PHA production of this microorganism was investigated. This microorganism produced sel-PHAs, mcl-PHAs and mixtures of scl-and mcl-PHAs from various carbon substrates. It was found that this microorganism produced different PHAs depending on the growth conditions even when it was grown with the same carbon substrate. The most interesting PHA biosynthesized from this microorganism was that from n-heptanoic acid, which contained 3hB, 3HV and 3HHp units. The PHAs biosynthesized from n-heptanoic acid were mixtures of PHBV and poly(3-hydroxyheptanoate) homopolymer. The PHBV osp;ated from these mixtures were elastomers with good mechanical strength. The maximum elongation ratio was higher than 500% and the ultimate strength was approximately 12 Mpa. These properties were very different from those reported previously. The production of homopolymer of 3HHp is also unusual. This microorganism seemed most likely to produce PHAs from 3HA units formed by beta-oxidation and fatty acid synthesis cycle. The fraction of each pathway varied according to the growth conditions.