Polyhydroxyalkanoate production from polyols

Abstract

Organisms are provided which express enzymes such as glycerol dehydratase, diol dehydratase, acyl-CoA transferase, acyl-CoA synthetase β-ketothiolase, acetoacetyl-CoA reductase, PHA synthase, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and glycerol-3-phosphatase, which are useful for the production of PHAs. In some cases one or more of these genes are native to the host organism and the remainder are provided from transgenes. These organisms produce poly (3-hydroxyalkanoate) homopolymers or co-polymers incorporating 3-hydroxypropionate or 3-hydroxyvalerate monomers wherein the 3-hydroxypropionate and 3-hydroxyvalreate units are derived from the enzyme catalysed conversion of diols. Suitable diols that can be used include 1,2-propanediol, 1,3 propanediol and glycerol. Biochemical pathways for obtaining the glycerol from normal cellular metabolites are also described. The PHA polymers are readily recovered and industrially useful as polymers or as starting materials for a range of chemical intermediates including 1,3-propanediol, 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde, acrylics, malonic acid, esters and amines.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method for producing polyhydroxyalkanoates comprising 
 providing genetically engineered organisms which express enzymes selected from the group consisting of vicinal diol hydratase, acyl-CoA transferase, acyl-CoA synthetase β-ketothiolase, acetoacetyl-CoA reductase, PHA synthase, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and glycerol-3-phosphatase,    providing diols which can be converted into 3-hydroxypropionate or 3-hydroxyvalerate monomers by enzymes expressed by the organisms, and and culturing the organisms under conditions wherein 3-hydroxypropionate or 3-hydroxyvalerate is converted to monomers which are polymerized to form polyhydroxyalkanoates.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the organisms are bacteria.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the organisms are plants.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the organisms are genetically engineered with plasmids encoding one or more of the enzymes.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the organisms are genetically engineered to incorporate the genes encoding the enzymes into the chromosome.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the diols are selected from the group ocnsisting of 1,2-propanediol, 1,3 propanediol and glycerol.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the dehydratases are selected from the group consisting of glycerol dehydratase and diol dehydratase.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the diols which are converted to monomers selected from the group consisting of 3-hydroxypropionate or 3-hydroxyvalerate monomers.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising providing genes encoding an enzyme selected from the group consisting of aldehyde dehydrogenase and 1,3-propanediol oxidoreductase.  
     
     
         10 . A system for making polyhydroxyalkanoates comprising an organism genetically engineered to express enzymes selected from the group consisting of a vicinal diol dehydratase, acyl-CoA transferase, acyl-CoA synthetase β-ketothiolase, acetoacetyl-CoA reductase, PHA synthase, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and glycerol-3-phosphatase, 
 wherein the organism can convert diols into 3-hydroxypropionate or 3-hydroxyvalerate monomers which are polymerized to form polyhydroxyalkanoates.  
 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the organisms are bacteria.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the organisms are plants.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the organisms are genetically engineered with plasmids encoding one or more of the enzymes.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the organisms are genetically engineered to incorporate the genes encoding the enzymes into the chromosome.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10  further comprising coenzyme B-12.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the vicinal diol dehydratase is selected from the group consisting of glycerol dehydratase and diol dehydratase.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10  further comprising genes encoding an enzyme selected from the group consisting of aldehyde dehydrogenase and 1,3-propanediol oxidoreductase.