Production of polyhydroxyalkanoate in plants

a technology of polyhydroxyalkanoate and plant, applied in the field of plant genetic manipulation, can solve the problems of slow degradation of synthetic plastics in landfills, and high cost of polymer

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-11-16
PIONEER HI BRED INT INC +1
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, synthetic plastics are slow to degrade in landfills.
If and when they do breakdown, the monomers and their derivatives resulting from degradation may actually be more hazardous to human health than the undegraded polymers (Selenskas et al.
However, at approximately $7 per pound, this polymer is much too expensive in comparison to the synthetic plastics that have similar properties but are cheaper with a price of approximately $0.5 per pound (Poirier et al.
The higher cost of Biopol results primarily from its cost of production, the main contributing factor being the substrate (Poirier et al.
Because this polymer is crystalline and brittle with a melting point too close to its degradation point, PHB is difficult to mold into desirable products (Lee, S. Y. (1996) Biotechnol. Bioeng. 491:1-14).
Initial attempts at producing PHA in the cytosol proved toxic to the plant (Poirier et al.
However, PHA production was very low in the Arabidopsis plants, suggesting that either the introduced PHA synthase did not function properly in the intended organelle or more likely that the necessary substrates for the introduced PHA synthase were present at levels that were limiting for PHA synthesis.

Method used

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  • Production of polyhydroxyalkanoate in plants
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  • Production of polyhydroxyalkanoate in plants

Examples

Experimental program
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Effect test

example 1

Engineering Plants to Produce PHA Copolymers

[0120] Bacteria can produce PHA copolymers because these substrates are apparently derived from the β-oxidation cycle; as bacterial cells are uncompartmented, both β-oxidation and PHA synthesis take place in the cytosol. In plants, however, β-oxidation is confined primarily to peroxisomes and thus offers a suitable site for copolymer production. Using methods known to those of ordinary skill in the art, signal sequences for targeting proteins to peroxisomes can be added to PHA-producing enzymes, allowing the localization of these enzymes in the peroxisomes. Such signal sequences for targeting proteins to plant peroxisomes are well known (Mullen et al. (1997) Plant Journal 12:313-322; Trelease et al. (1 996) Protoplasma 195:156-167).

[0121] An intermediate in β-oxidation is S-(+)-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA. However, its configuration is unsuitable for PHA synthases, which require R-(−)-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA as a substrate (Gemgross et al. (1995) Proc. ...

example 2

Production of Specific Types of PHA in Plants

[0126] It is desirable to produce a pure copolymer of a defined monomer composition. A relatively pure copolymer would have predictable properties in comparison to a mixture of copolymers as the composition of the latter can vary according to the environment. The ability of Pseudomonas sp. to make copolymers of PHAs from various substrates is well known to those skilled in the art. However, the PHA synthases from these species have a broad substrate range (Caballero et al. (1995) Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 17:86-92; Huisman et al. (1989) Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 55:1949-1954; Lee et al. (1995) Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 42:901-909; Ramsay et al. (1990) Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 56:2093-2098; Steinbuechel et al. (1992) Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 37:691-697;Timm et al. (1992) Eur. J. Biochem. 209:1R-30). When a genomic fragment containing the PHA synthase gene from Thiocapsa pfennigii (see, WO 96 / 08566) was introduced into Pseudomonas putida o...

example 3

Engineering a Peroxisomal 2-Enoyl-CoA Hydratase from a Yeast Multifunctional Protein

[0131] To produce PHA in plant peroxisomes, it is essential to effectively divert 2-enoyl-CoA from β-oxidation and to the synthesis of R-(−)-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA, the substrate of PHA synthase. In contrast to the multifunctional protein in other organisms, yeast multifunctional protein (encoded by GenBank Accession No. M86456, SEQ ID NO: 3) converts trans-2-enoyl-CoA to R-(−)-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA. The hydratase domain of the yeast multifunctional protein utilizes a broader chain-length range of substrates than does the hydratase isolated from Aeromonas caviae (Fukui et al. (1998) J. Bacteriol. 180:667-673). Such a hydratase with such a broad substrate range finds use in the production of a wide variety of copolymers in plants.

[0132] Thus, the R-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase of the yeast multifunctional protein can used to produce R-(−)-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA for PHA synthesis in plant peroxisomes. Since the R-...

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Abstract

The invention relates to the genetic manipulation of plants to produce polyhydroxyalkanoate, particularly in the peroxisomes. Methods for producing such polymers in plants and host cells are provided. Such methods find use in producing biodegradable thermoplastics in plants and other organisms. Nucleotide molecules, expression cassettes, and genetically manipulated host cell, plants, plant tissues, and seeds are also provided.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 089,281, which is the U.S. National Stage of International Application No. PCT / US00 / 26963, filed Sep. 29, 2000, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 156,807, filed Sep. 29, 1999; all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to the genetic manipulation of plants for the production of biodegradable thermoplastics, particularly polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymers. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Composed of polymers of a variety of organic compounds, plastics can be molded, extruded, cast into various shapes and films, and even drawn into fibers. It is such versatility that has led to incorporation of plastics into a seemingly endless number of products. Thus, plastic products have become an integral part of everyday life in industrialized society, and the de...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): A01H1/00C12N15/87
CPCC12N15/8243
Inventor DHUGGA, KANWARPALLI, CHUNDONG, JIANHITZ, WILLIAMLIEBERGESELL, MATTHIASNICHOLS, SCOTTBRIGGS, KRISTEN
Owner PIONEER HI BRED INT INC
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