Title: Processes for producing polyhydroxybutyrate and related polyhydroxyalkanoates in the plastids of higher plants

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for producing poly-D-(-)-3-hydroxybutyric acid (PHB) and related polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) in the plastids of plants. The production of PHB is accomplished by genetically transforming plants with modified genes from microorganisms. The genes encode the enzymes required to synthesize PHB from acetyl-CoA or related metabolites and are fused with additional plant sequences for targeting the enzymes to the plastid.

Inventors:

Somerville, Christopher R ^[1]; Nawrath, Christiane ^[2]; Poirier, Yves ^[2]

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+ Show Inventor Affiliations

1. Portola Valley, CA
2. Palo Alto, CA

Issue Date:

Tue Mar 11 00:00:00 EST 1997

Research Org.:

Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)

OSTI Identifier:

870857

Patent Number(s):

5610041

Application Number:

08/254,357

Assignee:

Board of Trustees operating Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12N - MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES

C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12P - FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {

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C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12N - MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES

C12N15/52 - Genes encoding for enzymes or proenzymes
C12N15/8243 - {involving biosynthetic or metabolic pathways, i.e. metabolic engineering, e.g. nicotine, caffeine}
C12N9/00 - Enzymes
C12N9/0006 - {acting on CH-OH groups as donors
C12N9/1029 - {transferring groups other than amino-acyl groups

C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12P - FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {

C12P7/625 - {Polyesters of hydroxy-carboxylic acids}

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DOE Contract Number:  

AC02-76ER01338

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

processes; producing; polyhydroxybutyrate; related; polyhydroxyalkanoates; plastids; plants; relates; process; poly-d-; -3-hydroxybutyric; acid; phb; pha; production; accomplished; genetically; transforming; modified; genes; microorganisms; encode; enzymes; required; synthesize; acetyl-coa; metabolites; fused; additional; plant; sequences; targeting; plastid; related polyhydroxyalkanoates; /800/435/999/