Polyhydroxyalkanoate production methods and materials and microorganisms used in same

摘要

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to methods to generate microorganisms and/or microorganism cultures that exhibit the ability to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) from carbon sources at high efficiencies. In several embodiments, preferential expression of, or preferential growth of microorganisms utilizing certain metabolic pathways, enables the high efficiency PHA production from carbon-containing gases or materials. Several embodiments relate to the microorganism cultures, and/or microorganisms isolated therefrom.

主权项

1. A method for enhancing polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production by a culture of methanotrophic microorganisms, the method comprising:
(a) providing a culture medium comprising copper, and at least one additional nutrient; (b) providing a culture comprising methanotrophic microorganisms to said culture medium; (c) culturing said methanotrophic microorganisms in said culture medium; (d) exposing said culture of methanotrophic microorganisms in said culture medium to a constant source of methane throughout the method; (e) limiting the concentration of said copper in said culture medium; (f) allowing or causing, for a first period of time, at least one of said additional nutrient in said culture medium to decrease to a concentration causing said methanotrophic microorganisms to produce intracellular PHA; (g) causing said PHA-producing microorganisms produced in step (f) to reproduce using particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) by exposing, for a second period of time, said PHA-producing methanotrophic microorganisms to said culture medium of step (a); and (h) subjecting said culture of PHA producing methanotrophic microorganisms to at least two repetitions of steps (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) selecting for methanotrophic microorganisms that produce said intracellular PHA using said pMMO.