RECOMBINANT PLASMID BEING CAPABLE OF EXPRESSING POLYHYDROXYALKANOATE(PHA) BIOSYNTHESIS ENZYME AND PHA DEPOLYMERASE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING (R)-3-HYDROXYCARBOXYLIC ACID

摘要

The present invention provides recombinant plasmids containing a gene coding for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biosynthesis enzyme and a gene coding for intracellular PHA depolymerase, and a process for preparing (R)-hydroxycarboxylic acid employing the same. In accordance with the present invention, optically pure (R)-hydroxycarboxylic acid can be prepared by culturing E. coli transformed with a recombinant plasmid which expresses intracellular PHA depolymerase of Ralstonia eutropha and PHA biosynthesis enzyme of Alcaligenes latus to give (R)-hydroxycarboxylic acid. The process for preparing (R)-hydroxycarboxylic acid of the invention can be successfully employed in large-scale continuous process with a high productivity by carrying out PHA synthesis and degradation in a simultaneous manner, while enjoying the benefits of simple procedures for harvesting cells and disposing the cell wastes.