Copolymer and method for production thereof
AssigneeKanegafuchi Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsTakeshi Shiotani, Genta Kobayashi
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a copolymer containing a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit and a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit, a three-component copolymer containing at least a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit and a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit, and a four-component copolymer containing at least a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit and a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit. The use of a microorganism of the genus Aeromonas according to the present invention makes it possible to produce a wide variety of plastic materials ranging from rigid plastics to elastic plastics by selecting copolymer components and adjusting their composition.
Claims22
A two-component copolymer consisting of 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) units and 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) units, wherein said units, respectively, have the following structures:
- ##STR6##
A three-component copolymer containing at least a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit and a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit.
A four-component copolymer containing at least a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit and a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit.
Aeromonas caviae capable of synthesizing a copolymer containing a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit and a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit.
Aeromonas caviae capable of synthesizing a three-component copolymer containing at least a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit and a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit.
Aeromonas caviae capable of synthesizing a four-component copolymer containing at least a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit and a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit.
A method for producing a copolymer containing 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) units and 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) units, which comprises:
- culturing a microorganism of the genus Aeromonas in a culture medium under limitation of nutrients other than carbon sources, using as a carbon source a fatty acid having an even number of not less than 6 carbon atoms, a lower alcohol ester thereof, or a naturally occurring oil or fat;
- and
- recovering said copolymer from the cultured cells.
A method for producing a copolymer containing at least one unit selected from the group consisting of a 3-hydroxypropionate (3HP) unit, a 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) unit and a 4-hydroxybutyrate (4HB) unit, which comprises:
- culturing a microorganism of the genus Aeromonas in a culture medium under limitation of nutrients other than carbon sources, using as a carbon source 5-chlorovaleric acid or propionic acid, a fatty acid having an odd number of not less than 5 carbon atoms, 4-hydroxybutyric acid, or .gamma.-butyrolactone;
- and
- recovering said copolymer from the cultured cells.
A method for producing a three-component copolymer containing at least a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit, a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit and one unit selected from the group consisting of a 3-hydroxypropionate (3HP) unit, a 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) unit, and a 4-hydroxybutyrate (4HB) unit, which comprises:
- culturing a microorganism of the genus Aeromonas in a culture medium under limitation of nutrients other than carbon sources, using as a carbon source a fatty acid having an even number of not less than 6 carbon atoms, a lower alcohol ester thereof, or a naturally occurring oil or fat, and one carbon source selected from the group consisting of 5-chlorovaleric acid or propionic acid, a fatty acid having an odd number of not less than 5 carbon atoms, and 4-hydroxybutyric acid or .gamma.-butyrolactone;
- and
- recovering said copolymer from the cultured cells.
A method for producing a four-component copolymer containing at least a 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) unit, a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) unit, and two units selected from the group consisting of a 3-hydroxypropionate (3HP) unit, a 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) unit, and a 4-hydroxybutyrate (4HB) unit, which comprises:
- culturing a microorganism of the genus Aeromonas in a culture medium under limitation of nutrients other than carbon sources, using as a carbon source a fatty acid having an even number of not less than 6 carbon atoms, a lower alcohol ester thereof, or a naturally occurring oil or fat, and two carbon sources selected from the group consisting of 5-chlorovaleric acid or propionic acid, a fatty acid having an odd number of not less than 5 carbon atoms, and 4-hydroxybutyric acid or .gamma.-butyrolactone;
- and
- recovering said copolymer from the cultured cells.
Aeromonas hydrophila capable of synthesizing a copolymer containing 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) units and 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HHx) units.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.