Sulfur containing polyhydroxyalkanoate compositions and method of production
AssigneesTepha, Inc., Metabolix, Inc.
InventorsAlexander Steinbuchel, Tina Lütke-Eversloh, Christian Ewering
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A class of biopolymer including sulfur in the form of a thioester in the polymer backbone or a thioether in the polymer side chains has been developed. These are preferably produced by fermentation of bacteria with appropriate sulfur containing substrates, which are incorporated by a broad spectrum polyhydroxyalkanoate (“PHA”) polymerase. The sulfur-containing PHAs allow various applications and uses in industry. Representative embodiments of the applications of the sulfur-containing PHAs include their uses in the packaging industry, medicine, pharmacy, agriculture or food industry, as active agents or as coatings, packaging, or carriers.
Claims12
A biopolymer comprising thioester or thioether linkages and having monomeric units of the formula selected from the group consisting of:
- [OC(R1R2)C(R3R4)CO]x—[S-C((R5R6)C(R7R8)CO]y FORMULA I
- and
- wherein, if the monomeric unit is one of formula I,
- x and y are integers which are independently between 1 and 15;
- and
- R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, and R8 are independently selected from hydrogen, methyl, C2-15 straight, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl groups, alkaryl groups, aralkyl groups, heteroalkyl groups, heteroaryl groups, hydroxy groups, thiol groups, disulfides, ether groups, thiolether groups, ester groups, carboxylic acid groups, amine groups, amide groups, halogens, nitrogen-substituted radicals;
- and/or oxygen-substituted radicals;
- and
- Wherein, if the monomeric unit is one of formula II,
- x, y and z are integers which are independently between 0 and 15, with the proviso that x+y+z>1;
- R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8 and R9 are independently selected from hydrogen, methyl, C2-15 straight, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl groups, alkaryl groups, aralkyl groups, heteroalkyl groups, heteroaryl groups, hydroxy groups, thiol groups, disulfides, ether groups, thiolether groups, ester groups, carboxylic acid groups, amine groups, amide groups, halogens, nitrogen-substituted radicals;
- and/or oxygen-substituted radicals;
- R11, R21, and R31 are di-radical groups which are independently selected from substituted or unsubstituted methylene, C2-15 straight, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl groups, alkaryl groups, aralkyl groups, heteroalkyl groups, and heteroaryl groups;
- and
- R12, R22, and R32 are independently hydrogen, methyl, C2-15 straight, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl groups, alkaryl groups, aralkyl groups, heteroalkyl groups, and heteroaryl groups.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.