Controlled biosynthesis and characterization of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) from mixtures of palm kernel oil and 3HV-precursors

This study investigates the biosynthesis and characterization of P(3HB-co-3HV-co-3HHx) terpolymer from mixtures of palm kernel oil and 3HV-precursors by using recombinant Cupriavidus necator PHB−4/pBBREE32d13. Sodium valerate and propionate have been evaluated for the generation of 3HV monomers. The feeding time of these precursors was a crucial factor that significantly affected the 3HV molar fractions, which ranged from 2 to 60 mol%. Sodium valerate was generally the better precursor in initiating the accumulation of 3HV monomers while maintaining high cell dry weight (7.9 g/L) and good PHA accumulation (79 wt%). However, the 3HHx molar fractions in the terpolymers at 72 h were consistent at about 2-7 mol%. P(3HB-co-3HV) copolymers have been known to exhibit approximately the same degree of crystallinity throughout a wide range of 3HV composition. Interestingly, in this study, terpolymers containing 58 mol% 3HB, 39 mol% 3HV and 3 mol% 3HHx showed elastomeric behavior. This study demonstrates the suitability of palm kernel oil as the main carbon source and both sodium propionate and sodium valerate as 3HV-precursors for the synthesis of novel compositions of P(3HB-co-3HV-co-3HHx) terpolymers with interesting properties.