Abstract

Synthesis and accumulation of Poly-β-Hydrozyalkanoates (PHA) in Bacillus thuringiensis R-510 isolated from soil were investigatd. This organism was resistant to relatively higj concentration of propionate and had a capability of accumulatinf copolymers consisting of 3-hydroxybutyrate(3HB) and 3-hydroxyvalerate(3HV) when the medium was supplemented with propionate as a precursor, The PHA content maximally reached up to 44.5% of dry cell weight in the presence of 0.1% propionate. The molar fraction of 3HV in the copolymer was increased from 19.4 to 80,2 mol% by adding 0.05 to 0.5% propionate to glucose medium. The addition of propionate during exponential or stationary phase of cell growth was less effective for the enhancement of 3HV content in the copolymer, although cell mass and PHA content were not affected by the time of propionate addition. PHB homopolymer and copolymer produced by B. thuringiensis R-510 were measured to have number average molecular weights in the range of 53,000 to 65,000. Polydispersity indices were between 1.5 and 2.2. Some of the produced polymers had bimodal molecular weight distribution.

• Keywords: Poly-β-Hydrozyalkanoates; copolymer; 3-hydroxybutyrate; 3-hydroxyvalerate; molecular weight; Bacillus thuringiensis