• KSBB Journal
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.327-330
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• 2004

An inducible expression system of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (PHB) depolymerization was established in metabolically engineered Escherichia coli with the PHB biosynthesis genes. The Ralstonia eutropha PHB depolymerase gene was cloned in a vector system containing the PHB biosynthesis genes and expressed under inducible promoter. Recombinant E. coli harboring the PHB biosynthesis genes and depolymerase gene was first cultured for the accumulation of PHB, and then the depolymerase was expressed resulting in the degradation of accumulated PHB into (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid (R3HB). R3HB could be produced with the concentration of 7.6 g/L in flask culture. Two different PHB biosynthesis genes from Alcaligenes latus and R. eutropha were compared for the production of R3HB. This strategy can be used for the production of enantiomerically pure (R)-hydroxycarboxylic acids with high concentration.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.76-82
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• 2003

To prepare evolved PHB depolymerase with increased activity for PHB or P(3HB-co-3HV) compared to the activity of the original PHB depolymerase from Alcaligenes faecalis T1, random mutation of the cloned PHB depolymerase gene was performed by using a DNA shuffling method. A library of mutated PHB depolymerase genes from A. faecalis T1 was fused to the ice nucleation protein (INP) gene from Pseudomonas syringae in pJHCl 1 and approximately 7,000 transformants were isolated. Using M9 minimal medium containing PHB or P(3HB-co-3HV) as the carbon source, mutants showing alteration in PHB depolymerase activity were selected from the transformants. The PHB depolymease activity of the transformants was confirmed by the formation of halo around colony and the turbidity decrease tests using culture supermatants. The catalytic activity of PHB depolymerase of the best mutant II-4 for PHB or P(3HB-co-13 mol% 3HV) was approximately 1.8-fold and 3.2-fold, respectively, higher than that of the original PHB depolymerase. DNA sequence analysis revealed that three amino acid residues (Ala209Val, Leu258Phe, and Asp263Thr) were substituted in II-4. From the mutational analysis, it was presumed that the substitution of amino acids near catalytic triad to more hydrophobic amino acids enhance the catalytic activity of PHB depolymerase from A. faecalis T1.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.425-431
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• 1996

The enzymatic characteristics of Alcaligenes latus were investigated by measuring the variations of various enzyme activities related to biosynthesis and degradation of poly-${\beta}$-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) during cultivation. All PHB biosynthetic enzymes, ${\beta}$-ketothiolase, acetoacetyl-CoA reductase, and PHB synthase, were activated gradually at the PHB accumulation stage, and the PHB synthase showed the highest value among three enzymes. This indicates that the rate of PHB biosynthesis is mainly controlled by either ${\beta}$-ketothiolase or acetoacetyl-CoA reductase rather than PHB synthase. The enzymatic activities related to the degradation of PHB were also measured, and the degradation of PHB was controlled by the activity of PHB depolymerase. The effect of supplements of metabolic regulators, citrate and tyrosine, was also investigated, and the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was increased by metabolic regulators, especially by tyrosine. The activities of ${\beta}$-ketothiolase and acetoacetyl-CoA reductase were also activated by citrate and tyrosine, while the activity of PHB depolymerase was depressed. The increased rate and yield of PHB biosynthesis by metabolic regulators may be due to the increment of acetyl-CoA concentration either by the repression of the TCA cycle by citrate through product inhibition or by the activation of sucrose metabolism by the supplemented tyrosine.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.129-133
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• 2002

The fungus, Emericellopsis minima W2, capable of degrading poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) was isolated from a waste water sample. Production of the PHB depolymerase from E. minima W2 (PhaZ/ sub Emi/) was significantly repressed in the presence of glucose. PhaZ/ sub Emi/ was purified by column chromatography on Octyl-Sepharose CL-4B and Sephadex G-100. The molecular mass of the PhaZ/ sub Emi/), which consisted of a single polypeptide chain, was estimated to be 48.0 kDa by SDS-PAGE and its pI vague was 4.4. The maximum activity of the PhaZ/ sub Emi/ was observed at pH 9.0 and 55$\^{C}$. It was significantly inactivated by 1mM dithiothreitol, 2mM diisopropyl fluorphosphate, 0.1mM Tween 80, and 0.1 mM Triton X-l00, but insensitive to phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and N-ethylmaleimide. The PhaZ/ sub Emi/ efficiently hydrolyzed PHB and its copolyester with 30 mol% 3-hydroxyvalerate, but did not act on poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate). It also hydrolyzed p-nitrophenylacetate and p-nitrophenylbutyrate but hardly affected the longer-chain forms. The main hydrolysis product of PHB was identified as a dimer of 3-hydroxybutyrate.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.20-25
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• 2002

An extracellular PHB depolymerase was purified from P. simplicissimum LAR13 cultural medium by Sepharose CL-6B chromatography. When the fungus was grown in a basal salt medium with poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) as the sole carbon source, PHB depolymerase production reached maximum at its stationary phase. The mycelial growth rate was higher at 37$^{\circ}C$ than at 30$^{\circ}C$ and even higher than at 25$^{\circ}C$, However, the enzyme production was lower at 37$^{\circ}C$ than 30$^{\circ}C$ or 25$^{\circ}C$. The isolated enzyme is composed of a single polypeptide chain with a molecular mass of about 36 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE. The optimum conditions for the enzyme activity are pH 5.0 and 45$^{\circ}C$. The enzyme was stable for 30 min at a temperature lower than 50$^{\circ}C$, and stable at pH higher than 2.0 but it was unstable at pH 1.0.1 mM Fe$\^$2+/ reduced the enzyme activity by 56% and the enzyme was inhibited almost completely by 4 mM Fe$\^$2+/ . The enzyme was partially inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and was very sensitive to diazo-DL-norleucine methyl esters dithiothreitol and mercuric ion. However, N-p - tosyl - L - Iysinechloromethyl ketone, p -hydroxymercuricbenzoate and N- acetylimidazole had no influence upon its activity.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.23 no.4 s.75
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• pp.348-353
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• 1995

Biodegradability of poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) by Penicillium pinophilum was investigated by the modified Sturm Test. The biodegradability measurement by this method was more reproducible than other conventional activated sludge methods. Optimum inoculum size for the PHB biodegradation was 1% (v/v). The degradation appeared to occur not only on the sample surface but also inside the sample because the biodegradation did not increase quite proportionally with the sample surface area. The biodegradation rate increased to an asymptotic value as the nitrogen content in the test medium increased, indicating the nitrogen source was needed for the synthesis of the PHB depolymerase.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.1076-1083
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• 2023

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) is a biodegradable and biocompatible bioplastic. Effective PHB degradation in nutrient-poor environments is required for industrial and practical applications of PHB. To screen for PHB-degrading strains, PHB double-layer plates were prepared and three new Bacillus infantis species with PHB-degrading ability were isolated from the soil. In addition, phaZ and bdhA of all isolated B. infantis were confirmed using a Bacillus sp. universal primer set and established polymerase chain reaction conditions. To evaluate the effective PHB degradation ability under nutrient-deficient conditions, PHB film degradation was performed in mineral medium, resulting in a PHB degradation rate of 98.71% for B. infantis PD3, which was confirmed in 5 d. Physical changes in the degraded PHB films were analyzed. The decrease in molecular weight due to biodegradation was confirmed using gel permeation chromatography and surface erosion of the PHB film was observed using scanning electron microscopy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on B. infantis showing its excellent PHB degradation ability and is expected to contribute to PHB commercialization and industrial composting.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.244-247
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• 2020

We have expressed extracellular poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) depolymerase of Ralstonia pickettii T1 on the Escherichia coli surface using Pseudomonas OprF protein as a fusion partner by C-terminal deletion-fusion strategy. Surface display of depolymerase was confirmed by flow cytometry, immunofluorescence microscopy and whole cell hydrolase activity. For the application, depolymerase was used as an immobilized catalyst of enantioselective hydrolysis reaction for the first time. After 48 h, (R)-methyl mandelate was completely hydrolyzed, and (S)-mandelic acid was produced with over 99% enantiomeric excess. Our findings suggest that surface displayed depolymerase on E. coli can be used as an enantioselective biocatalyst.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.565-565
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• 2003

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1999

Poly-${\beta}$-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and enzymes related PHB metabolism have been measured in nitrogen-fixing symbiosis of chickpea and cowpea plants. Bacteroids from chickpea and cowpea contained PHB to 0.8% and 43% of their dry weight, respectively, whereas the free-living cells CC 1192 and I 16 produced $285{\pm}55mg$ and $157{\pm}18mg$ of PHB g (dry weight)$^{-1}$. To further understand why chickpea bacteroids contained little PHB, the enzyme activities of PHB metabolism (3-ketothiolase, acetoacetyl-CoA reductase, PHB depolymerase, and 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase), the TCA cycle (malate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, and isocitrate dehydrogenase), and related reactions (malic enzyme, pyruvate dehydrogenase, and glutamate:2-oxoglutarate transaminase) were compared in extracts from chickpea and cowpea bacteroids and the respective free-living bacteria. Significant differences were observed between chickpea and cowpea bacteroids and between the bacteroid and free-living forms of CC 1192, with respect to the capacity for some of these reactions. It is indicated that a greater potential for oxidizing malate to oxaloacetate in chickpea bacteroids could be a factor that favors the utilization of acetyl-CoA in TCA cycle rather than for PHB synthesis.