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Highlights: [•] P(3HP-co-3HB) copolymer with controllable monomer composition was biosynthesized. [•] The inexpensive glycerol was used as sole carbon source. [•] The highest P(3HP-co-3HB) production was achieved. [•] The copolymer properties were dependent on its composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Poly(3-hydroxypropionate) (P3HP) is a biodegradable and biocompatible thermoplastic. In this study, a P3HP biosynthetic pathway from glycerol was constructed in recombinant Escherichia coli. The genes for glycerol dehydratase and its reactivating factor (dhaB123 and gdrAB, from Klebsiella pneumoniae), propionaldehyde dehydrogenase (pduP, from Salmonella typhimurium), and polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase (phaC1, from Cupriavidus necator) were cloned and expressed in E. coli. After culture condition optimization, the final engineered strain accumulated 10.1g/L P3HP (46.4% of the cell dry weight) using glycerol and glucose as cosubstrates in an aerobic fed-batch fermentation. To date, this is the highest P3HP production without addition of any expensive precursor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]