Conversion of Glycerol to Poly(3-Hydroxypropionate) in Recombinant Escherichia coli

Abstract
We have developed the conversion of glycerol into thermoplastic poly(3-hydroxypropionate) [poly(3HP)]. For this, the genes for glycerol dehydratase ( dhaB1 ) of Clostridium butyricum , propionaldehyde dehydrogenase ( pduP ) of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium LT2, and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase ( phaC1 ) of Ralstonia eutropha were expressed in recombinant Escherichia coli . Poly(3HP) was accumulated up to 11.98% (wt/wt [cell dry weight]) in a two-step, fed-batch fermentation. The present study shows an interesting application to engineer a poly(3HP) synthesis pathway in bacteria.