Biological Production of Novel, High-Performance Polyesters

Stanford inventors have engineered microbial systems to form a broad range of aliphatic and aromatic polyesters. The expression of heterologous genes in bacteria enabled the synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) with tunable material properties through incorporation of non-natural monomers. For example, the inventors were able to synthesize co-polymers of 3?hydroxybutyrate with straight-chain omega-hydroxy acids, and aromatic arylalkyl hydroxy acids like the arylaliphate 3?phenyllactate. Additionally, the researchers developed a co-polymers with the aromatic hydroxyphenyl phloretate, which have structural analogy with industrial grade high-strength synthetic polyesters and "liquid-crystal" polymers like polyarylates. Biological polymers can be produced from waste-derived carbon-sources, such as carbon dioxide, formate, or acetate , which are cost competitive and sustainable.