title: Peroxisomes as sites for synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates in transgenic plants.
abstract: Bacterial genes responsible for poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) biosynthesis were targeted to plant peroxisomes by adding a carboxy-terminal targeting sequence. The enzymes evidently were transported into peroxisomes, retained their catalytic activity, and reacted with peroxisomally available precursors because PHB synthesis in transgenic plant cells was localized to peroxisomes. Up to 2 mg/g fresh weight PHB was produced in suspension cultures of Black Mexican Sweet maize cells after biolistic transformation with three peroxisomally targeted bacterial genes. An equilibrium effect is proposed to explain the unexpected existence of (R)-3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA in plant peroxisomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Biological Process Technology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, USA.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Eschenlauer
authors.forename: U B
authors.initials: UB
authors.lastname: Sleytr
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Somers
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Srienc
mesh_terms: D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020675:Peroxisomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000378:metabolism*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003313:Zea mays; D000094122:Polyhydroxybutyrates
chemical_list: D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D011091:Polyesters; C003182:poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate; D000094122:Polyhydroxybutyrates