title: Synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoate in the peroxisome of Pichia pastoris.
abstract: Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are polyesters naturally produced by bacteria that have properties of biodegradable plastics and elastomers. A PHA synthase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa modified at the carboxy-end for peroxisomal targeting was transformed in Pichia pastoris. The PHA synthase was expressed under the control of the promoter of the P. pastoris acyl-CoA oxidase gene. Synthesis of up to 1% medium-chain-length PHA per g dry weight was dependent on both the expression of the PHA synthase and the presence of oleic acid in the medium. PHA accumulated as inclusions within the peroxisomes. P. pastoris could be used as a model system to study how peroxisomal metabolism needs to be modified to increase PHA production in other eukaryotes, such as plants.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biotechnologie Végétale, Institut d'Ecologie, Université de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. yves.poirier@ie-bpv.unil.ch
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Poirier
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Erard
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: MacDonald-Comber Petétot
mesh_terms: D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003470:Culture Media; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D020675:Peroxisomes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010843:Pichia / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000378:metabolism*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D011091:Polyesters; D000217:Acyltransferases; C077225:poly(3-hydroxyalkanoic acid) synthase