Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate) Synthesis Genes in Azotobacter sp. Strain FA8

Genes responsible for the synthesis of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) in Azotobacter sp. FA8 were cloned and analyzed. A PHB polymerase gene (phbC) was found downstream from genes coding for β-ketothiolase (phbA) and acetoacetyl-coenzyme A reductase (phbB). A PHB synthase mutant was obtained by gene inactivation and used for genetic studies. The phbC gene from this strain was introduced into Ralstonia eutropha PHB-4 (phbC-negative mutant), and the recombinant accumulated PHB when either glucose or octanoate was used as a source of carbon, indicating that this PHB synthase cannot incorporate medium-chain-length hydroxyalkanoates into PHB.