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Enhanced biosynthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates in a mutant strain of Rhizobium meliloti

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Abstract

Strains of Rhizobium spp. isolated from leguminous plants and standard strains accumulated 27% to 57% polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) of their cell biomass. Among these cultures, one strain of Rhizobium meliloti synthesized 10–30% more PHA than others and contained 3% hydroxyvalerate (HV) when grown on sucrose as carbon substrate. The occurrence of hydroxybutyrate (HB) and HV was confirmed by GC and 1H NMR analysis. Treatment of the culture with 4-N-piperidinobutyl-2-chlorophenoxazine resulted in a mutant which synthesized upto 69%, PHA of the cell biomass with an improved yield of 11 to 47% under different carbon and nitrogen ratios, compared to the parent strain.

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Correspondence to Tumkur Ramachandriah Shamala.

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Lakshman, K., Ramachandriah Shamala, T. Enhanced biosynthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates in a mutant strain of Rhizobium meliloti . Biotechnology Letters 25, 115–119 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021959100432

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021959100432

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