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Microbial production and applications of chiral hydroxyalkanoates

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Abstract

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are a family of polyesters consisting of over 150 chiral hydroxyalkanoic acids (HA). This paper reviews the physiological functions of (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid (3HB) and (R)-4-hydroxybutyric acid and summarizes the technologies developed to produce various HA [3HB, (R)-3-hydroxyoctanoic acid, (R)-3-hydroxydecanoic acid, etc.] and the applications of chiral HA. Their outlooks and perspectives are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

Project No. 20334020 is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). NSFC funding for Distinguished Young Scholars (No. 30225001) also contributes to this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MOE Laboratory of Protein Science, Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Tsinghua University, Beijng, 100084, China

    Guo-Qiang Chen & Qiong Wu

  2. Multidisciplinary Research Center, Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, China

    Guo-Qiang Chen

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  1. Guo-Qiang Chen
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  2. Qiong Wu
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Correspondence to Guo-Qiang Chen.

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Chen, GQ., Wu, Q. Microbial production and applications of chiral hydroxyalkanoates. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 67, 592–599 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-005-1917-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-005-1917-2

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