ARS | Publication request: CHARACTERIZATION AND MANIPULATION OF GENES IN THE BIOSYNTHESIS OF SOPHOROLIPIDS AND POLY(HYDROXYALKANOATES)

Submitted to: UJNR Food & Agricultural Panel Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: October 15, 2004
Publication Date: December 11, 2004
Citation: Solaiman, D., Ashby, R.D., Foglia, T.A. 2004. Characterization and manipulation of genes in the biosynthesis of sophorolipids and poly(hydroxyalkanoates). Proceedings of the United States-Japan Cooperative Program in Natural Resources, Protein Resources Panel Annual Meeting. p. 215-219.

Technical Abstract: Agricultural fats and oils and their coproducts are economically and functionally attractive renewable feedstocks for the fermentative production of industrial bioproducts. Our laboratory has studied the use of these feedstocks for the production of biosurfactants (i.e., sophorolipids and rhamnolipids) and biodegradable polymer (i.e., poly(hydroxyalkanoates)). A genetic manipulation approach is pursued to effect the synthesis of new product variants and to improve production yields. In this paper, we present the identification, characterization and cloning of putative genes involved in the biosynthesis of sophorolipids. We also summarize results of our studies on the modification of genes involved in PHA synthesis and degradation, leading to the construction of recombinant strains with altered PHA composition and accumulation property.