The method isolates polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) from a PHA-rich bacterial biomass, to the PHA isolated by the method and to a PHA having specific properties. The method treats an aqueous suspension of the PHA-rich bacterial biomass with a minimal amount of sodium hypochlorite, a methanol wash and extraction of PHA from the biomass with dimethyl carbonate (DMC).

The method isolates polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) from a PHA-rich bacterial biomass, to the PHA isolated by the method and to a PHA having specific properties. The method treats an aqueous suspension of the PHA-rich bacterial biomass with a minimal amount of sodium hypochlorite, a methanol wash and extraction of PHA from the biomass with dimethyl carbonate (DMC).

The technology described herein is directed to engineered chemoautotrophic bacteria and methods of producing sustainable biomolecules. In several aspects, described herein are engineered bacteria and corresponding methods, compositions, and systems for the production of products such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), sugar feedstocks, and lipochitooligosaccharide (LCO) fertilizers.

Provided is a mutant polyhydroxyalkanoate synthetase having an amino acid sequence which has 85% or more sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and which contains a mutation of substitution of at least one of the amino acids at the 27th to 33rd, 39th, 56th, 106th, 129th, 144th, 165th, 170th and 172nd to 187th positions from the N-terminus of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 with another amino acid.

The present invention relates to methods for the preparation of high molecular weight polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) by culturing Bacillus megaterium strains in a mixture of agri-food wastes, PHB obtained or obtainable by the methods as well as to its use in the preparation of articles such as, for example, soles and/or heels for shoes.

The object of an aspect of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a long-chain fatty acid, the method making it possible to prevent a coloring component from being contained in the long-chain fatty acid and recover the long-chain fatty acid at a high yield. The above problem is solved by providing a method for producing a long-chain fatty acid, the method including the steps of: (a) with use of an enzyme, decomposing, into fatty acids, triglyceride contained in a raw vegetable oil which is derived from a vegetable-derived oil-containing waste; (b) removing, by distillation, a short-chain fatty acid contained in the raw vegetable oil which has been subjected to the step (a); and (c) recovering, by short-path distillation, a long-chain fatty acid contained in the raw vegetable oil which has been subjected to the step (b).

The object of an aspect of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a long-chain fatty acid, the method making it possible to prevent a coloring component from being contained in the long-chain fatty acid and recover the long-chain fatty acid at a high yield. The above problem is solved by providing a method for producing a long-chain fatty acid, the method including the steps of: (a) with use of an enzyme, decomposing, into fatty acids, triglyceride contained in a raw vegetable oil which is derived from a vegetable-derived oil-containing waste; (b) removing, by distillation, a short-chain fatty acid contained in the raw vegetable oil which has been subjected to the step (a); and (c) recovering, by short-path distillation, a long-chain fatty acid contained in the raw vegetable oil which has been subjected to the step (b).

A method for recovering polyhydroxyalkanoates from a biomass is disclosed. According to the method, polynucleotide chains are cleaved by addition of an endonuclease. A lysing agent is used to disrupt cell walls of the microorganism cells and release the intracellular polyhydroxyalkanoates from the cells. Proteins are also degraded by addition of a peptidase. The polyhydroxyalkanoates are then separated from cellular debris of the cells. According to the present disclosure, this method is carried out without the use of organic solvents in the cleaving, lysing, and degrading steps.

A method for recovering polyhydroxyalkanoates from a biomass is disclosed. According to the method, polynucleotide chains are cleaved by addition of an endonuclease. A lysing agent is used to disrupt cell walls of the microorganism cells and release the intracellular polyhydroxyalkanoates from the cells. Proteins are also degraded by addition of a peptidase. The polyhydroxyalkanoates are then separated from cellular debris of the cells. According to the present disclosure, this method is carried out without the use of organic solvents in the cleaving, lysing, and degrading steps.

Methods and materials for the production of hydroxy fatty acid anions, including 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid (2-HIBA), and/or derivatives thereof and compounds related thereto are provided. Also provided are products produced in accordance with these methods and materials.