The invention provides engineered Vibrio sp. organisms that comprise a genetic modification to either or both of the lpxL and/or lpxM genes. The organisms score substantially lower in an in vitro endotoxin assay versus the unmodified or wild type organism. The organisms preserve substantially the growth rate of the corresponding unmodified organisms. The organisms can also have an exogenous nucleic acid cloned in the organism, or an exogenous nucleic acid encoding a protein, polypeptide, or peptide expressed by the organism, and optionally secreted from the organism.

A process is disclosed for production of a polyhydroxyalkanoate that includes depolymerization of a post-consumer polyhydroxyalkanoate and utilization of the hydroxyalkanoate monomer thus produced as a carbon source for a microorganism capable of production of a polyhydroxyalkanoate. Methods can be utilized for true cyclic use of polyhydroxyalkanoates including polyhydroxybutyrates. Various aspects are described including simultaneous depolymerization and polymer production, utilization of purified depolymerase enzymes and/or microorganisms that express a depolymerase in conjunction with a microorganism that produces polymer, utilization of microorganisms that produce both a depolymerase and a new polymer, and utilization of genetically modified organisms to produce natural or modified depolymerase enzymes.