Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Extrusion by Cells of Recombinant Escherichia coli

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) was synthesized and accumulated intracellularly to a high concentration (7 g/l) by cultivating recombinant Escherichia coli XL1-Blue (pSYLl05) in a complex medium containing 20 g/l glucose. The morphology of PHB granules was examined by transmission electron microscopy. The PHB granules synthesized in recombinant E. coli were much larger than reported values for wild type microorganisms, and were often irregularly shaped. Some cells were apparently extruding PHB into the medium, which suggests that PHB granules maintain some fluidity and cells become fragile due to PHB accumulation.