• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.510-522
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• 2022

In this study, to biosynthesize PHA with properties more similar to polypropylene, a Bacillus sp. EMK-5020 strain that biosynthesized poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) was isolated from soil. Bacillus sp. EMK-5020 strain biosynthesized PHBV containing 1.3% 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) using reducing sugar contained in Makgeolli lees enzymatic hydrolysate (MLEH) as a single carbon source. As the amount of propionic acid, which was added as a second carbon source, increased, the content of 3HV also increased. PHBV containing up to 48.6% of 3HV was synthesized when 1.0 g/l of propionic acid was added. Based on these results, the strain was cultured for 72 hr in a 3 l fermenter using reducing sugar in MLEH (20 g/l) and propionic acid (1 g/l) as the main and secondary carbon sources, respectively. As a result, 6.4 g/l DCW and 50 wt% of PHBV (MLEH-PHBV) containing 8.9% 3HV were biosynthesized. Through gel permeation chromatography and thermogravimetric analysis, it was confirmed that the average molecular weight and the decomposition temperature of MLEH-PHBV were 152 kDa and 273℃, respectively. In conclusion, the Bacillus sp. EMK-5020 strain could biosynthesize PHBV containing various 3HV fractions when MLEH and propionic acid were used as carbon sources, and PHBV-MLEH containing 8.9% 3HV was confirmed to have higher thermal stability than standard PHBV (8% 3HV).