3. PHA biosynthesis
There are four different pathways for the synthesis of PHAs found to date. These pathways in detail have been reported elsewhere [3] and [6]. In A. eutrophus, β-ketothiolase carries out the condensation of two molecules of acetyl-CoA to acetoacetyl-CoA. An NADPH-dependent acetoacetyl-CoA reductase then carries out its conversion to 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA. The third and the final step is the polymerisation reaction catalysed by PHB synthase ( Fig. 2) [13]. In Rhodopsuedomonas rubrum, the pathway differs after the second step where the acetoacetyl-CoA formed by β-ketothiolase is reduced by a NADH dependent reductase to l-(+)-3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA which is then converted to d-(−)-3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA by two enoyl-CoA hydratases. A third type of PHA biosynthetic pathway is found in most Psuedomonas species belonging to rRNA homology group I. P. oleovorans and other Psuedomonas species accumulate PHA consisting of 3-hydroxyalkanoic acid of MCL if cells are cultivated on alkanes, alkanols or alkanoic acids [14], [15] and [16]. The fourth type of PHA biosynthetic pathway is present in almost all Psuedomonas species belonging to rRNA homology group II. This pathway involves the synthesis of copolyesters consisting of MCL 3HAs from acetyl-CoA. This pathway has not been studied in detail.