Journal of Plant Pathology (2007) 89, p. S19 (Lombardo et al.)

A. Lombardo, P. Bella and V. Catara (2007)
Cloning and expression of Pseudomonas corrugata PHA synthases for useful applications
Journal of Plant Pathology 89 (3, Suppl.), S19-S19
Oral Presentation at S.I.Pa.V XIV National Meeting - Perugia, Italy 19-21 Sept. 2007
Abstract: In a previous study possible differences were detected by PCR in the genetic locus involved in polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) production by Pseudomonas corrugata. PHAs are intracellular inclusions which usually occur when carbon is in excess and at least another essential growth factor (i.e. nitrogen, phosphorus) is limited. In nature, these inclusions are thought to play a strategic role in survival and overcoming environmental stress. Once extracted from the cells, they have the same properties as some common plastics, thus attracting attention as biodegradable counterparts to petroleum-based polymers. P. corrugata produces PHAMCL with monomer-unit-repeats of 6-14 carbon atoms. Following the screening of a large collection of strains, a P. corrugata strain was selected being an optimum producer of PHAs both from fatty acids and used cooking oil. The PHA biosynthesis locus was detected in an Escherichia coli cosmid clone from a genomic library and subcloned in the pUC18 vector. A sequence of about 5.8 kb spanning the PHA locus of P. corrugata was determined. A class II PHA genetic system consisting of two synthase genes (phaC, phaC2) separated by a gene coding for an intracellular PHA depolymerase (phaZ) was found, as well as the putative promoters. The PHA synthase sequences were independently cloned from a wild type P. corrugata strain and expressed in E. coli. The functional expression of phaC1 and phaC2 in E. coli was confirmed using decanoate and oleic acid as carbon sources. With the aim of producing PHAMCL in plant, two Agrobacterium mediated transfection vectors carrying phaC1 under the control of nos regulation sequences were built.
Database assignments for author(s): Vittoria Catara, Patrizia Bella

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
molecular biology - genes

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Pseudomonas corrugata