Functional role of granule-associated genes, phaP and phaR, in poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate biosynthesis in recombinant E. coli harboring phbCAB operon.

The expression characteristic of two granule-associated genes, phaP and phaR, in a recombinant E. coli harboring the phbCAB operon was investigated. Polybetamydroxybutyrate (PHB) accumulation increased up from 16% to 57% (w/w) after transformation of the granule-associated genes due to the stabilization of PHB granules rather than by a direct effect on PHB biosynthetic enzymes. The morphology of PHB granules also varied depending on the transformed phaP and phaR genes.