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ABSTRACT
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) belong to a class of bioderived polyesters. They are produced by a large number of microorganisms for energy storage purposes. Through the use of different carbon substrates, culture conditions and careful selection of bacterial species a large variety of such biopolymers can be reached. Due to specific properties such as biodegradability and biocompatibility PHA are expected to find applications in biomedical area in the near future. Due to its large and still unknown biodiversity, marine environment suggested itself as a source of novel PHA producing microorganisms.
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Read the articleAUTHORS
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Jean GUEZENNEC: Scientific consultant Plouzané (France), AiMB (Advices in Marine Biotechnology)
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Yves-Marie CORRE: Research engineer, Materials Engineering Laboratory of Brittany (LIMATB) University of Southern Brittany Lorient (France)
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Christelle SIMON-COLIN: Biochemist, Ifremer, UMR 6197, Laboratory of Microbiology of Extreme Environments, Technopôle Brest-Iroise, UBO, CNRS, Plouzané (France)
INTRODUCTION
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biopolymers synthesized by bacteria in response to unfavorable environmental conditions. These biodegradable polymers offer an alternative to synthetic polymers derived from petrochemicals. Numerous applications are expected, given the possibility of upstream control of the nature of these polymers through actions on culture and fermentation conditions, the carbon source and, of course, the producing strains. Their biodegradability and biocompatibility, their mechanical properties, and the fact that they can be combined with other molecules or polymers in a variety of ways, also favour applications in most healthcare fields (hematology, cardiology, ophthalmology, dermatology, tissue and bone regeneration, etc.). Studies have yet to be carried out, notably on oligomers and functionalized polymers, but many parameters point to the imminent development of these biopolymers in this field. All this, however, does not exclude the interest that can also be generated by the search for and identification of new production strains. In this respect, the marine environment, with its little-known and little-exploited microbial biodiversity, is a potential source of new microorganisms capable of producing new PHAs under controlled conditions.
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KEYWORDS
biopolymers | microorganisms | bacterial polyesters | bioderived polyesters | biomedical | healthcare
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