Patent ID: 7455999

Claim:
A method for the biological production of polyhydroxyalkanoate containing 3-hydroxyhexanoate comprising providing genetically engineered bacteria expressing a 3-ketothiolase gene encoding an enzyme that converts butyryl-CoA and acetyl-CoA to 3-ketohexanoyl-CoA, a reductase gene that encodes an acetoacetyl-CoA reductase enzyme that converts 3-ketohexanoyl-CoA to 3-hydroxyhexanoyl-CoA, and a gene that encodes a polyhydroxyalkanoate polymerase that polymerizes 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA and 3-hydroxyhexanoyl-CoA, wherein the enzymes are expressed in a sufficient amount to produce polyhydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate, wherein the bacteria can utilize butanol or butyrate and the bacteria will produce polyhydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate.