Patent ID: 8093022

Claim:
A polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer consisting of either (a) 2-hydroxybutyrate and 3-hydroxybutyrate; or (b) 3-hydroxypropionate and one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of 2-hydroxybutyrate, 3-hydroxyvalerate, 4-hydroxybutyrate, 4-hydroxyvalerate, 5-hydroxyvalerate, 3-hydroxyhexanoate, 4-hydroxyhexanoate, 6-hydroxyhexanoate and other longer chain 3-hydroxyacids containing seven or more carbons, wherein the polymer is produced by providing two or more substrates selected from the group consisting of 3-hydroxybutyrate, 3-hydroxypropionate, 2-hydroxybutyrate, 3-hydroxyvalerate, 4-hydroxybutyrate, 4-hydroxyvalerate, 5-hydroxyvalerate, 3-hydroxyhexanoate, 4-hydroxyhexanoate, 6-hydroxyhexanoate and other longer chain 3-hydroxyacids containing seven or more carbons, to a biological system, wherein the biological system expresses enzymes selected from the group consisting of polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase, acyl-CoA transferase, hydroxyacyl CoA transferase, and hydroxyacyl CoA synthetase such that the polymer accumulates.