Biopolyester Particles

Inclusions in MOs

• Inorganic Inclusions:– Magnetosomes

• Organic Inclusions:– Biopolyester granules (PHA)

Production of Inclusions

• The key enzymes are the polyester synthases

• PHA synthases:• These enzymes catalyse the enantioselective

conversion of (R)-3- hydroxyacylCoA substrates to PHAs• In this process CoA is released again• 88 synthases are cloned and characterised

PHA producing bacteria

Production of Inclusions

• PHAs are produced:– When Carbon sources are available in surplus– When other nutrients are limiting

• PHAs are stored in the cells as water insoluble particles inside the cell.

• Who is producing PHAs:– Eubacteria– Archea

Why do these bacteria produce PHAs?

• PHAs are produced as intracellular storage• Upon carbon source starvation the polymers

are being mobilised again• Enzymes used for this:– PHA Depolymerases

• Location of the enzymes:– On the surfaces of the granules

Biopolyester

PHAs potential applications

• Size, core composition and surface functionality can be taylored

• Functionalised nanoparticles• Biocompatible, biodegradable• Drug delivery• Protein immobilisation• diagnostics

PHAs applications

• Thermoplastic properties• Packaging industry• Medicine• Pharmacy• Agriculture• Food industry• Raw material for enantiomerically pure

chemicals

Structure and Properties of 2 Major PHAs

The 4 Main groups of PHA synthase

Genetics of PHA synthases

Polyester synthese

Metabolic routes for Polyester biosynthesis

Polyester inclusion self assembly and structure

Taylor made Biopolyester particles

PHA production

Production of fusion proteins

PHB chips for immunoassays

µContact Printing

Micro patterning

Long term stability of printed fusion protein

Confocal image of Fusion protein µCP onto PHA surfaces

PHA coated SPR chips

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Trends for Plastic Materials• Raw Material shortage

– Polymers from renewable raw materials will become important• Current examples like

– PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) grown in genetically modified corn plant leaves – PLA (polylactide) produced by the fermentation of sugars extracted from

plants – PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate) produced by bacteria.

• New synthesis methods of old polymers like PA11 will be established : example PA11 derived from castor plant–based renewable resources

– Protein polymers• Extreme mechanical properties • Protein polymers are synthetic proteins created "from scratch"

through chemical DNA (gene) synthesis, and produced in quantity by traditional large-scale microbial fermentation methods

• Through genetic engineering, it will be possible to tailor the physical structure and biological characteristics of protein polymers to achieve required properties

• Due to their synthetic design, protein polymers are capable of combining the biological functionality of natural proteins with the chemical functionality and exceptional physical properties of synthetic polymers

Materials technology in a key role• Materials technology as a potential

enabler for:– Enhanced user experience– New functionality– New form factors– Improvements in production efficiency– New solutions for energy management,

data storage• Need multi-disciplinary research– materials, mechanics, memory,

electronics, energy• Considerations for environmental

sustainability, volume production

28 © 2005 Nokia YN 10.10.2006

Trends for Plastic Materials• Tailoring of properties is made through additive technologies

– Old property fine tuning with additives like internal lubrication, thermal conductivity, and static dissipation

– smart plastics with additives• Tunable electrical properties• Polymer magnets• Shape memory plastics• Tunable friction properties

– Nano Technologies• …

• Biodegration– Controlled biodegradation will be used in many new applications

• Food preservation• Explosives• Security