Strain engineering and bioprocessing strategies for bio-based production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) using cheap feedstocks

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Due to unstable supply of fossil fuels, numerous environmental concerns of climate change, stringent regulations for petro-based production, and motivation to "low carbon" economy, replacing petrochemical processes with biomass-biological strategies has been recognized as a modern technology for renewable, sustainable, and clean manufacturing of value-added chemicals and fuels. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are natural polyesters recently attracting considerable interests as promising candidates to replace petro-based synthetic plastics with numerous environmental impacts. Based on common interests in bio-based production of PHAs, our biomanufacturing research group at UWaterloo and Genecis Bioindustries, a Toronto-based company, initiate the proposed research with a major objective to develop an advanced whole-cell transformation platform, including genetically and metabolically engineered bacterial strains, and their associated bioprocessing strategies, for the production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), a biocopolymer member of PHAs, using cheap feedstocks, such as glycerol and volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Genecis has recently decided to explore PHBV-related technologies upon recognizing certain limitations associated with their existing PHA bioprocess and products. The developed engineered bacterial strains and bioprocesses for PHBV production can be readily transferred to Genecis for large-scale production, benefiting the existing Canadian biopolymer industry not only technologically but also economically. The proposed research is also highly multidisciplinary in biological sciences and industrial biotechnology with the following envisioned outcomes and benefits: (1) developing a clean, renewable, sustainable, and economically feasible PHBV bioprocess; (2) boosting Canada's research capacity and technological development in bioprocessing strategies and biopolymer production; (3) improving Canada's living environment and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions through clean biomanufacturing; and (4) training highly qualified personnel (HQP) for meeting challenges of the next generation of industrial biotechnology.