Versatile sugar and valerate metabolic pathways in Paraburkholderia xenovorans LB400 enable tailored poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) production

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) polymers are accumulated by diverse prokaryotes. Their distinct monomer compositions enable their use as tailored bioplastics. The aims were to characterize the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) synthesis by Paraburkholderia xenovorans LB400 using different sugars and valerate, and to gain genome-oriented insights into polyhydroxyalkanoate production. d-Glucose, d-mannitol, d-gluconate, and d-xylose were evaluated as sole carbon sources or supplemented with valerate. Polyhydroxyalkanoates synthesized by strain LB400 were characterized through GC-MS, GC-FID, FTIR, and ¹H and ¹³C-NMR. P. xenovorans LB400 reached 1.00-1.39 g L^-1 of dry cell weight (DCW) with a P(3HB) content of 21-43% w w^-1 when grown on different sugars. The addition of valerate to the sugar-grown LB400 cultures yielded a DCW of 1.79 to 2.29 g L^-1 and a P(3HB-co-3HV) content of 50.0‒51.2% w w^-1, with varying 3HV compositions (28‒43 mol%). The highest 3HV incorporation was observed with d-xylose and valerate. Genomic analyses of strain LB400 revealed key elements of sugar metabolism influencing growth, polymer accumulation, and monomer composition. LB400 genome encodes the PhaJ-like R-specific hydratase and FadJ epimerase, which are potentially useful for modulating copolymer composition. PHA production under bioreactor conditions was evaluated. In a bioreactor fed with d-glucose, LB400 achieved a P(3HB) concentration of 2.2 g L^-1. These findings highlight the metabolic versatility of P. xenovorans LB400 in utilizing diverse sugars to produce either P(3HB) or tailor-made P(3HB-co-3HV), supporting the development of bioplastics for specific applications. KEY POINTS: • Strain LB400 produced P(3HB-co-3HV) from various sugars and valerate. • Sugar type drives LB400 PHA copolymer synthesis and composition. • Strain LB400 PHA production was scaled up to a bioreactor.