Biosynthesis of polyesters from various amino acids by Alcaligenes eutrophus.

The possibilities of the biosynthesis of polyesters from 20 kinds of naturally occurring L-amino acids by Alcaligenes eutrophus were studied. It was found that several amino acids were used efficiently to synthesize copolyesters of 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) and 3-hydroxyvalerate (3 HV) by A. eutrophus under the 'loose nitrogen-limiting' condition, but the other amino acids were scarcely utilized as a carbon source for the synthesis of polyesters. When L-threonine or L-isoleucine were used as the sole carbon source, copolyesters with higher 3HV content were produced.