PHA production by utilizing nitrogen fixation and CO2 fixation abilities of purple photosynthetic bacteria

• Project/Area Number: 16K00593
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Environmental engineering and reduction of environmental burden
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Higuchi Mieko 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 環境資源科学研究センター, 研究員 (40443014)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,810,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,110,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥2,340,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥540,000)
• Keywords: ポリヒドロキシアルカン酸 / 海洋性紅色光合成細菌 / 窒素固定 / 形質転換 / 紅色光合成細菌 / ニトロゲナーゼ / 二酸化炭素固定 / 光合成細菌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Marine purple photosynthetic bacteria are ideal organisms for production of useful materials to reduce production costs and to contribute sustainable society because they can utilize sun energy, seawater and carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas in the air for their growth. Purple photosynthetic bacteria are kown to have Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioplastic production ablity. PHA production was investigated using marine purple photosynthetic bacteria. Some marine purple photosynthetic bacteria strains could grow in nitrogen gas as a sole nitrogen source. PHA was not produced under aerobic conditions and the addition of acetate induced PHA production. Gene expression analysis revealed that one transcription factor was involved in the acetate-induced PHA production under aerobic conditions. I also developed the transformation method of marine purple photosynthetic bacteria using chemically competent cells prepared by calcium chloride treatment.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

海洋性の紅色光合成細菌は地球上に大量に存在する海水・太陽光・二酸化炭素・窒素ガスを生育に利用できる物質生産に理想的な微生物である。また近年需要が高まっているバイオプラスチックの生産能も高く、応用展開が期待されている。本研究により、紅色光合成細菌の窒素固定能やPHA生産条件、バイオプラスチックの生産制御、形質転換についての知見が得られたことは、今後の産業生産に大きな貢献ができたと考えている。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Acetate-inducing metabolic states enhance polyhydroxyalkanoate production in marine purple nonsulfur bacteria under aerobic conditions (2019)
  • Author(s): Higuchi-Takeuchi Mieko, Keiji Numata
  • Journal Title: Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology Volume: 印刷中
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Class I Polyhydroxyalkanoate Synthase from the Purple Photosynthetic Bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum Predominantly Exists as a Functional Dimer in the Absence of a Substrate (2017)
  • Author(s): Mieko Higuchi-Takeuchi, Yoko Motoda, Takanori Kigawa, and Keiji Numata
  • Journal Title: ACS Omega Volume: 2 (8) Issue: 8 Pages: 5071-5078
  • DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.7b00667
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Sucrose supplementation suppressed the growth inhibition in polyhydroxyalkanoate-producing plants (2017)
  • Author(s): Yoshizumi T, Yamada M, Higuchi-Takeuchi M, Matsumoto K, Taguchi S, Matsui M, Numata K
  • Journal Title: Plant Biotechnology Volume: 34 Issue: 1 Pages: 39-43
  • DOI: 10.5511/plantbiotechnology.16.1121a
  • NAID: 130005519592
  • ISSN: 1342-4580, 1347-6114
  • Peer Reviewed / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Synthesis of High-Molecular-Weight Polyhydroxyalkanoates by Marine Photosynthetic Purple Bacteria. (2016)
  • Author(s): Higuchi-Takeuchi M, Morisaki K, Toyooka K, Numata K.
  • Journal Title: PLoS One Volume: 11 (8) Issue: 8 Pages: e0160981-e0160981
  • DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160981
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Screening Method for the Isolation of Polyhydroxyalkanoate-Producing Purple Non-sulfur Photosynthetic Bacteria from Natural Seawater (2016)
  • Author(s): Higuchi-Takeuchi M, Morisaki K, Numata K.
  • Journal Title: Front Microbiol. Volume: 7 Pages: 1509-1509
  • DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01509
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Presentation] 海洋性紅色光合成細菌の窒素固定及び二酸化炭素固定反応を利用したバイオポリマー生産系の構築 (2019)
  • Author(s): 樋口（竹内）美栄子、森崎久美子、沼田圭司
  • Organizer: 植物生理学会
• [Presentation] 海洋性紅色光合成細菌の形質転換系の開発と窒素固定能の評価 (2018)
  • Author(s): 樋口（竹内）美栄子、森崎久美子、沼田圭司
  • Organizer: 生物工学会
• [Presentation] 海洋性紅色光合成細菌の窒素固定及び二酸化炭素固定反応を利用したポリヒドロキシアルカン酸の生産 (2018)
  • Author(s): 樋口（竹内）美栄子、森崎久美子、沼田圭司
  • Organizer: 高分子学会討論会
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Effects of culture conditions on the polyhydroxyalkanoate production in marine purple photosynthetic bacteria (2018)
  • Author(s): Mieko Higuchi-Takeuchi M, Keiji Numata
  • Organizer: The 10th International Conference of Modification, Degradation and Stabilization of Polymers
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 海洋性紅色光合成細菌を用いたバイオポリマー生産 (2018)
  • Author(s): Higuchi-Takeuchi M
  • Organizer: 第3回光合成細菌ワークショップ
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 海洋性紅色非硫黄細菌によるポリヒドロキシアルカン酸（PHA）生産 (2018)
  • Author(s): 樋口 美栄子、森崎 久美子、沼田 圭司
  • Organizer: 第58回植物生理学会
• [Presentation] 海洋性紅色非硫黄細菌によるポリヒドロキシアルカン酸（PHA）生産 (2017)
  • Author(s): 樋口（竹内）美栄子、森崎久美子、沼田圭司
  • Organizer: 日本植物生理学会
  • Place of Presentation: 鹿児島大学（鹿児島市）
  • Year and Date: 2017-03-16
• [Presentation] Polyhydroxyalkanoate production by marine purple photosynthetic bacteria (2017)
  • Author(s): Higuchi-Takeuchi M, Kumiko Morisaki, Keiji Numata
  • Organizer: Kick-off Symposium“Japan-South-East Asia Collaboration Hub of Bioplastics Study” JSPS-Core-to-Core Program
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) production and characterization by marine purple non-sulfur bacteria (2017)
  • Author(s): Higuchi-Takeuchi M, Kumiko Morisaki, Yoko Motoda, Keiji Numata
  • Organizer: The 6th International Conference on Bio-based Polymers
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 光合成細菌によるポリヒドロキシアルカン酸の生産 (2017)
  • Author(s): 樋口 美栄子、森崎 久美子、沼田 圭司
  • Organizer: 第 27 回バイオ・高分子シンポジウム
• [Presentation] ポリヒドロキシアルカン酸を生産する海洋性紅色非硫黄光合成細菌海の単離方法 (2016)
  • Author(s): 樋口美栄子、森崎久美子、沼田圭司
  • Organizer: 高分子討論会
  • Place of Presentation: 神奈川大学（横浜市）
  • Year and Date: 2016-09-14
• [Book] 工業材料 (2019)
  • Author(s): 樋口（竹内） 美栄子
  • Total Pages: 96
  • Publisher: 日刊工業新聞社