Production of biodegradable polyester by a transgenic tobacco

The acetoacetyl-CoA reductase gene (phbB) of Ralstonia eutropha and the pol y[(R)-(-)-3-hydroxyalkanoate] synthase gene (phaC(AC)) of Aeromonas caviae were introduced into tobacco plant by Agrobacterium mediated transformation method. The resulting transgenic tobacco expressed both introduced genes a nd the expression of these genes was confirmed by enzymatic analysis and we stern blotting. GC-MS analysis of the chloroform extract of tobacco leaves indicated that the transgenic plant produced biodegradable polyester, poly- [(R)-(-)-3-hydroxybutyrate]. GPC analysis indicated that the number-average molecular weights (<(Mn)over bar>) and polydispersity (<(Mw)over bar>/<(Mn )under bar>) were 32,000 and 1.90, respectively.