Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Advancements in genetic engineering for enhanced Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production: a comprehensive review of metabolic pathway manipulation and gene deletion strategies

This review examines genetic engineering strategies for boosting production of polyhydroxyalkanoates, which are biodegradable bioplastics produced by bacteria. Researchers describe how modifying metabolic pathways and deleting competing genes can significantly increase bioplastic yields. The technology is relevant to the microplastics problem because scaling up biodegradable plastic alternatives could help reduce the accumulation of persistent conventional plastics in the environment.

2025 Bioengineered 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative In Silico Structural Analysis of PHA Synthases from Industrially Prominent PHA Producers

This study used computational (in silico) methods to analyze the 3D structures of PHA synthase enzymes — the biological catalysts responsible for producing polyhydroxyalkanoates, a class of biodegradable bioplastics. By comparing enzyme structures across four bacterial genera, the researchers identified structural similarities and differences that could guide the engineering of more efficient bioplastic-producing microbes. While not directly about microplastic pollution, this work advances the development of biodegradable alternatives that could reduce plastic waste at the source.

2025 Catalysis Letters 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Insightful Advancement and Opportunities for Microbial Bioplastic Production

This review surveys advances in microbial production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and other bioplastics, highlighting fermentation optimization, feedstock diversification, and genetic engineering strategies that could make microbially-derived bioplastics economically competitive with petroleum-based plastics.

2022 Frontiers in Microbiology 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyhydroxyalkanoates biosynthesis, resulting polymer structures, and plasticization

This review examines polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a class of biodegradable biopolymers synthesized by microorganisms, discussing strategies including plasticizers and monomer inclusion to overcome the brittleness and processing challenges of the most common PHA, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate).

2024
Article Tier 2

Bioplastics against Microplastics: Screening of Environmental Bacteria for Bioplastics Production

Researchers screened environmental bacteria for their ability to produce polyhydroxyalkanoate bioplastics, which are biodegradable alternatives to conventional petroleum-based plastics. Developing efficient bioplastic-producing strains is one strategy to reduce the long-term accumulation of persistent microplastics in the environment.

2023 Environmental sciences
Article Tier 2

The synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates from low carbon wastewater under anaerobic-microaerobic process: effects of pH and nitrogen and phosphorus limitation

Researchers optimized conditions for producing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) — biodegradable bioplastics — from wastewater using bacteria under anaerobic-microaerobic conditions. Controlling pH and nutrient levels significantly improved PHA production yield. This work advances the development of sustainable plastic alternatives made from waste materials.

2021 Environmental Engineering Research 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Modification of acetoacetyl-CoA reduction step in Ralstonia eutropha for biosynthesis of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) from structurally unrelated compounds

Researchers demonstrated that modifying an enzyme pathway in the bacterium Ralstonia eutropha changes the composition of biodegradable plastic (PHA copolyester) it produces. Engineering bacteria to produce specific biodegradable plastic compositions is relevant to creating materials that degrade fully in the environment rather than persisting as microplastics.

2019 Microbial Cell Factories 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Current developments on polyhydroxyalkanoates synthesis by using halophiles as a promising cell factory

Researchers reviewed how salt-loving microorganisms called halophiles can serve as efficient biological factories for producing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a class of biodegradable plastics that could replace petroleum-based plastics. Their high salt requirements naturally prevent contamination during large-scale fermentation, and advances in metabolic engineering are making PHA production cheaper and more scalable.

2020 Microbial Cell Factories 219 citations
Article Tier 2

RSM–GA Based Optimization of Bacterial PHA Production and In Silico Modulation of Citrate Synthase for Enhancing PHA Production

Researchers optimized bacterial production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) — biodegradable bioplastics — using kitchen and agricultural waste as cheap feedstocks. Scaling up PHA production is one strategy for replacing conventional petroleum-based plastics that persist in the environment as microplastics.

2019 Biomolecules 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioconversion of whey to Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA): Process Optimization and Yield Enhancement

Researchers investigated the microbial biosynthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoate using cheese whey as a substrate with a novel Stutzerimonas stutzeri strain, optimising the process to enhance PHA yield as a biodegradable alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics.

2025
Article Tier 2

Production of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymer from crop residue using bacteria as an alternative to plastics: a review

This review examines how PHA, a biodegradable plastic made from crop waste using bacteria, could serve as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics. While PHA breaks down naturally unlike traditional plastics that fragment into microplastics, challenges remain in making it heat-stable and cost-competitive enough for widespread industrial use.

2025 RSC Advances 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploiting sugar-rich feedstocks for sustainable polyhydroxyalkanoate production

Researchers investigated the use of sugar-rich agricultural feedstocks for sustainable production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), evaluating these bacterial biopolymers as biodegradable alternatives to petrochemical plastics that contribute to microplastic pollution.

2025 Circular Agricultural Systems
Article Tier 2

Beyond Intracellular Accumulation of Polyhydroxyalkanoates: Chiral Hydroxyalkanoic Acids and Polymer Secretion

This review covers polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), biodegradable plastics produced by bacteria, which have potential as environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional petroleum-based plastics. Despite their versatility, PHAs remain expensive to produce at scale, limiting their commercial adoption.

2020 Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Current trends in the production of biodegradable bioplastics: The case of polyhydroxyalkanoates

This review evaluates the state of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioplastic production, comparing microbiological, enzymatic, and chemical manufacturing approaches for their potential to replace petroleum-based plastics. While PHAs are naturally biodegradable and mechanically versatile, cost and scalability remain major barriers to commercial adoption.

2020 Biotechnology Advances 130 citations
Article Tier 2

Bacterial Production of Hydroxyalkanoates (PHA)

This review examines bacterial production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) as a biodegradable alternative to petroleum-based plastics, covering fermentation processes, scaling to industrial levels, and future trends, while noting that higher production costs currently prevent PHAs from competing commercially with conventional plastics.

2016 Universal Journal of Microbiology Research 32 citations
Article Tier 2

PHA, the Greenest Plastic So Far: Advancing Microbial Synthesis, Recovery, and Sustainable Applications for Circularity

This review examines polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a family of biodegradable plastics made by bacteria that could replace conventional petroleum-based plastics. Switching to PHAs could significantly reduce microplastic pollution because unlike traditional plastics, these materials fully break down in the environment rather than fragmenting into persistent microplastic particles.

2025 ACS Omega 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Biosynthesis of Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) by the Valorization of Biomass and Synthetic Waste

This paper explores the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), biodegradable microbial polymers, from biomass and waste feedstocks as a sustainable alternative to conventional synthetic plastics. PHAs can be naturally synthesized by bacteria, offering a pathway to biodegradable plastics that do not persist as microplastic pollution.

2020 Molecules 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Post-Transcriptional Control in the Regulation of Polyhydroxyalkanoates Synthesis

This review examines how gene regulation controls the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a family of biodegradable bioplastics made by bacteria. Better understanding of these biological controls could help scale up manufacturing of eco-friendly alternatives to conventional petroleum-based plastics.

2021 Life 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Disruption of poly (3-hydroxyalkanoate) depolymerase gene and overexpression of three poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) biosynthetic genes improve poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) production from nitrogen rich medium by Rhodobacter sphaeroides

Bacterial genes were engineered to improve production of PHB, a natural biodegradable plastic substitute, in bacteria that grow without using sugar as a carbon source. More efficient bio-based plastic production could help reduce dependence on petroleum-derived plastics.

2019 Microbial Cell Factories 40 citations
Article Tier 2

What Is New in the Field of Industrial Wastes Conversion into Polyhydroxyalkanoates by Bacteria?

This review covers recent advances in using bacteria to convert industrial food waste into polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a type of biodegradable bioplastic. Using industrial waste as feedstock for bioplastic production could reduce both plastic pollution and food industry waste simultaneously.

2021 Polymers 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) – Production, Properties, and Biodegradation

This review covers polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a class of microbially produced biopolyesters, discussing raw material innovation, microbial producer strains, bioengineering approaches for improved yields, and end-of-life biodegradation options. PHAs are presented as a genuinely circular plastic alternative due to their renewable production, biodegradability, and compatibility with existing plastic applications including food packaging.

2022 15 citations
Article Tier 2

A Review on Biological Synthesis of the Biodegradable Polymers Polyhydroxyalkanoates and the Development of Multiple Applications

This review covers the biological production of polyhydroxyalkanoates, a family of biodegradable bioplastics that bacteria naturally produce from waste carbon sources. Researchers found that these biopolymers have properties similar to conventional plastics like polypropylene but can fully biodegrade, making them a promising alternative to petroleum-based plastics. The study emphasizes that scaling up production and establishing proper end-of-life management are critical steps for PHAs to compete with conventional plastics and help reduce microplastic pollution.

2022 Catalysts 169 citations
Article Tier 2

Novel Technologies for Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) Production

This review examines novel production technologies for polyhydroxyalkanoates, highlighting how the global problem of plastic and microplastic pollution has intensified interest in developing scalable, eco-friendly bioplastic alternatives over more than four decades of PHA research.

2025 Apple Academic Press eBooks
Article Tier 2

Towards polyhydroxyalkanoates synthesis with mixed microbial communities: exploring the uncoupled feeding strategy

This research explored mixed microbial communities for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioplastic synthesis as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastics. The study examined uncoupled feeding strategies to improve PHA yields from microbial consortia in waste-based feedstocks.

2025 Florence Research (University of Florence)