P(3HB-co-4HB) as high value polyhydroxyalkanoate: its development over recent decades and current advances

Abstract

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a biogenic polymer that has the potential to substitute synthetic plastic in numerous applications. This is due to its unique attribute of being a biodegradable and biocompatible thermoplastic, achievable through microbial fermentation from a broad utilizable range of renewable resources. Among all the PHAs discovered, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB-co-4HB)] stands out as a next generation healthcare biomaterial for having high biopharmaceutical and medical value since it is highly compatible to mammalian tissue. This review provides a critical assessment and complete overview of the development and trend of P(3HB-co-4HB) research over the last few decades, highlighting aspects from the microbial strain discovery to metabolic engineering and bioprocess cultivation strategies. The article also outlines the relevance of P(3HB-co-4HB) as a material for high value-added products in numerous healthcare-related applications.

Keywords:

• Biomaterial
• biopolymer
• bioprocess engineering
• healthcare application
• microbial strain discovery
• metabolic engineering
• polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)
• poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB-co-4HB)]

Acknowledgements

We apologize for not being able to cite all excellent P(3HB-co-4HB)-related research works due to the limits on paper length. Most of the literature on production and application have been compiled and is available as supplementary material.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).