Room: Poster Area
Date: Thursday, 21 May 2026
Time: 16:15 - 17:15 CEST
Session code 6CV.7
Biopolymers and bioplastics
Engineering Xylose Metabolism in Cupriavidus Necator to Improve Polyhydroxyalkanoate Production from Lignocellulosic Biomass-Derived Mixed Sugars
Short Introductive summary
Lignocellulosic biomass from forestry and agricultural residues provides a renewable feedstock for producing biodegradable materials. Hydrolysis of this biomass yields glucose and xylose, which can be converted by microorganisms into bioplastics such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). Cupriavidus necator is a well-known PHA producer but cannot naturally utilize xylose, a major lignocellulosic sugar. To address this limitation, C. necator NCIMB 11599 was engineered with synthetic xylose metabolic pathways, enabling efficient poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) production from mixed glucose–xylose substrates. The evolved strain RXI22 exhibited robust xylose utilization and high PHB accumulation, demonstrating its potential as a sustainable microbial platform for converting lignocellulosic sugars into biodegradable polymers, thereby supporting carbon-neutral biomanufacturing.
Presenter
Ja Kyong KO
Korea Institute of Science and Technology, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Biographies and Short introductive summaries are supplied directly by presenters and are published here unedited
Co-authors:
S.J. Lee, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Session reference: 6CV.7.8