Microbial production of poly-β-hydroxybutyrates - an overview

Efficient poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) production represents an actual preoccupation offundamental research from current biotechnology. Since PHB production out of renewable sources has apositive environmental impact and particular biotechnological applications, the study of strains with highsynthesis capacity for these polymers is required. Poly-β-hydroxybutyrates production presentsremarkable importance from many points of view. Firstly these substances are biodegradable, so with nonegative impact on the environment. They are obtained out of carbon sources which are available andrenewable, not depending on exhaustible deposits. They are biopolymers used in diverse fields: plasticmaterials, packages, absorbents, biomedical materials and tissue engineering materials. Beingsubstances with a large usability great companies from diverse fields are interested in any progressregarding amelioration of PHB production. Taking into consideration the multiple uses of the biopolymersin modern biotechnologies and the medical field it is needed to deeply understand their production. Thus,this paper is a review of the most recent researches in this field.