(R)-hydroxycarboxylic acid producing recombinant microorganism and process for preparing (r)-hydroxycarboxylic acid using the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to recombinant microorganisms carrying both a gene encoding intracellular polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) depolymerase and a gene encoding PHA biosynthesis-related enzymes, and a process for preparing optically pure (R)-hydroxycarboxylic acids by culturing the recombinant microorganisms. The present invention provides: a recombinant microorganism transformed with two recombinant plasmids each of which contains a gene encoding intracellular PHA depolymerase and a gene encoding PHA biosynthesis-related enzymes, respectively; a recombinant microorganism harboring a gene encoding PHA biosynthesis-related enzymes in an integrated form with its chromosome, which is transformed with a recombinant plasmid containing a gene encoding intracellular PHA depolymerase; and, a process for preparing optically pure (R)-hydroxycarboxylic acids by culturing the recombinant microorganisms. In accordance with the present invention, (R)-hydroxycarboxylic acids can be released from the recombinant microorganisms into culture media after depolymerizing most PHA produced from the said microorganisms, which makes possible practical preparation of (R)-hydroxycarboxylic acids in a simple manner with reduced waste of substrates to increase the productivity, finally to allow the mass production of various optically pure (R)-hydroxycarboxylic acids.