1. Brian Grzeskowiak
Spring 2015 Spotlight on Student Research Abstract
Title
Transformation of Halomonas Sp. 0-1 by Electroporation For Improved Synthesis of
Polyhydroxyalkanoates
Abstract
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable polymers produced by a variety of bacterial
species that have evolved to use these polymers as a reserve carbon source and as an electron sink.
Interest in PHAs has continued to grow over the years because of their potential as a raw material for
the creation of biodegradable plastics. Conventional plastics are derived from fossil fuels, which is a
concern due to limited resources and environmental accumulation of waste products. Similar to
petroleum-based plastics, the chemical and structural properties of PHAs can be modified to rival the
efficacy of their non-sustainable counterparts. Industrial-scale production of PHAs is possible, but
widespread use of these materials in commodity-based items is not economically feasible due to high
production costs. One such cost is the sterilization of growth media for batch cultures, which can
potentially be mitigated through the use of high-salt growth solutions. Halomonas Sp. 0-1 is a newly
discovered isolate capable of producing PHAs in high-salt solutions. There is a potential to reduce overall
costs associated with PHA production through this bacterium’s ability to synthesize these polymers in
conditions unfavorable to most other microorganisms. This study is focused on the development of
novel techniques for the creation of recombinant strains of Halomonas Sp. 0-1. Vectors used for
increasing PHA production will be transformed into Halomonas to compare polymer yield to the wild-
type strain. Future research may involve industrial-level production using modified Halomonas strains
and “salt-sterilized” growth solutions.