Abstract: The present invention provides a method of effectively producing polyhydroxyalkanoate having an aromatic substituted residue in its monomer unit. In the method of producing polyhydroxyalkanoate by using microorganisms, microorganisms capable of producing polyhydroxyalkanoate are cultured in a culture medium containing at least one starting compound selected from the group consisting of substituted alkanes represented by formula (1) to produce polyhydroxyalkanoate having, in its molecule, at least one unit selected from the group consisting of 3-hydroxy-substituted alkanoate units represented by formula (2): R—(CH2)n—CH2—CH2—CH3??(1) wherein R represents a residue containing a substituted aromatic ring, and n represents any integer of 1 to 8; wherein R represents a residue containing a substituted aromatic ring, and n represents any integer of 1 to 8. In formulas (1) and (2), a residue R is as described in the specification.

Abstract: A polyhydroxyalkanoate characterized by having in the molecule a unit represented by Chemical Formula (1): wherein n may assume any one integral value within the range of from 1 to 8. Also disclosed are a process for producing the polyhydroxyalkanoate by the use of a microorganism having the ability to produce the polyhydroxyalkanoate and accumulate it in the bacterial body; a charge control agent, a toner binder and a toner which contain this polyhydroxyalkanoate; and an image-forming method and an image-forming apparatus which make use of the toner.

Abstract: A novel polyhydroxyalkanoate having a monomer unit represented by the formula (1), the unit having a carboxyl group substituting a ring structure at the end of side chain, obtainable by oxydizing vinyl or methyl group substituting a ring structure at the end of the side chain. The polyhydroxyalkanoate has high thermal stability, charge stablity, a high charge amount, improved dispersibility and biodegradability together, and therefore, suitable for resin moldings, and binders and charge controlling agents for toners used in the electrophotographic process.

Abstract: A polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer comprises one kind of unit of —[OCH((CH2)x—SOC6H5R)CH2CO]— (n=1-7) ??(1) (wherein R is any one of H, halogen, CN, NO2, COOR?, SO2R? (R? is any one of H, Na, K, CH3 and C2H5; R? is any one of OH, ONa, OK, halogen, OCH3 and OC2H5), CH3, C2H5, C3H7, (CH3)2—CH and (CH3)3—C) and —[OCH((CH2)x—SO2C6H5R)CH2CO]— (n=1-7) ??(2) (wherein R is any one of H, halogen, CN, NO2, COO R?, SO2R? (R? is any one of H, Na, K, CH3 and C2H5; R? is any one of OH, ONa, OK, halogen, OCH3 and OC2H5), CH3, C2H5, C3H7, (CH3)2—CH and (CH3)3—C) and at least one unit of chemical formulae (3) to (6): —[OCH((CH2)m—Rz)CH2CO]— (n=1-8) ??(3) (wherein Rz comprises a residue having either a phenyl structure or a thienyl structure), —[OCH((CH2)k—C6H11Ra)CH2CO]— (n=1-8) ??(4) (wherein Ra is any one of H, CN, NO2, halogen, CH3, C2H5, C3H7, CF3, C2F5 and C3F7) —[OCH((CH2)n—CH?CH2)CH2CO]— (n=1-8) ??(5), and —[OCH((CH2)n—COORb)CH2CO]— (n=1-8) ??(6) (wherein Rb is any one of H, Na and K).

Abstract: Provided are a PHA having an active group, which is produced by microorganisms with high productivity, and in which the ratio of units on its side chain having an active group can be controlled and the physical properties can be arbitrarily controlled so that its application as a polymer is not limited, and a method for producing the same. A 3-hydroxy-?-[(phenylmethyl)oxy]alkanoic acid unit expressed by the following chemical formula (1): wherein x can be one or more integers within the range shown in the chemical formula.

Abstract: A polyhydroxyalkanoate containing in a molecule at least one unit represented by the chemical formula (1). The polyhydroxyalkanoate is a biodegradable plastic with enhanced melt-processability and exhibits excellent charging stability, high chargeability, and enhanced dispersibility when used as a charge control agent of a toner in an electrophotographic process. (R denotes -A1(—SO2R1)x. R1 is selected from OH, a halogen atom, ONa, OK, and OR1a. R1a and A1 are selected from a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic hydrocarbon structure, a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic ring structure, and a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic structure. Further, m and x are integers selected from 1 to 8, and when two or more units exist, each of R, R1 R1a, A1, m, and x is defined as above independently for each of the units.

Abstract: A novel polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase derived from a microorganism capable of producing a PHA having a novel side-chain structure and a DNA encoding the amino acid sequence for the synthase are provided. Two PHA synthase proteins (SEQ ID NOs: 1 and 3) derived from Pseudomonas cichorii YN2 (FERM BP-7375) and PHA synthase genes encoding these PHA synthases are provided, respectively (SEQ ID NOs: 2 and 4). A recombinant microorganism is endowed with a PHA producing ability.

Abstract: A polyhydroxyalkanoate is disclosed which has in the molecule a unit represented by Chemical Formula (1). wherein R is arbitrarily selected from a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, CN, NO2, COOR?, SO2R?, CH3, C2H5, C3H7, C(CH3)2H and C(CH3)3; where R? is H, Na, K, CH3 or C2H5, and R? is OH, ONa, OK, a halogen atom, OCH3 or OC2H5; and x is an integer arbitrarily selected from 1 to 8; with the proviso that a polyhydroxyalkanoate is excluded which has a hydrogen atom as R and x in all the units is 2 or 4. Also disclosed is a process for producing the polyhydroxyalkanoate by the use of a microorganism having the ability to produce the polyhydroxyalkanoate and accumulate it in the bacterial body.

Abstract: The present invention provides a PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) synthase useful in a process for preparing a PHA, a gene encoding the enzyme, a recombinant vector comprising the gene, a transformant transformed by the vector, a process for producing a PHA synthase utilizing the transformant and a process for preparing a PHA utilizing the transformant. A transformant obtained by introducing a PHA synthase gene from Pseudomonas putida P91 strain into a host microorganism is cultured to produce a PHA synthase or PHA.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing polyhydroxyalkanoate-containing structure, at least a part of a base material surface of the structure being coated with polyhydroxyalkanoate, the method comprises the steps of immobilizing a polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase on the base material surface, synthesizing, on the base material surface, polyhydroxyalkanoate using a 3-hydroxyacyl coenzyme A to become the substrate of the synthase and the synthase and coating at least a part of the base material surface with the synthesized polyhydroxyalkanoate, wherein the synthase contains an amino acid sequence capable of binding to the base material.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing polyhydroxyalkanoate-containing structure, at least a part of a base material surface of the structure being coated with polyhydroxyalkanoate, the method comprises the steps of immobilizing a polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase on the base material surface, synthesizing, on the base material surface, polyhydroxyalkanoate using a 3-hydroxyacyl coenzyme A to become the substrate of the synthase and the synthase and coating at least a part of the base material surface with the synthesized polyhydroxyalkanoate, wherein the synthase contains an amino acid sequence capable of binding to the base material.

Abstract: A process for forming a fine pattern comprised of a polyhydroxyalkanoate on a substrate is provided. The process comprises steps of applying a polyhydroxyalkanoate-synthesizing enzyme and a 3-hydroxyacyl CoA to coexist in an intended pattern on a substrate, and polymerizing the 3-hydroxyalkanoate by action of the enzyme to form the polyhydroxyalkanoate in a pattern on the substrate. In particular, the fine pattern can be formed by an inkjet system.

Abstract: A micro-capsulated pigment containing pigment ink being excellent in density, fineness, transparency, and coloring and color rendering properties required for ink solutions and having excellent dispersibility and dispersion stability with time due to the reduced particle size is provided. At least a color material with at least part of the surfaces of pigment particles covered with polyhydroxyalkanoate, and a medium for dispersion of the color material are used to obtain the pigment ink.

Abstract: A polyhydroxyalkanoate that comprises a unit represented by the following chemical formula (1): wherein R1 is a substituent of an aromatic ring selected from the group consisting of H, CH3, C2H5, CH3CH2CH2, (CH3)2CH, (CH3)3C, a halogen atom, CN, NO2, COOR?, and SO2R?, wherein R? is selected from the group consisting of H, Na, K, CH3, and C2H5, and R? is selected from the group consisting of OH, a halogen atom, ONa, OK, OCH3, and OC2H5; and x represents an integer of 1 to 8 being the same or different each other in the polyhydroxyalkanoate. A method for producing the polyhydroxyalkanoate is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel PHA comprising a unit containing thioether with high reactivity, and its production method. The present invention also provides polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) comprising units having defined chemical formulas (1) and (2), and at least one of four units having defined chemical formulas (3), (4), (5) and (6); its production method; a charge control agent containing the PHA; a toner binder containing the charge control agent; an electrostatic latent image developing toner; and an image forming method and an image forming apparatus using the electrostatic latent image developing toner.

Abstract: A novel polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase derived from a microorganism capable of producing a PHA having a novel side-chain structure and a DNA encoding the amino acid sequence for the synthase are provided. Two PHA synthase proteins (SEQ ID Nos. 1 and 3) derived from Pseudomonas jessenii P161 (FERM BP-7376) and PHA synthase genes encoding these PHA synthases are provided, respectively (SEQ ID Nos. 2 and 4). A recombinant microorganism is endowed with a PHA producing ability.

Abstract: A method is provided which biosynthesizes a PHA having an epoxy group on a side chain with improved physicochemical properties. Specifically, a method of producing a polyester containing an epoxy group in a side chain thereof using alkene as a raw material is provided which comprises the steps of bringing alkene into contact with a microorganism having an ability to uptake alkene and convert it to a polyester and allowing the microorganism to convert the alkene into a polyester containing an epoxy group in a side chain thereof. Further, a method of producing a crosslinked polymer is provided which comprises reacting the polyester obtained by the above mentioned method with a diamine compound.

Abstract: Polyhydroxyalkanoates comprising a monomer unit having the following chemical formula (2): (where the reference characters R represents an arbitrarily selected substituent and x represents an integer of 0 to 8) is produced by culturing a microorganism in a culture medium containing a substituted fatty acid ester having the following chemical formula (1): (where the reference characters R and R? separately denote an optional substituent and x represents an integer of 0 to 8). The microorganism is capable of taking the substituted fatty acid ester into the cells and synthesizing the desired polyhydroxyalkanoate in the culture medium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing highly purified polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) with high yield, by removing cell components other than PHA from cells containing PHA. Moreover, the present invention provides a method for simply removing or reducing chlorine remained in the collected PHA particles, when a treatment with an oxidizing agent containing hypochlorite is performed in the production of PHA as described above. One of the above-described methods comprises a step of treating cells containing polyhydroxyalkanoate with an oxidizing agent containing at least hypochlorite, a step of separating the treated cells into a water-soluble fraction and a water-insoluble fraction, and a step of reducing chlorine remained in the water-insoluble fraction. The step of reducing chlorine may be a step of washing the water-insoluble fraction with a hot water, thiosulfate solution or polar solvent solution containing at least an organic polar solvent in which polyhydroxyalkanoate is insoluble.

Abstract: PHA containing a novel 3-hydroxy-thioalkanoic acid unit having a highly reactive thienyl group in a side chain thereof, and a method of producing the same are provided. Specifically, 5-(2-thienylsulfanyl) valeric acid represented by Chemical Formula [4] below and 6-(2-thienylsulfanyl) hexanoic acid represented by Chemical Formula [5] below are provided. Further, a method of producing PHA, comprising the step of collecting PHA from cells of a microorganism cultured in a medium containing the valeric acid or hexanoic acid, and a novel PHA represented by Chemical Formula [1] below are provided.