Bactericidal activity of gold and silver nanoparticles in solution and supported on polyhihydroxybutyrate nanospheres.

This work presents the effect of Polyhydroxybutyrate nanospheres (PHB-NSs) on the bacterial activity of plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs). The PHB-NSs were used as a substrate for the metal-NPs. Silver and gold NPs in colloidal solution were synthesized by chemical reduction, while PHB-NSs were synthesized by a physical method.

Bioinformatic and functional analysis of a PHB polymerase (PhbC) from Azospirillum baldaniorum.

Background: Azospirillum baldaniorum Sp245 produces poly-β-hydroxybutyrate, a biodegradable polymer with characteristics similar to synthetic thermoplastics, including polypropylene. In the synthesis pathway, the poly-β-hydroxybutyrate synthase enzyme uses thioesters of 3-hydroxy butyryl-CoA as a substrate and catalyzes their polymerization with HS-CoA release.

Methods: A study was conducted using in silico analysis of the two phbC genes of A.