Biodegradable materials with plastic or elastomeric properties are in great demand for a variety of applications. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), polyesters synthesized by microorganisms, possess such desired features. Industrial production of PHAs is currently achieved using recombinant Escherichia coli. Nevertheless, recent research on halophiles, salt requiring microorganisms, has shown a remarkable potential for biotechnological production of PHAs. The halophilic archaeon Haloferax mediterranei accumulates a co-polymer, i.e., poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) in large amounts using glucose, starch, and hydrolyzed whey as carbon sources. Chemical composition and molecular weight of PHAs produced by H. mediterranei can be modified depending on the substrate utilized as precursor. Phylogenetic studies on haloarchaeal enzymes able to polymerize the components of PHAs (i.e., PHA synthases) reveal a novel cluster, with a close relationship with PHA polymerases of bacteria and archaea found in marine-related niches. On the other hand, sequences of PHA synthases of two halophilic bacteria are more closely affiliated to synthases of Proteobacteria. Several bacterial species of the family Halomonadaceae accumulate PHAs. Halomonas boliviensis reached PHA yields and volumetric productivities close to the highest reported so far. Furthermore, H. boliviensis and other Halomonas species are able to co-produce PHA and osmolytes, i.e., ectoines and hydroxyectoine, in one process.

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Aims:  Utilization of cheap and readily available agricultural residues as cheap carbon sources for poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) production by Halomonas boliviensis. Methods and Results:  Wheat bran was hydrolysed by a crude enzyme preparation from Aspergillus oryzae NM1 to provide a mixture of reducing sugars composed mainly of glucose, mannose, xylose and arabinose. Growth of H. boliviensis using a mixture of glucose (0·75% w/v) and xylose (0·25% w/v) in the medium led to a PHB content and concentration of 45 wt% and 1 g l−1, respectively, after 30 h. A similar PHB concentration was attained when H. boliviensis was grown on wheat bran hydrolysate but with a lower PHB content, 34 wt%. In a batch cultivation mode in a fermentor, using 1·8% (w/v) reducing sugars, the maximum PHB accumulation by H. boliviensis was attained in 20 h, but was reduced to about 30 wt%. By adding butyric acid (0·8% v/v), sodium acetate (0·8% w/v) and decreasing the reducing sugars concentration to 1·0% w/v in the medium, PHB accumulation and concentration were increased to 50 wt% and 4 g l−1, respectively, after 20 h. Butyric acid and sodium acetate for PHB production could also be provided by anaerobic digestion of solid potato waste. Conclusions:  Cheap and readily available agricultural residues can be used as substrates to produce PHB. The production of PHB by H. boliviensis using wheat bran hydrolysate as source of carbon is expected to reduce the production cost and motivates further studies. Significance and Impact of the Study:  Large‐scale commercial utilization of PHB is mainly hampered by its high production cost. Carbon source for PHB production accounts up to 50% of the total production costs. Thus, the use of waste agricultural residues can substantially reduce the substrate cost (and in turn even provide value to the waste), and can downsize the production costs. This improves the market competitiveness. Studies on PHB production by moderate halophiles were recently initiated with H. boliviensis and findings show that it has potential for commercial exploitation. PHB production by H. boliviensis using wheat bran and potato waste is hence interesting.

Halomonas boliviensis sp. nov. is proposed for two moderately halophilic, psychrophilic, alkalitolerant bacteria, LC1T (=DSM 15516T=ATCC BAA-759T) and LC2 (=DSM 15517=ATCC BAA-760), both of which were isolated from a soil sample around the lake Laguna Colorada, located at 4300 m above sea level in the south-west region of Bolivia. The bacteria are aerobic, motile, Gram-negative rods that produce colonies with a cream pigment. Moreover, they are heterotrophs that are able to utilize various carbohydrates as carbon sources. The organisms reduce nitrate and show tryptophan deaminase activity. The genomic DNA G+C contents were 51·4 mol% for isolate LC1T and 52·6 mol% for isolate LC2. Based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis, isolates LC1T and LC2 were identified as members of the genus Halomonas and clustered closely with Halomonas variabilis DSM 3051T and Halomonas meridiana DSM 5425T. However, DNA–DNA relatedness between the new isolates and the closest related Halomonas species was low.