Mitigating protocatechuic acid toxicity in Vibrio natriegens enables poly-3-hydroxybutyrate production from an aromatic carbon source.

Anna Faber, Roland Politan, Angus Nicol, Simona Della Valle, Benjamin Jenkins, Gavin Flematti, Georg Fritz

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Applied microbiology and biotechnology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Anna FaberSchool of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.

Roland PolitanSchool of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.

Angus NicolSchool of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.

Simona Della ValleSchool of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.

Benjamin JenkinsSchool of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.

Gavin FlemattiSchool of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.

Georg FritzSchool of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. georg.fritz@uwa.edu.au.

Funding

Australian Government Australian Research Council's Future Fellowship funding scheme (project number FT230100283)Forrest Research Foundation Forrest Research Foundation ScholarshipJock Clough Marine Foundation Robson and Robertson AwardsUniversity of Western Australia UWA Grand Challenges Making a Difference Grant

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

3,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid (protocatechuic acid, PCA) is a central intermediate in bacterial aromatic catabolism - a key node for processing aromatic waste streams such as lignin and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and a compound of growing biotechnological interest for valorising complex aromatic feedstocks. Here, we present a proof-of-concept for upcycling of PCA as a sole carbon source into a non-aromatic, higher-value bioproduct. We show that Vibrio natriegens, an emerging microbial chassis, can use PCA to produce poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), with no additional carbon source such as yeast extract or peptone. Efficient growth on PCA required careful optimisation of substrate concentration, cultivation conditions, and medium composition, e.g. replacing Fe

Indexed as

CarbonHydroxybenzoatesHydroxybutyratesPolyestersVibrioCulture MediaOxidative StressPolyhydroxybutyratesReactive Oxygen SpeciesCarbonCulture MediaHydroxybenzoatesHydroxybutyratespoly-beta-hydroxybutyratePolyestersPolyhydroxybutyratesprotocatechuic acidReactive Oxygen SpeciesAromatic acidsBioplasticsOxidative stressVibrio natriegens

Identifiers

PMID42045670

DOI10.1007/s00253-026-13831-z

PMCPMC13253662

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.