Heterologous expression of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase from Delftia acidovorans Ds-17 (phaC(Da)) in Escherichia coli JM109 leads to effective production of high-molecular-weight poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] [P(3HB)]. This study examined the effect of PhaC(Da) expression on P(3HB) production in E. coli JM109 (Da strain) by comparing with the strain expressing PHA synthase (PhaC(Re)) from Ralstonia eutropha (Re strain). First, the kinetic properties of PhaC(Da) were investigated. Among the five detergents examined, Triton X-100 remarkably activated PhaCDa, as well as PhaC(Re). The affinity of PhaC(Da) for its substrate was lower than that of PhaC(Re), whereas the maximum reaction rate of PhaC(Da) was higher than that of PhaC(Re). However, the kinetic differences were not likely to influence P(3HB) production in the cells. Under conditions of P(3HB) production, the translational levels of monomer-supplying enzymes (PhaA and PhaB) were similar in both the Da and Re strains, whereas PhaC exhibited different expression levels: the abundance of soluble PhaC(Da) was lower than that of soluble PhaC(Re). This observation suggests that the production of high-molecular-weight P(3HB) by the Da strain would be attributed to the low amounts of active PhaC(Da) in the cells. (C) 2012, The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. All rights reserved.