Microbial synthesis of polymers

Claim 1

METHOD OF PRODUCING A THERMOPLASTIC POLYMER BY MICORBIAL SYNTHESIS WHICH COMPRISES DISSOLVING IN AN AQUEOUS OUS MINERAL NUTRIENT A CARBON COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF FOUR-CARBON ALIPHATIC CARBOXYLIC ACID AND A LOWER ALKYL ESTER DERIVATIVE THEREOF, SAID ACID BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AN UNSATURATED ACID, AN UNSATURATED ACID SUBSTITUTED BY AN OXYGEN-CONTAINING ORGANIC RADICAL, A SATURATED ACID, AND A SATURATED ACID SUBSTITUTED BY AN OXYGEN-CONTAINING ORGANIC RADICAL, INOCULATING THE AQUEOUS NUTRIENT WITH A MICROORGANISM SELECTED FROM THE FOLLOWING SPECIES OF NOCARDIA, AZOTOBACTER, BACILLUS, MICROCOCCUS, RHIZOBIUM, RHODOSPIRILLUM: N. SALMONICOLOR, N. ASTEROIDES, N.OPACA, N.CORALLINA, N,RUBRA, A, CHROOCOCCUM, A. AGILIS, A. INDICUS, B. ANTHRACIS, M. HALODNEITRIFICANS, M. TITLES, B. CEREIVE, B. ANTHRACIS, M. HALODENITRIFICANS, M. DENIRTIFICANS, RH. LEGUMINOSARUM, RH. PHASEOLI, RH. TRIFOLI, RH. LUPINI, RH. JAPONICUM, R. RUBRUM, AND R. FULVUM, SAID CARBON COMPOUND BEING THE SOLE SOURCE OF CARBON, INCUBATING THE RESULTING MIXTURE, FORMING SAID POLYMER INTRACELLULARY OF THE MICROORGANISM, HARVESTING THE CELLS, RUPTURING THE CELL WALLS AND RECOVERING THE RESULTING DEBRIS, SOLVENT EXTRACTING POLYMER FROM THE DEBRIS IN THE FORM OF A CLEAR SOLUTION OF THE POLUMER, AND RECOVERING POLYMER FROM SAID SOLUTION IN A YIELD OF AT LEAST ABOUT 5% BY WEIGHT OF THE DRIED CELLS, SAID POLYMER BEING A POLYMER OF SAID CARBON COMPOUND AND BEING CHARACTERIZED BY THE PRESENCE OF A PLURALITY OF HYDROXYL AND CARBOXYL GROUPS AT LEAST SOME OF WHICH ARE LINKED TO FORM ESTER GROUPS, AND SAID POLYMER FORMING FLEXIBLE FILMS.