Revisión sistemática de las rutas metabólicas y secuencias génicas asociadas a la biosíntesis de POLIHIDROXIALCANOATOS en bacterias del género RALSTONIA SPP. de origen tropical

Abstract

The development of sustainable alternatives to reduce dependence on petrochemical-based plastics and mitigate environmental pollution has increased interest in polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), biopolymers capable of biodegradation under natural conditions within relatively short timeframes. This work presents a systematic review integrating evidence on metabolic pathways and gene sequences involved in PHA biosynthesis in tropical bacteria of the genus Ralstonia spp., with emphasis on their potential for biotechnological optimization. The search and selection were conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines by consulting Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and MDPI, prioritizing recent studies within the last (2020-2026) and reproducible eligibility criteria. Bibliometric analysis revealed a marked concentration of research on Cupriavidus necator as the predominant model organism, whereas reports focused on tropical Ralstonia remain limited and fragmented. Nevertheless, pathway comparisons highlighted the central role of the PhaA–PhaB–PhaC system and the relevance of mobilization enzymes, and homology analysis showed high conservation of key genes such as phaA, phaB1, phaC1, phaZ1, and phaZ2, with consistent coverage and identity relative to C. necator H16 reference sequences. Likewise, phylogenetic analyses based on nucleotide and protein sequences suggested close evolutionary relationships, consistent with functional conservation of the pha system. Overall, the integrated evidence positions tropical Ralstonia spp. as a promising candidate for further studies, including the prioritization of isolates, comparative performance assessment, and optimization strategies within the framework for a circular bioeconomy and environmental sustainability.