Polyhydroalkanoates (PHA) are a class of thermoplastic polyesters formed as carbon and energy reserve materials by various bacteria under nutrient-limited conditions in the presence of excess carbon source. PHA possess not only mechanical properties similar to synthetic polymers
but some features such as biodegrability
biocompatibility
piezoelectricity and optical activity
leading to its great potential for applications in many fields.Numerous studies have been done on PHA.This paper mainly reviews the progress in biosynthesis of PHA in recent years.