A recombinant yeast cell, fermentation compositions, and methods of use thereof are provided. The recombinant yeast cell includes at least one heterologous nucleic acid encoding one or more polypeptide having phosphoketolase activity; phosphotransacetylase activity; and/or acetylating acetaldehyde dehydrogenase activity, wherein the cell does not include a heterologous modified xylose reductase gene, and wherein the cell is capable of increased biochemical end product production in a fermentation process when compared to a parent yeast cell.

This present invention relates to cultured recombinant cells comprising a heterologous phosphoketolase (PKL) polypeptide that are capable of increased production of acetyl coenzyme A-derived metabolites, as well as methods for producing and using the same. In some embodiments, the recombinant cells further comprise one or more mevalonate (MVA) pathway polypeptides for the production of isoprenoid precursors, isoprene and isoprenoids.

A recombinant yeast cell, fermentation compositions, and methods of use thereof are provided. The recombinant yeast cell includes at least one heterologous nucleic acid encoding one or more polypeptide having phosphoketolase activity; phosphotransacetylase activity; and/or acetylating acetaldehyde dehydrogenase activity, wherein the cell does not include a heterologous modified xylose reductase gene, and wherein the cell is capable of increased biochemical end product production in a fermentation process when compared to a parent yeast cell.

Described are recombinant microorganisms characterized by having phosphoketolase activity, having a diminished or inactivated Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway (EMPP) by inactivation of the gene(s) encoding phosphofructokinase or by reducing phosphofructokinase activity as compared to a non-modified microorganism and having a diminished or inactivated oxidative branch of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) by inactivation of the gene(s) encoding glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase or by reducing glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity as compared to a non-modified microorganism. These microorganisms can be used for the production of useful metabolites such as acetone, isobutene or propene.

The invention provides for methods for the production of mevalonate, isoprene, isoprenoid precursor molecules, and/or isoprenoids in cells via the heterologous expression of phosphoketolase enzymes.

Genetically engineered cells and methods are presented that allow for the production of various value products from CO.sub.2. Contemplated cells have a CBB cycle that is genetically modified such that two molecules of CO.sub.2 fixed in the CBB cycle can be withdrawn from the modified CBB cycle as a single C2 compound. In contemplated aspects a CBB cycle includes an enzymatic activity that generates the single C2 compound from a compound of the CBB cycle, while further modifications to the CBB cycle will not introduce additional recombinant enzymatic activity/activities outside the already existing catalytic activities in the CBB cycle.

The invention relates to a recombinant cell, preferably a yeast cell comprising one or more genes coding for an enzyme having glycerol dehydrogenase activity, one or more genes coding dihydroxyacetone kinase (E.C. 2.7.1.28 and/or E.C. 2.7.1.29); one or more genes coding for an enzyme in an acetyl-CoA-production pathway and one or more genes coding for an enzyme having at least NAD.sup.+ dependent acetylating acetaldehyde dehydrogenase activity (EC 1.2.1.10 or EC 1.1.1.2), and optionally one or more genes coding for a glycerol transporter. This cell can be used for the production of ethanol and advantageously produces little or no glycerol.

Genetically engineered cells and methods are presented that allow for the production of various value products from CO.sub.2. Contemplated cells have a CBB cycle that is genetically modified such that two molecules of CO.sub.2 fixed in the CBB cycle can be withdrawn from the modified CBB cycle as a single C2 compound. In contemplated aspects a CBB cycle includes an enzymatic activity that generates the single C2 compound from a compound of the CBB cycle, while further modifications to the CBB cycle will not introduce additional recombinant enzymatic activity/activities outside the already existing catalytic activities in the CBB cycle.

Provided is an engineered pathway that can function in a cell-free system, cellular system or a combination thereof to convert a sugar to a chemical or biofuel.

The present invention is related to recombinant host cells comprising: (i) at least one deletion, mutation, and/or substitution in an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide that converts pyruvate to acetaldehyde, acetyl-phosphate or acetyl-CoA; and (ii) a heterologous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having phosphoketolase activity. The present invention is also related to recombinant host cells further comprising (iii) a heterologous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having phosphotransacetylase activity.