This disclosure describes methods for regulating the biosynthesis of pimelic acid, 7-aminoheptanoate, 7-hydroxyheptanoate, heptamethylenediamine, 7-aminoheptanol, or 1,7-heptanediol by channeling increased flux through the biosynthesis pathway to obtain an intermediate required for growth of the host microorganism.

The present invention relates to a genetically engineered microorganism expressing (i) formate tetrahydrofolate (THF) ligase, methenyi-THF cyclohydrolase and methylene-THF dehydrogenase, (ii) the enzymes of the glycine cleavage system (GCS), (iii) serine deaminase and serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT), (iv) an enzyme increasing the availability of NADPH, and (v) optionally formate dehydrogenase (FDH), and wherein the genetically engineered microorganism has been genetically engineered to express at least one of the enzymes of (i) to (v), wheren said enzyme is not expressed by the corresponding microorganism that has been used to prepare the genetically engineered microorganism, and wherein the enzymes of (i) to (v) are genomically expressed.