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.

A chemoenzymatic process for the preparation of 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid includes contacting D-glucose with (i) at least two enzymes selected from the group consisting essentially of galactose oxidase, pyranose 2-oxidase, glucarate dehydratase, catalase and a combination thereof to produce an intermediate; and (ii) a heterogeneous metal catalyst to form 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid.

A genetically modified microorganism that can produce 3-hydroxyadipic acid and/or α-hydromuconic acid with a high yield; and a method of producing 3-hydroxyadipic acid and/or α-hydromuconic acid using the genetically modified microorganism, are disclosed. The genetically modified microorganism has an ability to produce 3-hydroxyadipic acid and/or α-hydromuconic acid, and has an enhanced enzymatic activity to catalyze a reaction to reduce 3-oxoadipyl-CoA to 3-hydroxyadipyl-CoA, wherein, in the genetically modified microorganism, a dicarboxylic acid excretion carrier function is deleted or decreased.

Provided are compositions related to HSD17B13 variants, including isolated nucleic acids and proteins related to variants of HSD17B13, and cells comprising those nucleic acids and proteins. Also provided are methods related to HSD17B13 variants. Such methods include methods for modifying a cell through use of any combination of nuclease agents, exogenous donor sequences, transcriptional activators, transcriptional repressors, and expression vectors for expressing a recombinant HSD17B13 gene or a nucleic acid encoding an HSD17B13 protein. Also provided are therapeutic and prophylactic methods for treating a subject having or at risk of developing chronic liver disease.

The present application relates to recombinant microorganisms useful in the biosynthesis of unsaturated C.sub.6-C.sub.24 fatty alcohols, aldehydes, and acetates which may be useful as insect pheromones, fragrances, flavors, and polymer intermediates. The recombinant microorganisms may express enzymes or enzyme variants useful for production of and/or may be modified to downregulate pathways to shunt production toward unsaturated C.sub.6-C.sub.24 fatty alcohols, aldehydes, and acetates. The C.sub.6-C.sub.24 fatty alcohols, aldehydes, and acetates described herein may be used as substrates for metathesis reactions to expand the repertoire of target compounds and pheromones. The application further relates to recombinant microorganisms co-expressing a pheromone pathway and a pathway for the production of a toxic protein, peptide, oligonucleotide, or small molecule suitable for use in an attract-and-kill pest control approach. The application further relates to microorganisms modified to express or downregulate enzymes useful for production of unsaturated short chain fatty alcohols, aldehydes, and acetates which may be useful as insect pheromones, fragrances, flavors, and polymer intermediates. Also provided are methods of producing unsaturated C.sub.6-C.sub.24 fatty alcohols, aldehydes, and acetates using the recombinant microorganisms, as well as compositions comprising the recombinant microorganisms and/or optionally one or more of the product alcohols, aldehydes, or acetates.

This invention relates to metabolically engineered microorganism strains, such as bacterial strains, in which there is an increased utilization of malonyl-CoA for production of a fatty acid or fatty acid derived product, wherein the modified microorganism produces fatty acyl-CoA intermediates via a malonyl-CoA dependent but malonyl-ACP independent mechanism.

The invention provides a non-naturally occurring microbial organism having a microbial organism having at least one exogenous gene insertion and/or one or more gene disruptions that confer production of primary alcohols. A method for producing long chain alcohols includes culturing these non-naturally occurring microbial organisms.

Methods that may be used for the manufacture of the chemical compound (R)-Reticuline and synthesis precursors thereof. Compositions useful for the synthesis (R)-Reticuline and synthesis precursors are also provided.

Compositions, methods, and systems for modifying sterol metabolism in a subject is disclosed. In some embodiments, the subjects may be administered one or more mammalian cells modified to express at least one sterol degrading enzyme derived from a bacterium. In many embodiments, the cell is a macrophage or monocyte stably expressing three or more enzymes that aid in opening the β ring of cholesterol. The disclosed compositions and methods may be useful in lowering cholesterol levels in a subject in need thereof. In some embodiments, the subject may have a genetic predisposition to atherosclerosis.

The invention provides non-naturally occurring microbial organisms having a formaldehyde fixation pathway, a formate assimilation pathway, and/or a methanol metabolic pathway in combination with a fatty alcohol, fatty aldehyde, fatty acid or isopropanol pathway, wherein the microbial organisms selectively produce a fatty alcohol, fatty aldehyde or fatty acid of a specified length or isopropanol. The microbial organisms provided advantageously enhance the production of substrates and/or pathway intermediates for the production of chain length specific fatty alcohols, fatty aldehydes, fatty acids or isopropanol. In some aspects, the microbial organisms of the invention have select gene disruptions or enzyme attenuations that increase production of fatty alcohols, fatty aldehydes or fatty acids. The invention additionally provides methods of using the above microbial organisms to produce a fatty alcohol, a fatty aldehyde, a fatty acid or isopropanol.