The disclosure relates to mutant gene(s) that confer upon microorganisms that express them an improved capacity to utilize xylose and improved capacity to co-utilize glucose and xylose thereby resulting in improved growth of the microorganism. Further encompassed are methods of producing fatty acids and fatty acid derivatives from cellulosic biomass, xylose, and/or a glucose/xylose mix by employing the host cells expressing the engineered XylR variants and compositions of biologically produced fatty acids and fatty acid derivatives.

The invention is directed to a process to bacterially decompose organic waste, material to a digested material in a digesting tank by mixing the organic waste material with aerobic bacteria at a temperature of between 40 C and 70° C. while supplying between 0.5 and 10 m.sup.3 of air per hour per kg of the total of organic waste material on a dry basis and digested material on a dry basis and discharging from the digesting tank a humid air stream.

The invention is directed to a process to bacterially decompose organic waste, material to a digested material in a digesting tank by mixing the organic waste material with aerobic bacteria at a temperature of between 40 C and 70° C. while supplying between 0.5 and 10 m.sup.3 of air per hour per kg of the total of organic waste material on a dry basis and digested material on a dry basis and discharging from the digesting tank a humid air stream.

The present invention provides for novel metabolic pathways to reduce or modulate glycerol production and increase product formation. More specifically, the invention provides for a recombinant microorganism comprising one or more native and/or heterologous proteins that function to import glycerol and one or more native and/or heterologous enzymes that function in one or more engineered metabolic pathways to convert a carbohydrate source, such as lignocellulose, to a product, such as ethanol, wherein the one or more native and/or heterologous proteins or enzymes is activated, upregulated, or downregulated. The invention also provides for a recombinant microorganism comprising one or more native or heterologous proteins that function to regulate glycerol synthesis and one or more native and/or heterologous enzymes that function in one or more engineered metabolic pathways to convert a carbohydrate source to ethanol, wherein said one or more native and/or heterologous proteins or enzymes is activated, upregulated or downregulated. Also provided are methods for increasing cellular glycerol uptake and increasing recombinant production of fuels and other chemicals using the recombinant microorganisms of the invention.

The present invention provides for novel metabolic pathways to reduce or modulate glycerol production and increase product formation. More specifically, the invention provides for a recombinant microorganism comprising one or more native and/or heterologous proteins that function to import glycerol and one or more native and/or heterologous enzymes that function in one or more engineered metabolic pathways to convert a carbohydrate source, such as lignocellulose, to a product, such as ethanol, wherein the one or more native and/or heterologous proteins or enzymes is activated, upregulated, or downregulated. The invention also provides for a recombinant microorganism comprising one or more native or heterologous proteins that function to regulate glycerol synthesis and one or more native and/or heterologous enzymes that function in one or more engineered metabolic pathways to convert a carbohydrate source to ethanol, wherein said one or more native and/or heterologous proteins or enzymes is activated, upregulated or downregulated. Also provided are methods for increasing cellular glycerol uptake and increasing recombinant production of fuels and other chemicals using the recombinant microorganisms of the invention.

A method of producing 3-oxoadipic acid from an aliphatic compound easily utilizable by a microorganism, such as a saccharide, by utilization of a metabolic pathway of the microorganism is disclosed. The method of producing 3-oxoadipic acid includes the step of culturing at least one type of microorganism having a capacity to produce 3-oxoadipic acid, selected from the group consisting of, for example, microorganisms belonging to the genus Serratia, microorganisms belonging to the genus Corynebacterium, microorganisms belonging to the genus Hafnia, microorganisms belonging to the genus Bacillus, microorganisms belonging to the genus Escherichia, microorganisms belonging to the genus Pseudomonas, microorganisms belonging to the genus Acinetobacter, microorganisms belonging to the genus Alcaligenes, microorganisms belonging to the genus Shimwellia, microorganisms belonging to the genus Planomicrobium, microorganisms belonging to the genus Nocardioides, microorganisms belonging to the genus Yarrowia, microorganisms belonging to the genus Cupriavidus, microorganisms belonging to the genus Rhodosporidium, microorganisms belonging to the genus Streptomyces, and microorganisms belonging to the genus Microbacterium.

A method for controlling microbial growth in an ethanol fermentation system is disclosed wherein the method comprises: (a) adding a biocide including a peroxy acid (e.g., peracetic acid) into a fermentable medium, wherein the biocide is essentially free of chelating agents; and (b) fermenting the fermentable medium with yeast to produce a fermented medium including ethanol. The method may further comprise: (c) distilling the fermented medium to separate at least a portion of the ethanol from solids in the fermented medium; and (d) producing a distillers grain product from the solids. By using a biocide essentially free of chelating agents, the method does not introduce undesirable chelating compounds into the co-product non-fermentable solids of ethanol production that are processed into distillers grain products.

A method for controlling microbial growth in an ethanol fermentation system is disclosed wherein the method comprises: (a) adding a biocide including a peroxy acid (e.g., peracetic acid) into a fermentable medium, wherein the biocide is essentially free of chelating agents; and (b) fermenting the fermentable medium with yeast to produce a fermented medium including ethanol. The method may further comprise: (c) distilling the fermented medium to separate at least a portion of the ethanol from solids in the fermented medium; and (d) producing a distillers grain product from the solids. By using a biocide essentially free of chelating agents, the method does not introduce undesirable chelating compounds into the co-product non-fermentable solids of ethanol production that are processed into distillers grain products.

A process to hydrolyze cellulose into cellobiose comprising the following steps: providing a reaction vessel; providing a Cellulomonas uda (ATCC 491) inoculum; exposing said Cellulomonas uda (ATCC 491) bacterium to a source of cellulose having a kappa number of less than 10 in an aqueous medium of pH of about 8 at a temperature ranging from 30° C. to 35° C. for a period of time ranging from 14 to 42 days; exposing the cellobiose to a bacterium or fungi or yeast, or combination which converts cellobiose to glucose or ethanol.

Biocatalytic conversion systems and methods of producing and using same that have improved yields are disclosed. The systems and methods involve co-fermentation of sugars and gaseous substrates for alcohol, ketone, and/or organic acid production. The systems and methods may include biocatalytically converting at least one sugar substrate into at least one of alcohol, at least one ketone, and/or at least one organic acid. The systems and methods may further include biocatalytically converting gases that comprise CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 to at least one alcohol and/or at least one organic acid, thereby adding extra revenue to biorefineries.