The invention provides a non-naturally occurring microbial biocatalyst including a microbial organism having a 4-hydroxybutanoic acid (4-HB) biosynthetic pathway having at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding 4-hydroxybutanoate dehydrogenase, succinyl-CoA synthetase, CoA-dependent succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, or -ketoglutarate decarboxylase, wherein the exogenous nucleic acid is expressed in sufficient amounts to produce monomeric 4-hydroxybutanoic acid (4-HB). Also provided is a non-naturally occurring microbial biocatalyst including a microbial organism having 4-hydroxybutanoic acid (4-HB) and 1,4-butanediol (BDO) biosynthetic pathways, the pathways include at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding 4-hydroxybutanoate dehydrogenase, succinyl-CoA synthetase, CoA-dependent succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, 4-hydroxybutyrate:CoA transferase, 4-butyrate kinase, phosphotransbutyrylase, -ketoglutarate decarboxylase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, alcohol dehydrogenase or an aldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenase, wherein the exogenous nucleic acid is expressed in sufficient amounts to produce 1,4-butanediol (BDO). Additionally provided is a method for the production of 4-HB. The method includes culturing a non-naturally occurring microbial organism having a 4-hydroxybutanoic acid (4-HB) biosynthetic pathway including at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding 4-hydroxybutanoate dehydrogenase, succinyl-CoA synthetase, CoA-dependent succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase or -ketoglutarate decarboxylase under substantially anaerobic conditions for a sufficient period of time to produce monomeric 4-hydroxybutanoic acid (4-HB). Further provided is a method for the production of BDO. The method includes culturing a non-naturally occurring microbial biocatalyst, comprising a microbial organism having 4-hydroxybutanoic acid (4-HB) and 1,4-butanediol (BDO) biosynthetic pathways, the pathways including at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding 4-hydroxybutanoate dehydrogenase, succinyl-CoA synthetase, CoA-dependent succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, 4-hydroxybutyrate:CoA transferase, 4-hydroxybutyrate kinase, phosphotranshydroxybutyrylase, -ketoglutarate decarboxylase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, alcohol dehydrogenase or an aldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenase for a sufficient period of time to produce 1,4-butanediol (BDO). The 4-HB and/or BDO products can be secreted into the culture medium.

Materials, such as biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. Conveying systems, such as flowing gas conveying systems and such as closed-loop flowing gas conveying systems are described.

Materials, such as biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. Conveying systems, such as flowing gas conveying systems and such as closed-loop flowing gas conveying systems are described.

Materials (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems equipment, and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, using an array of vaults.

Materials (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems equipment, and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, using an array of vaults.

The present invention relates to eukaryotic cells which have the ability to isomerise xylose directly into xylulose. The cells have acquired this ability by transformation with nucleotide sequences coding for a xylose isomerase that has one or more specific sequence elements typical for isomerases having the ability of functional expression in yeasts, such as e.g. xylose isomerases obtainable from a bacterium of the genera Clostridium and Fusobacterium or a tunicate form the genus Ciona. The cell preferably is a yeast or a filamentous fungus, more preferably a yeast is capable of anaerobic alcoholic fermentation.

The present invention relates to eukaryotic cells which have the ability to isomerise xylose directly into xylulose. The cells have acquired this ability by transformation with nucleotide sequences coding for a xylose isomerase that has one or more specific sequence elements typical for isomerases having the ability of functional expression in yeasts, such as e.g. xylose isomerases obtainable from a bacterium of the genera Clostridium and Fusobacterium or a tunicate form the genus Ciona. The cell preferably is a yeast or a filamentous fungus, more preferably a yeast is capable of anaerobic alcoholic fermentation.

The present invention relates to a process of recovering alkali metal salt hydrate and 3-hydroxypropionic acid, comprising: forming and separating 3-hydroxypropionic acid salt crystal from a concentrate containing 3-hydroxypropionic acid in the presence of an alkali metal salt; and adding an acid to the aqueous solution containing the separated 3-hydroxypropionic acid salt crystal to form and separate an alkali metal salt hydrate and 3-hydroxypropionic acid.

A process includes providing a gaseous substrate comprising CO.sub.2 to a bioreactor; providing acetogenic bacteria and medium to the bioreactor to provide a fermentation broth; providing sodium ions to the bioreactor through one or more sodium ion sources; fermenting the gaseous substrate with the acetogenic bacteria in the fermentation broth to produce one or more organic acids; and controlling a butyric acid to an acetic acid ratio by controlling the pH of the fermentation broth. In one aspect, butyric acid to acetic acid ratio increases when the pH of the fermentation broth decreases, and the ratio of butyric acid to acetic acid concentration decreases when the pH of the fermentation broth increases. The acetogenic bacteria includes a sodium translocating ATPase that is active during fermentation in the bioreactor. The sodium ions are provided so that Na.sup.+ is maintained between 1000 to 11000 ppm (g/g) in culture broth.

A process includes providing a gaseous substrate comprising CO.sub.2 to a bioreactor; providing acetogenic bacteria and medium to the bioreactor to provide a fermentation broth; providing sodium ions to the bioreactor through one or more sodium ion sources; fermenting the gaseous substrate with the acetogenic bacteria in the fermentation broth to produce one or more organic acids; and controlling a butyric acid to an acetic acid ratio by controlling the pH of the fermentation broth. In one aspect, butyric acid to acetic acid ratio increases when the pH of the fermentation broth decreases, and the ratio of butyric acid to acetic acid concentration decreases when the pH of the fermentation broth increases. The acetogenic bacteria includes a sodium translocating ATPase that is active during fermentation in the bioreactor. The sodium ions are provided so that Na.sup.+ is maintained between 1000 to 11000 ppm (g/g) in culture broth.