Bacteria are genetically engineered to produce 3-hydroxypropionate (3-HP). The bacteria are carboxydotrophic acetogens. The bacteria produce acetyl-coA using the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway for fixing CO/CO.sub.2. A malonyl-coA reductase from a bacterium that contains such an enzyme is introduced. Additionally, an acetyl-coA carboxylase may also be introduced The production of 3-HP can be improved by overproduction of acetyl-CoA carboxylase or by overproduction of biotin. This can be effected by improved promoters or higher copy number or enzymes that are catalytically more efficient.

The present invention relates to a method of producing propanol and/or propionic acid from a carbon source in aerobic conditions, the method comprising:

(a) step of producing ethanol and/or acetate from the carbon source in aerobic conditions, comprising
(i) contacting a reaction mixture comprising a first acetogenic microorganism in an exponential growth phase; free oxygen; and a second acetogenic microorganism in a stationary phase
wherein the first and second acetogenic microorganism is capable of converting the carbon source to the acetate and/or ethanol; and
(b) step of contacting the acetate and/or ethanol from step (a) with a third microorganism capable of converting the acetate and/or ethanol to propanol and/or propionic acid.

The present invention relates to a method of producing propanol and/or propionic acid from a carbon source in aerobic conditions, the method comprising:

(a) step of producing ethanol and/or acetate from the carbon source in aerobic conditions, comprising
(i) contacting a reaction mixture comprising a first acetogenic microorganism in an exponential growth phase; free oxygen; and a second acetogenic microorganism in a stationary phase
wherein the first and second acetogenic microorganism is capable of converting the carbon source to the acetate and/or ethanol; and
(b) step of contacting the acetate and/or ethanol from step (a) with a third microorganism capable of converting the acetate and/or ethanol to propanol and/or propionic acid.

The invention relates to a method for obtaining at least one organic target product and biogas. The method is characterised in that a) organic substrate is introduced into an anaerobic fermentation process; b) in this anaerobic fermentation process a hydrolysis, acidification and methanation are performed using a mixed culture of bacteria and archaea without spatial separation; c) partial suppression of the anaerobic fermentation is realised, with the result that a part of the organic substrate is not completely decomposed to biogas or methane; d) at least one target product is enriched as an organic metabolite of at least one microorganism in the fermentation process by deliberate incomplete composition of the organic substrate; e) the biogas formed in the anaerobic fermentation process is recovered for further use; and f) at least one organic target product is obtained from the anaerobic fermentation process for further use.

The invention relates to a method for obtaining at least one organic target product and biogas. The method is characterised in that a) organic substrate is introduced into an anaerobic fermentation process; b) in this anaerobic fermentation process a hydrolysis, acidification and methanation are performed using a mixed culture of bacteria and archaea without spatial separation; c) partial suppression of the anaerobic fermentation is realised, with the result that a part of the organic substrate is not completely decomposed to biogas or methane; d) at least one target product is enriched as an organic metabolite of at least one microorganism in the fermentation process by deliberate incomplete composition of the organic substrate; e) the biogas formed in the anaerobic fermentation process is recovered for further use; and f) at least one organic target product is obtained from the anaerobic fermentation process for further use.

This technology relates in part to biological methods for producing 3-hydroxypropionic acid and engineered microorganisms capable of such production.

This technology relates in part to biological methods for producing 3-hydroxypropionic acid and engineered microorganisms capable of such production.

The use of microorganisms to make alpha-functionalized chemicals and fuels, (e.g. alpha-functionalized carboxylic acids, alcohols, hydrocarbons, amines, and their beta-, and omega-functionalized derivatives), by utilizing an iterative carbon chain elongation pathway that uses functionalized extender units. The core enzymes in the pathway include thiolase, dehydrogenase, dehydratase and reductase. Native or engineered thiolases catalyze the condensation of either unsubstituted or functionalized acyl-CoA primers with an alpha-functionalized acetyl-CoA as the extender unit to generate alpha-functionalized -keto acyl-CoA. Dehydrogenase converts alpha-functionalized -keto acyl-CoA to alpha-functionalized -hydroxy acyl-CoA. Dehydratase converts alpha-functionalized -hydroxy acyl-CoA to alpha-functionalized enoyl-CoA. Reductase converts alpha-functionalized enoyl-CoA to alpha-functionalized acyl-CoA. The platform can be operated in an iterative manner (i.e. multiple turns) by using the resulting alpha-functionalized acyl-CoA as primer and the aforementioned alpha-functionalized extender unit in subsequent turns of the cycle. Termination pathways acting on any of the four alpha-functionalized CoA thioester intermediates terminate the platform and generate various alpha-functionalized carboxylic acids, alcohols and amines with different -reduction degree.

The present specification pertains to a microorganism and/or Escherichia coli and a use thereof, wherein the microorganism and/or Escherichia coli has 3-hydroxypropionic acid or 3-hydroxypropionate (3-HP) production ability, with a foreign 3-HP production gene inserted into the genomic DNA thereof, and has a use of measuring the production ability of the inserted 3-HP production gene.

The present specification pertains to a microorganism and/or Escherichia coli and a use thereof, wherein the microorganism and/or Escherichia coli has 3-hydroxypropionic acid or 3-hydroxypropionate (3-HP) production ability, with a foreign 3-HP production gene inserted into the genomic DNA thereof, and has a use of measuring the production ability of the inserted 3-HP production gene.