The disclosure relates to recombinant host cells including strain modifications effective to improve titer, yield and/or productivity of fatty acid derivatives. The disclosure further relates to cell cultures including the recombinant host cells for the fermentative production of fatty acid derivatives and compositions thereof.

Disclosed herein are compositions comprising a sophorolipid surfactant and a bio-synergist and the methods of using the same.

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 present application relates to methods of producing one or more fatty alcohols and/or one or more fatty aldehydes from one or more unsaturated lipid moieties by combining the obtainment or production of the one or more unsaturated lipid moieties from a biological source with conversion by non-biological means of the one or more unsaturated lipid moieties to one or more fatty alcohols and/or one or more fatty aldehydes. The present application also relates to recombinant microorganisms having a biosynthesis pathway for the production of one or more unsaturated lipid moieties. The one or more fatty alcohols can further be chemically converted to one or more corresponding fatty acetates. The one or more fatty alcohols, one or more fatty aldehydes and/or one or more fatty acetates produced by the methods described herein may be one or more insect pheromones, one or more fragrances, one or more flavoring agents, or one or more polymer intermediates.

Compositions and methods for producing aldehydes, alkanes, and alkenes are described herein. The aldehydes, alkanes, and alkenes can be used in biofuels.

Provided is a method of activating gene expression using a protein having 90% or more sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:45. The protein activates the expression of a gene upon induction with a medium-chain or long-chain alkane or a medium-chain or long-chain fatty acid methyl ester. Also provided is a whole-cell catalytic system regulated by a medium-chain or long-chain alkane or a medium-chain or long-chain fatty acid methyl ester. The system includes a recombinant microbial cell expressing the protein and an alkane monooxygenase. Also provided is a method of preparing a medium-chain or long-chain alkane terminal oxidation product using the whole-cell catalytic system.

A method for producing a hydroxy fatty acid condensate or a mixture of hydroxy fatty acid condensates is provided. The method involves the steps of providing one or more fatty acids having at least one C═C double bond functionality, biotechnologically adding H.sub.2O to at least one C═C double bond functionality of the one or more fatty acids and thus obtaining one or more hydroxy fatty acids, and reacting the one or more hydroxy fatty acids with one or more at least divalent linker groups, thus obtaining a hydroxy fatty acid condensate or a mixture of hydroxy fatty acid condensates. Also provided are a hydroxy fatty acid condensate or a mixture of hydroxy fatty acid condensates obtained by the method, as well as polyurethane, obtained by reacting such a hydroxy fatty acid condensate or mixture of hydroxy fatty acid condensates.

A method for producing a hydroxy fatty acid condensate or a mixture of hydroxy fatty acid condensates is provided. The method involves the steps of providing one or more fatty acids having at least one C═C double bond functionality, biotechnologically adding H.sub.2O to at least one C═C double bond functionality of the one or more fatty acids and thus obtaining one or more hydroxy fatty acids, and reacting the one or more hydroxy fatty acids with one or more at least divalent linker groups, thus obtaining a hydroxy fatty acid condensate or a mixture of hydroxy fatty acid condensates. Also provided are a hydroxy fatty acid condensate or a mixture of hydroxy fatty acid condensates obtained by the method, as well as polyurethane, obtained by reacting such a hydroxy fatty acid condensate or mixture of hydroxy fatty acid condensates.

Processes for transesterifying wax esters. Implementations may include providing a feedstock including wax esters, introducing into the feedstock an alcohol with a carbon number ranging from 1 to 34 carbons where the alcohol is selected from the group consisting of a straight chain alcohol, a branched chain alcohol, any combination of straight chain alcohols, any combination of branched chain alcohols, and any combination thereof. The process may include contacting the feedstock with a lipase, and catalytically transesterifying the wax esters in the feedstock with the lipase to form a transesterified product. The enzymatically transesterified product may be adapted to produce a finished product having a certain formula that has a viscosity that substantially matches a viscosity of a finished product having the same certain formula including chemically catalyzed transesterified wax esters.

Processes for transesterifying wax esters. Implementations may include providing a feedstock including wax esters, introducing into the feedstock an alcohol with a carbon number ranging from 1 to 34 carbons where the alcohol is selected from the group consisting of a straight chain alcohol, a branched chain alcohol, any combination of straight chain alcohols, any combination of branched chain alcohols, and any combination thereof. The process may include contacting the feedstock with a lipase, and catalytically transesterifying the wax esters in the feedstock with the lipase to form a transesterified product. The enzymatically transesterified product may be adapted to produce a finished product having a certain formula that has a viscosity that substantially matches a viscosity of a finished product having the same certain formula including chemically catalyzed transesterified wax esters.