The present invention provides for a mechanism to completely replace the electron accepting function of glycerol formation with an alternative pathway to ethanol formation, thereby reducing glycerol production and increasing ethanol production. In some embodiments, the invention provides for a recombinant microorganism comprising a down-regulation in one or more native enzymes in the glycerol-production pathway. In some embodiments, the invention provides for a recombinant microorganism comprising an up-regulation in one or more enzymes in the ethanol-production pathway.

The invention relates to a recombinant cell, preferably a yeast cell comprising: a) one or more heterologous genes encoding a glycerol dehydrogenase activity; b) one or more genes encoding a dihydroxyacetone kinase (E.C. 2.7.1.28 and/or E.C. 2.7.1.29); c) one or more heterologous genes encoding a ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase oxygenase (EC 4.1.1.39, RuBisCO); and d) one or more heterologous genes encoding a phosphoribulokinase (EC 2.7.1.19, PRK); and optionally e) one or more heterologous genes encoding for a glycerol transporter. This cell can be used for the production of ethanol and advantageously produces little or no glycerol.

Disclosed are a recombinant yeast for producing 2,3-butanediol and a method for producing 2,3-butanediol using the same. By introducing Candida tropicalis-derived Pdc, which is less active than its own pyruvate decarboxylase (Pdc), into the cells of the strain, the recombinant yeast can synthesize acetyl-CoA, while avoiding production of ethanol, thereby increasing the strain growth rate and the substrate consumption rate and ultimately greatly improving productivity of 2,3-butanediol.

Disclosed is a method for producing 2,3-butanediol. Conventional methods for producing 2,3-butanediol using Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) inevitably cause production of a great amount of glycerol as a by-product, in addition to production of 2,3-butanediol. However, the yeast strain according to the present invention can produce 2,3-butanediol with high purity, high yield and high productivity, while inhibiting production of glycerol.

The present invention relates to an inhibitor of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1 (GPD1 inhibitor) for use in treatment and/or prevention of cancer. The present invention further relates to a kit comprising a GPD1 inhibitor comprised in a housing; to a method for identifying a subject suffering from cancer susceptible to cancer treatment by administration of a GPD1 inhibitor comprising a) determining in a sample of said subject the amount of a GPD1 gene product, b) comparing said amount determined in step a) to a reference, and c) based on the result of step b), identifying a subject susceptible to cancer treatment by administration of a GPD1 inhibitor; and to further means and methods related thereto.

The present invention relates to a yeast cell, in particular a recombinant yeast cell, the cell lacking enzymatic activity needed for the NADH-dependent glycerol synthesis or the cell having a reduced enzymatic activity with respect to the NADH-dependent glycerol synthesis compared to its corresponding wild-type yeast cell, the cell comprising one or more heterologous nucleic acid sequences encoding an NAD.sup.+-dependent acetylating acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.10) activity. The invention further relates to the use of a cell according to the invention in the preparation of ethanol.

Provided are a microorganism having enhanced cellulose productivity, a method of producing cellulose by using the microorganism, and a method of producing the microorganism.

The present invention relates to a yeast cell, in particular a recombinant yeast cell, the cell lacking enzymatic activity needed for the NADH-dependent glycerol synthesis or the cell having a reduced enzymatic activity with respect to the NADH-dependent glycerol synthesis compared to its corresponding wild-type yeast cell, the cell comprising one or more heterologous nucleic acid sequences encoding an NAD.sup.+-dependent acetylating acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.10) activity. The invention further relates to the use of a cell according to the invention in the preparation of ethanol.

The present disclosure relates to genetically engineered methanotrophic bacteria with the capability of growing on a multi-carbon substrate (e.g., glucose) as a primary or sole carbon source and methods for growing methanotrophic bacteria on the multi-carbon substrate.

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.

Methods are provided for obtaining a genetically modified plant, wherein the plant exhibits an increased oil yield relative to a corresponding control plant that is not so genetically modified. The methods comprise genetically modifying a plant progenitor cell to cause a decrease in triose-phosphate isomerase activity and an increase in glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity. The methods also comprise culturing the genetically modified plant progenitor cell to obtain the genetically modified plant. Also provided are methods for increasing oil yield, comprising genetically modifying a plant to cause, in at least one oil-producing organ or tissue of the plant, a decrease in triose-phosphate isomerase activity and an increase in glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity. The genetic modification is carried out across more than a single generation. The genetically modified plant exhibits an increased oil yield relative to a corresponding control plant. Also provided are similar methods directed to a microbe.