A process of producing methacrylic acid and/or derivatives thereof including the following steps: (a) biologically converting isobutyryl-CoA into methacrylyl-CoA by the action of an oxidase; and (b) converting methacrylyl-CoA into methacrylic acid and/or derivatives thereof. The invention also extends to microorganisms adapted to conduct the steps of the process.

The invention relates to an engineered eukaryotic microorganism into which a gene encoding an acyl-CoA dehydrogenase is introduced and a method for producing methacrylic acid esters such as MMA and MMA-CoA and precursors thereof using the microorganism.

The present invention is related to a fermentative production of retinoids, including retinol or retinyl acetate, comprising cultivation of a retinoid-producing host cell, such as fungal host cell, particularly oleaginous host such as e.g. Yarrowia, in a two-phase culture system in the presence of vegetable oil as second phase. The retinoids present in the vegetable oil can be used without further isolation or purification steps as active ingredients in the food, feed, pharma or cosmetic industry.

The present invention relates to acetyl transferases, nucleic acid sequences coding therefore, expression constructs and vectors comprising these sequences, microorganisms transformed therewith and use thereof.

Described is a method for the production isoamyl alcohol (3-methylbutan-1-ol) comprising the enzymatic conversion of 3-methylbutyryl-CoA (isovaleryl-CoA) into isoamyl alcohol comprising: (a) two enzymatic steps comprising (i) first the enzymatic conversion of 3-methylbutyryl-CoA into 3-methylbutyraldehyde (3-methylbutanal or isovaleraldehyde); and (ii) then enzymatically converting the thus obtained 3-methylbutyraldehyde into said isoamyl alcohol; or (b) a single enzymatic reaction in which 3-methylbutyryl-CoA is directly converted into isoamyl alcohol by making use of an alcohol-forming short chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase/fatty acyl-CoA reductase or an alcohol-forming fatty acyl-CoA reductase (long-chain acyl-CoA:NADPH reductase) (EC 1.2.1.84). Further, described is the above method wherein the 3-methylbutyryl-CoA can be provided by the enzymatic conversion of 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA into said 3-methylbutyryl-CoA. It is also described that the thus obtained isoamyl alcohol can be further enzymatically converted into 3-methylbutyl acetate (isoamyl acetate) as described herein. Described are also recombinant organisms or microorganisms which are capable of performing the above enzymatic conversions. Furthermore, described are uses of enzymes and enzyme combinations which allow the above enzymatic conversions.

The present invention relates to an alcohol acyl transferase which is capable of esterifying a tertiary monoterpene alcohol such that at least 30% by mass of said tertiary monoterpene alcohol is esterified, preferably within 36 h, 24 h, 18 h, 12 h, 6 h, 3 h, 2 h, 1 h, 45 min or 30 min, more preferably in a microbial cell. The invention further relates to a nucleic acid comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding the alcohol acyl transferase of the invention, or a complementary sequence thereof, and a vector or gene construct comprising the nucleic acid of the invention. Further provided by the present invention is a host cell comprising the vector or gene construct of the invention, and a transgenic non-human organism comprising the nucleic acid of the invention, the vector or gene construct of the invention, or the host cell of the invention. The invention also concerns a method for preparing a monoterpene ester, comprising esterifying a monoterpene alcohol to a monoterpene ester, in the presence of an alcohol acyl transferase of the invention. Specifically, it provides a method for preparing linalyl acetate, comprising esterifying linalool to linalyl acetate, in the presence of an alcohol acyl transferase of the invention. The invention further pertains to the use of the alcohol acyl transferase of the invention, the nucleic acid of the invention, the vector or gene construct of the invention, the host cell of the invention, or the transgenic non-human organism of the invention (i) for heterologous reconstitution of a terpene biosynthetic pathway; (ii) for producing an industrial product, preferably a flavour or fragrance, a biofuel, a fuel composition, a fuel compound, e.g., a blowing agent for diesel fuel compositions, a pesticide, an insect repellent or an antimicrobial; (ill) for producing an aliphatic and/or aromatic monoterpene ester from a monoterpene alcohol, preferably from a tertiary monoterpene alcohol; (iv) for detoxifying a monoterpene alcohol in a microorganism, thereby increasing monoterpene production in said microorganism; (v) in combination with a GPP synthase and/or S- or R-linalool synthase; (vi) for increasing the beneficial effects of acetylation in that the hydrophobic acetate partitions more readily go into an organic phase, as compared to the monoterpene alcohol; (vii) for expressing the alcohol acyl transferase of the invention such that the ratio of monoterpene acetate to monoterpene alcohol is greater than 5:1 or 10:1 or (viii) in a microbial production system for monoterpene esters. The invention also provides a kit comprising the alcohol acyl transferase of the invention, the nucleic acid of the invention, the vector or gene

Provided herein is a recombinant nucleic acid molecule, a recombinant microorganism, and a method for fermentative production of n-butylacrylate and other esters from alcohols and acyl-CoA units using alcohol acyl transferase enzymes.

Disclosed herein are enzymatic and modified host cell methods for prepared modified indole alkaloids. Also disclosed herein are modified indole alkaloids and their therapeutic use for treating diseases and disorders.

The present invention relates to novel acetyl transferases, nucleic acid sequences coding therefore, expression constructs and vectors comprising these sequences, microorganisms transformed therewith and use thereof.

Provided herein is a recombinant nucleic acid molecule, a recombinant microorganism, and a method for fermentative production of n-butylacrylate and other esters from alcohols and acyl-CoA units using alcohol acyl transferase enzymes.