The present invention relates to a recombinant microorganism comprising a heterologous nucleic acid sequence coding for a 4-coumaroyl-CoA ligase (4CL), a heterologous nucleic acid sequence coding for a coumaroyl-CoA 3-hydroxylase (CCoA3H) and a heterologous nucleic acid sequence coding for an acyl-coenzyme A thioesterase. The invention additionally relates to a recombinant microorganism comprising a heterologous nucleic acid sequence coding for a caffeic acid O-methyltransferase. It also relates to the use of these microorganisms for producing ferulic acid and/or caffeic acid and to methods for producing caffeic acid and/or ferulic acid using said microorganisms.

This document describes biochemical pathways for producing pimelic acid, 7-aminoheptanoic acid, 7-hydroxyheptanoic acid, heptamethylenediamine or 1,7-heptanediol by forming two terminal functional groups, comprised of carboxyl, amine or hydroxyl group, in a C7 aliphatic backbone substrate. These pathways, metabolic engineering and cultivation strategies described herein rely on the carbon chain elongation enzymes or homologs thereof associated with the cyclohexane carboxylate biosynthesis from Syntrophus aciditrophicus or 2-aminoadipate lysine biosynthesis.

Methods are provided for biological conversion of anhydrosugars, such as anhydrosugars found in a pyrolysis oil, to fatty acid alkyl esters. The methods can include use of a genetically modified Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria that can convert levoglucosan and/or other anhydrosugars into fatty acid alkyl esters without requiring formation and conversion of an intermediate compound external to the bacteria. Optionally, the methods can be used in combination with methods for production and/or separation of increased amounts of levoglucosan from pyrolysis of biomass.

This document describes biochemical pathways for producing pimelic acid, 7-aminoheptanoic acid, 7-hydroxyheptanoic acid, heptamethylenediamine or 1,7-heptanediol by forming two terminal functional groups, comprised of carboxyl, amine or hydroxyl group, in a C7 aliphatic backbone substrate. These pathways, metabolic engineering and cultivation strategies described herein rely on the carbon chain elongation enzymes or homologs thereof associated with the cyclohexane carboxylate biosynthesis from Syntrophus aciditrophicus or 2-aminoadipate lysine biosynthesis.

The invention is directed to a non-naturally occurring microbial organism comprising a first attenuation of a succinyl-CoA synthetase or transferase and at least a second attenuation of a succinyl-CoA converting enzyme or a gene encoding a succinate producing enzyme within a multi-step pathway having a net conversion of succinyl-CoA to succinate.

The invention is directed to a non-naturally occurring microbial organism comprising a first attenuation of a succinyl-CoA synthetase or transferase and at least a second attenuation of a succinyl-CoA converting enzyme or a gene encoding a succinate producing enzyme within a multi-step pathway having a net conversion of succinyl-CoA to succinate.