The invention provides a non-naturally occurring microbial organism having a microbial organism having at least one exogenous gene insertion and/or one or more gene disruptions that confer production of primary alcohols. A method for producing long chain alcohols includes culturing these non-naturally occurring microbial organisms.

The invention provides non-naturally occurring microbial organisms containing a fatty alcohol, fatty aldehyde or fatty acid pathway, wherein the microbial organisms selectively produce a fatty alcohol, fatty aldehyde or fatty acid of a specified length. Also provided are non-naturally occurring microbial organisms having a fatty alcohol, fatty aldehyde or fatty acid pathway, wherein the microbial organisms further include an acetyl-CoA pathway. In some aspects, the microbial organisms of the invention have select gene disruptions or enzyme attenuations that increase production of fatty alcohols, fatty aldehydes or fatty acids. The invention additionally provides methods of using the above microbial organisms to produce a fatty alcohol, a fatty aldehyde or a fatty acid.

Described is a method for the production of 3-buten-2-one comprising the enzymatic conversion of 4-hydroxy-2-butanone into 3-buten-2-one by making use of an enzyme catalyzing 4-hydroxy-2-butanone dehydration, wherein said enzyme catalyzing 4-hydroxy-2-butanone dehydration is (a) a 3-hydroxypropiony-CoA dehydratase (EC 4.2.1.116), (b) a 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA dehydratase (EC 4.2.1.55), (c) an enoyl-CoA hydratase (EC 4.2.1.17), (d) a 3-hydroxyoctanoyl-[acyl-carrier-protein] dehydratase (EC 4.2.1.59), (e) a crotonyl-[acyl-carrier-protein] hydratase (EC 4.2.1.58), (f) a 3-hydroxydecanoyl-[acyl-carrier-protein] dehydratase (EC 4.2.1.60), (g) a 3-hydroxypalmitoyl-[acyl-carrier-protein] dehydratase (EC 4.2.1.61), (h) a long-chain-enoyl-CoA hydratase (EC 4.2.1.74), or (i) a 3-methylglutaconyl-CoA hydratase (EC 4.2.1.18). The produced 3-buten-2-one can be further converted into 3-buten-2-ol and finally into 1,3-butadiene.

The present application relates to recombinant microorganisms useful in the biosynthesis of unsaturated C.sub.6-C.sub.24 fatty alcohols, aldehydes, and acetates which may be useful as insect pheromones, fragrances, flavors, and polymer intermediates. The C.sub.6-C.sub.24 fatty alcohols, aldehydes, and acetates described herein may be used as substrates for metathesis reactions to expand the repertoire of target compounds and pheromones. The application further relates to recombinant microorganisms co-expressing a pheromone pathway and a pathway for the production of a toxic protein, peptide, oligonucleotide, or small molecule suitable for use in an attract-and-kill pest control approach. Also provided are methods of producing unsaturated C.sub.6-C.sub.24 fatty alcohols, aldehydes, and acetates using the recombinant microorganisms, as well as compositions comprising the recombinant microorganisms and/or optionally one or more of the product alcohols, aldehydes, or acetates.

This invention provides microbial organisms, particularly yeasts such as Yarrowia lipolytica, that have one or more disrupted genes. The gene disruption(s) may yield improved production of fatty acyl-CoA derivatives.

The disclosure relates to variant carboxylic acid reductase (CAR) enzymes for the improved production of fatty alcohols in recombinant host cells.

The invention provides non-naturally occurring microbial organisms containing a fatty alcohol, fatty aldehyde or fatty acid pathway, wherein the microbial organisms selectively produce a fatty alcohol, fatty aldehyde or fatty acid of a specified length. Also provided are non-naturally occurring microbial organisms having a fatty alcohol, fatty aldehyde or fatty acid pathway, wherein the microbial organisms further include an acetyl-CoA pathway. In some aspects, the microbial organisms of the invention have select gene disruptions or enzyme attenuations that increase production of fatty alcohols, fatty aldehydes or fatty acids. The invention additionally provides methods of using the above microbial organisms to produce a fatty alcohol, a fatty aldehyde or a fatty acid.

Recombinant microbial cells are provided which have been engineered to produce fatty acid derivatives having linear chains containing an odd number of carbon atoms by the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway. Also provided are methods of making odd chain fatty acid derivatives using the recombinant microbial cells, and compositions comprising odd chain fatty acid derivatives produced by such methods.

The invention provides non-naturally occurring microbial organisms containing a fatty alcohol, fatty aldehyde or fatty acid pathway, wherein the microbial organisms selectively produce a fatty alcohol, fatty aldehyde or fatty acid of a specified length. Also provided are non-naturally occurring microbial organisms having a fatty alcohol, fatty aldehyde or fatty acid pathway, wherein the microbial organisms further include an acetyl-CoA pathway. In some aspects, the microbial organisms of the invention have select gene disruptions or enzyme attenuations that increase production of fatty alcohols, fatty aldehydes or fatty acids. The invention additionally provides methods of using the above microbial organisms to produce a fatty alcohol, a fatty aldehyde or a fatty acid.

The disclosure relates to variant carboxylic acid reductase (CAR) enzymes for the improved production of fatty alcohols in recombinant host cells.