A process for producing butanol is provided, involving: A) mixing water, lactate, an enzyme mixture comprising at least one enzyme, at least one cofactor and at least one coenzyme, to prepare a reaction mixture; B) catalytically reacting the reaction mixture for an amount of time sufficient to cause conversion of lactate into butanol; and wherein the conversion of lactate into butanol in B) is associated with a regeneration system of NAD (P).sup.+/NAD (P) H and/or acetyl-CoA/CoA.

A process for producing butanol is provided, involving: A) mixing water, lactate, an enzyme mixture comprising at least one enzyme, at least one cofactor and at least one coenzyme, to prepare a reaction mixture; B) catalytically reacting the reaction mixture for an amount of time sufficient to cause conversion of lactate into butanol; and wherein the conversion of lactate into butanol in B) is associated with a regeneration system of NAD (P).sup.+/NAD (P) H and/or acetyl-CoA/CoA.

This invention describes a method of using microbial to produce fats, such as fatty acids and their derivatives, or products derived from the fatty acid synthesis cycle, such as hydroxyfatty acids, methyl ketones, and the like.

The disclosure provides a metabolic pathway for producing a metabolite, the metabolic pathway having a co-factor purge valve system for recycling a cofactor used in the metabolic pathway.

The disclosure provides a metabolic pathway for producing a metabolite, the metabolic pathway having a co-factor purge valve system for recycling a cofactor used in the metabolic pathway.

The invention features compositions and methods for the increased production of mevalonate, isoprene, isoprenoid precursor molecules, and/or isoprenoids in microorganisms by engineering a microorganism for increased carbon flux towards mevalonate production in the following enzymatic pathways: (a) citrate synthase, (b) phosphotransacetylase, (c) acetate kinase, (d) lactate dehydrogenase, (e) malic enzyme, and (f) pyruvate dehydrogenase such that one of more of the enzyme activity is modulated. In addition, production of mevalonate, isoprene, isoprenoid precursor molecules, and/or isoprenoids can be further enhanced by the heterologous expression of the mvaE and mvaS genes (such as, but not limited to, mvaE and mvaS genes from the organisms Listeria grayi DSM 20601, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus gallinarum EG2, and Enterococcus casseliflavus).

This invention describes a method of using microbial to produce fats, such as fatty acids and their derivatives, or products derived from the fatty acid synthesis cycle, such as hydroxyfatty acids, methyl ketones, and the like.

The disclosure provides a metabolic pathway for producing a metabolite, the metabolic pathway having a co-factor purge valve system for recycling a cofactor used in the metabolic pathway.

The disclosure provides a metabolic pathway for producing a metabolite, the metabolic pathway having a co-factor purge valve system for recycling a cofactor used in the metabolic pathway.

The disclosure provides a metabolic pathway for producing a metabolite, the metabolic pathway having a co-factor purge valve system for recycling a cofactor used in the metabolic pathway.