Described are compositions and methods relating to modified yeast that over-express MIG transcriptional regulator polypeptides. The yeast produces a deceased amount of acetate compared to parental cells. Such yeast is particularly useful for large-scale ethanol production from starch substrates where acetate in an undesirable end product.

The present disclosure provides recombinant microorganisms and methods for the anaerobic production of 2,4-furandicarboxylic acid from one or more carbon sources. The microorganisms and methods provide redox-balanced and ATP positive pathways for co-producing 2,4-furandicarboxylic acid with ethanol and for co-producing 2,4-furandicarboxylic acid with ethanol and 1-propanol. The method provides recombinant microorganisms that express endogenous and/or exogenous nucleic acid molecules encoding polypeptides that catalyze the conversion of a carbon source into 2,4-furandicarboxylic acid and that coupled the 2,4-furandicarboxylic acid pathway with an additional metabolic pathway.

The invention provides non-natural microbial organisms containing enzymatic pathways and/or metabolic modifications for enhancing carbon flux through acetyl-CoA, or oxaloacetate and acetyl-CoA. Embodiments of the invention include microbial organisms having a pathway to acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate that includes phosphoketolase (a PK pathway). The organisms also have either (i) a genetic modification that enhances the activity of the non-phosphotransferase system (non-PTS) for sugar uptake, and/or (ii) a genetic modification(s) to the organism's electron transport chain (ETC) that enhances efficiency of ATP production, that enhances availability of reducing equivalents or both. The microbial organisms can optionally include (iii) a genetic modification that maintains, attenuates, or eliminates the activity of a phosphotransferase system (PTS) for sugar uptake. The enhanced carbon flux through acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate can be used for production of a bioderived compound, and the microbial organisms can further include a pathway capable of producing the bioderived compound.

The present invention relates to the conversion of a carbon source into acetyl phosphate with increased carbon yield. In particular, the invention provides metabolically engineered micro-organisms capable of producing acetyl phosphate from a carbon source with increased carbon yield, which micro-organisms have been transformed with at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a phosphoketolase having sedoheptulose-7-phosphate phosphoketolase activity and which are further genetically modified to have eliminated transketolase activity. The invention also provides methods for the production of chemicals using said micro-organisms.

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 provides non-natural microbial organisms containing enzymatic pathways and/or metabolic modifications for enhancing carbon flux through acetyl-CoA, or oxaloacetate and acetyl-CoA. Embodiments of the invention include microbial organisms having a pathway to acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate that includes phosphoketolase (a PK pathway). The organisms also have either (i) a genetic modification that enhances the activity of the non-phosphotransferase system (non-PTS) for sugar uptake, and/or (ii) a genetic modification(s) to the organism's electron transport chain (ETC) that enhances efficiency of ATP production, that enhances availability of reducing equivalents or both. The microbial organisms can optionally include (iii) a genetic modification that maintains, attenuates, or eliminates the activity of a phosphotransferase system (PTS) for sugar uptake. The enhanced carbon flux through acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate can be used for production of a bioderived compound, and the microbial organisms can further include a pathway capable of producing the bioderived compound.

This present invention relates to cultured recombinant cells comprising heterologous phosphoketolase (PKL) polypeptides that are capable of increased production of acetyl coenzyme A-derived metabolites, as well as methods for producing and using the same. In some embodiments, the recombinant cells further comprise one or more mevalonate (MVA) pathway polypeptides for the production of isoprenoid precursors, isoprene and isoprenoids.

Described herein are engineered cells including ones having synthetic methylotrophy which include an NADH-dependent enzyme capable of converting G3P to 3PG (e.g., B. methanolicus gapN) and/or fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, along with hexulose-6-phosphate synthase, 6-phospho-3-hexuloisomerase, a phosphoketolase, or a combination thereof. Engineered cells of the disclosure beneficially maintain adequate pool sizes of phosphorylated C3 and/or C4 compounds, and/or provide increased levels of NADPH. As such, the modifications allow for the generation of C6 compounds from C1 (e.g., a methanol feedstod) and C5 compounds, the regeneration of C5 compounds from C6 compounds by carbon rearrangement, and an improved balance between regeneration of C5 compounds and lower glycolysis. In turn, this allows the engineered microorganism to generate sufficient quantities of metabolic precursors (e.g., acetyl-CoA) which can be used in a bioproduct pathway, and the engineered cells can include further modifications to those pathway enzymes allowing for production of a desired bioproduct.

Described is a method for the enzymatic production of an acyl phosphate from a 2-hydroxyaldehyde using a phosphoketolase or a sulfoacetaldehyde acetyltransferase.

The invention describes a process for the production of ethanol from a composition comprising glucose and between 50 μM and 100 mM acetic acid, said process comprising fermenting said composition in the presence of a recombinant yeast which is capable to convert acetic acid anaerobically; maintaining the amount of undissociated acetic acid at a value of at least 50 μM; and recovering the ethanol. Said process is useful for both starch and cellulosic based, acetic acid containing hydrolysates and advantageously results in a greater consumption of acetic acid and thus higher ethanol yields.