An acetyl-CoA producing microorganism obtained by imparting at least one enzymatic activity selected from the group consisting of malate thiokinase, malyl-CoA lyase, glyoxylate carboligase, 2-hydroxy-3-oxopropionate reductase, and hydroxypyruvate reductase, to a microorganism that does not have any of the following (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e): (a) a carbon dioxide fixation cycle including an enzymatic reaction from malonyl-CoA to malonate semialdehyde or 3-hydroxypropionate; (b) a carbon dioxide fixation cycle including an enzymatic reaction from acetyl-CoA and CO.sub.2 to pyruvate; (c) a carbon dioxide fixation cycle including an enzymatic reaction from crotonyl-CoA and CO.sub.2 to ethylmalonyl-CoA or glutaconyl-CoA; (d) a carbon dioxide fixation cycle including an enzymatic reaction from CO.sub.2 to formate; or (e) at least one selected from the group consisting of malate thiokinase and malyl-CoA lyase.

An acetyl-CoA-producing microorganism, which is capable of efficiently synthesizing acetyl-CoA using carbon dioxide, and a substance production method using the same are provided. An acetyl-CoA-producing microorganism including an acetyl-CoA production cycle obtained by imparting at least one type of enzymatic activity selected from the group consisting of malate thiokinase, malyl-CoA lyase, glyoxylate carboligase, 2-hydroxy-3-oxopropionate reductase, and hydroxypyruvate reductase, to a microorganism.

The present invention relates to a recombinant microorganism having heterologous genes introduced thereto and a method for producing a useful material from formic acid and carbon dioxide using the microorganism. The present invention provides a novel microorganism having a cyclic metabolic pathway introduced thereto through which C3 or higher carbon organic compounds can be synthesized from formic acid and carbon dioxide, whereby carbon dioxide rich in nature and formic acid that is of low toxicity and suitable for anabolic reaction in view of reaction kinetics and which can be easily and rapidly synthesized from carbon dioxide can be used to effectively synthesize the C3 organic compound pyruvic acid from which various high-value added compound can be synthesized.

The present invention provides biochemical pathways, glyoxylate producing recombinant microorganisms, and methods for the production and yield improvement of glycolic acid and/or glycine via a reverse glyoxylate shunt. The reverse glyoxylate shunt comprises an enzyme that catalyzes the carboxylation of phosphoenol pyruvate (PEP) to oxaloacetate (OAA), or an enzyme that catalyzes the carboxylation of pyruvate to oxaloacetate (OAA) or an enzyme that catalyzes the carboxylation of pyruvate to malate or a combination of any of the previous reactions; an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of malate to malyl-CoA; an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of malyl-CoA to glyoxylate and acetyl-CoA; and optionally an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of oxaloacetate (OAA) to malate. Glyoxylate is reduced to produce glycolate. Alternatively, glyoxylate is converted to glycine. The reverse glyoxylate shunt pathway of the present invention can be utilized synergistically with other glycolic acid and/or glycine producing pathways to increase product yield.

The present invention provides biochemical pathways, glyoxylate producing recombinant microorganisms, and methods for the production and yield improvement of glycolic acid and/or glycine via a reverse glyoxylate shunt. The reverse glyoxylate shunt comprises an enzyme that catalyzes the carboxylation of phosphoenol pyruvate (PEP) to oxaloacetate (OAA), or an enzyme that catalyzes the carboxylation of pyruvate to oxaloacetate (OAA) or an enzyme that catalyzes the carboxylation of pyruvate to malate or a combination of any of the previous reactions; an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of malate to malyl-CoA; an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of malyl-CoA to glyoxylate and acetyl-CoA; and optionally an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of oxaloacetate (OAA) to malate. Glyoxylate is reduced to produce glycolate. Alternatively, glyoxylate is converted to glycine. The reverse glyoxylate shunt pathway of the present invention can be utilized synergistically with other glycolic acid and/or glycine producing pathways to increase product yield.

The present invention relates to a recombinant microorganism having heterologous genes introduced thereto and a method for producing a useful material from formic acid and carbon dioxide using the microorganism. The present invention provides a novel microorganism having a cyclic metabolic pathway introduced thereto through which C3 or higher carbon organic compounds can be synthesized from formic acid and carbon dioxide, whereby carbon dioxide rich in nature and formic acid that is of low toxicity and suitable for anabolic reaction in view of reaction kinetics and which can be easily and rapidly synthesized from carbon dioxide can be used to effectively synthesize the C3 organic compound pyruvic acid from which various high-value added compound can be synthesized.

Disclosed is an acetyl-CoA-producing microorganism, which is obtained by imparting malate thiokinase and malyl-CoA lyase enzymatic activities to a microorganism having none of the following (a), (b), (c) or (d), without imparting any of (a), (b), (c) or (d), or, even when one or more of (a), (b), (c) or (d) are imparted, not allowing the functions thereof to be exerted: (a) a carbon dioxide fixation cycle having an enzymatic reaction from malonyl-CoA to malonate semialdehyde or 3-hydroxypropionate, (b) a carbon dioxide fixation cycle having an enzymatic reaction from acetyl-CoA and CO.sub.2 to pyruvate, (c) a carbon dioxide fixation cycle having an enzymatic reaction from crotonyl-CoA and CO.sub.2 to ethylmalonyl-CoA or glutaconyl-CoA or (d) a carbon dioxide fixation cycle having an enzymatic reaction from CO.sub.2 to formate.

A method for the preparation of 2,4-dihydroxybutyric acid (2,4-DHB) including the successive steps of converting malate, succinyl-CoA and/or glyoxylate into malyl-CoA, converting malyl-CoA previously obtained into malate-4-semialdehyde, and converting malate-4-semialdehyde into 2,4-DHB using a DHB dehydrogenase.

Disclosed herein are methods for producing tulipalin A (-methylene--butyrolactone), recombinant cells or organisms for producing tulipalin A, enzymes needed for producing tulipalin A, and nucleic acids for expression of those enzymes.