Evonik Degussa Gmbh

Sudzucker Aktiengesellschaft Mannheim/ochsenfurt

Peter Duerre

Gerda Grund

Matthias Orschel

Hubert Johannes Bahl

Ralf-Joerg Fischer

Antje May

Steffen Schaffer

Gerd Loehden

Wolfgang Wach

Stefan Verseck

Werner Freitag

Karsten Harms

Franz Ulrich Becker

Michael Klingeberg

Kai Doderer

Friedrich-Georg Schmidt

Wilfried Schmidt

Simone Lederle

Gerd Brand

Niklas Nold

Simone Thum

Bettina Schiel

The invention relates to cells and a method for producing acetone.

Cells and method for producing acetone

The invention describes a process for preparing acetone starting from acetyl-coenzyme A comprising process steps A. enzymatic conversion of acetyl-CoA into acetoacetyl-CoA B. enzymatic conversion of acetoacetyl-CoA into acetoacetate and CoA and C. decarboxylation of acetoacetate to acetone and CO, which is characterized in that the coenzyme A is not transferred in process step B to an acceptor molecule. In addition, process step B is surprisingly catalyzed by enzymes of the classes of acyl-CoA thioesterase, acyl-CoA synthetase or acyl-CoA thiokinase. A completely novel metabolic pathway is concerned, because the enzymatic hydrolysis of acetoacetyl-CoA without simultaneous transfer of CoA to a receptor molecule has never previously been described for any microbial enzyme.

Fermentative production of acetone from renewable resources by means of novel metabolic pathway

The invention relates to a method and means for the bioengineered fermentative production of solvents, in particular of butanol, acetone and ethanol, and of short-chained carboxylic acids such as acetic acid and butyric acid, in particular in host cells of the species. The invention provides new methods and means for regulating the expression of the enzyme activities involved in acid production and or solvent production of the host cell.

Production of acid and solvent in microorganisms

Growing community of inventors

Ulm, Germany

Peter Duerre