Scientist of Fortune, S.a.

Global Bioenergies

Philippe Marlière

Maria Anissimova

Marc Delcourt

Mathieu Allard

Sabine Mazaleyrat

Sven Panke

Jean-Baptiste Barbaroux

Richard Tallon

Tilmann Künzl

Francois Stricher

The present invention relates to a cellular transport system for bringing a sulfonic acid construct which carries a cargo into a cell and releasing the cargo in the cell's cytoplasm, the cellular transport system comprising: (i) a sulfonate transporter located in the cytoplasm membrane of the cell wherein said sulfonate transporter is capable of transporting said sulfonic acid construct across the cytoplasm membrane into the cytoplasm; (ii) a &#x3b3;-glutamyl transferase (GGT; EC 2.3.2.2) which is modified to be located in the cytoplasm of the cell, wherein said &#x3b3;-glutamyl transferase is capable of hydrolyzing said sulfonic acid construct so as to release the cargo. Moreover, the present invention relates to the use of a cellular transport system for bringing a sulfonic acid construct which contains a cargo into a cell and releasing the cargo in the cell's cytoplasm. Further, the present invention relates to a &#x3b3;-glutamyl transferase for hydrolyzing a sulfonic acid construct which contains a cargo.

Cellular transport system for transferring a sulfonic acid construct carrying a cargo into the cytoplasm of a cell

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

Enzymatic production of an acyl phosphate from a 2-hydroxyaldehyde

Described are methods for the production of isobutene comprising the enzymatic conversion of 3-methylcrotonic acid into isobutene wherein said 3-methylcrotonic acid is obtained by the enzymatic conversion of 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA into 3-methylcrotonic acid or wherein said 3-methylcrotonic acid is obtained by the enzymatic conversion of 3-hydroxyisovalerate (HIV) into 3-methylcrotonic acid. It is described that the enzymatic conversion of 3-methylcrotonic acid into isobutene can, e.g., be achieved by making use of a 3-methylcrotonic acid decarboxylase, preferably an FMN-dependent decarboxylase associated with an FMN prenyl transferase, an aconitate decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.6), a methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.4), or a geranoyl-CoA carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.5).

Methods for producing isobutene from 3-methylcrotonic acid

Described are recombinant microorganisms characterized by having phosphoketolase activity, having a diminished or inactivated Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway (EMPP) by inactivation of the gene(s) encoding phosphofructokinase or by reducing phosphofructokinase activity as compared to a non-modified microorganism and having a diminished or inactivated oxidative branch of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) by inactivation of the gene(s) encoding glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase or by reducing glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity as compared to a non-modified microorganism. These microorganisms can be used for the production of useful metabolites such as acetone, isobutene or propene.

Recombinant microorganism for the production of useful metabolites

Described is a method for the conversion of 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA into 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyric acid comprising the steps of: (a) enzymatically converting 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA into 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyryl-CoA; and (b) further enzymatically converting the thus produced 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyryl-CoA into 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyric acid wherein the enzymatic conversion of 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyryl-CoA into 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyric acid according to step (b) is achieved by first converting 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyryl-CoA into 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyryl phosphate and then subsequently converting the thus produced 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyryl phosphate into 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyric acid.

Methods for producing 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyric acid

Described are HIV kinase variants showing an improved activity in converting 3-hydroxyisovalerate (HIV) into 3-phosphonoxyisovalerate (PIV), methods for the production of PIV using such enzyme variants as well as methods for the production isobutene in a subsequent reaction.

HIV kinase variants

Described are alkenol dehydratase variants having improved activity in catalyzing the conversion of prenol into isoprene, methods for the production of isoprene using such enzyme variants and their uses in the production of isoprene from prenol.

Alkenol dehydratase variants

The present invention relates to a method for producing a monoalkene comprising the step of enzymatically converting an alkyl monoester. The conversion preferably makes use of an enzyme which belongs to the group of terpene synthases or to the family of prenyltransferases. Moreover, the present invention relates to the use of a terpene synthase or of a prenyltransferase for enzymatically converting an alkyl monoester into a monoalkene.

Method for producing a monoalkene by enzymatic conversion of an alkyl monoester

The present invention relates to a method for generating alkenes through a biological process. More specifically, the invention relates to a method for producing alkenes (for example propylene, ethylene, 1-butylene, isobutylene or isoamylene) from molecules of the 3-hydroxyalkanoate type.

Production of alkenes by combined enzymatic conversion of 3-hydroxyalkanoic acids

Described is a method for the production of 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyric acid by enzyme-catalyzed covalent bond formation between the carbon atom of the oxo group of acetone and the methyl group of a compound which provides an activated acetyl group. Also described are recombinant organisms which produce 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyric acid, and related compositions and methods.

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Tournai, Belgium

Philippe Marlière