Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company

Synthetic Genomics, Inc.

Viridos, Inc.

Exxonmobile Research and Engineering Company

Rekha Seshadri

Robert Christopher Brown

Toby Howard Richardson

Jennifer Coppersmith

Leah Soriaga

Ariel S Schwartz

Bo Liu

John Verruto

Kevin T Watts

Jane C Schneider

Nicholas Bauman

Erik Holtzapple

Weidong Xu

Srividya Akella

Prachee Prakash

Carlos Chavez-Torres

Jennie Lau Kit

Jessica Kristof

Robert C Brown

Jane Schneider

The present invention relates to the culture and manipulation of microorganisms for biotech applications, and is based on the discovery and characterization of spliced leader sequences identified in transcripts fromspecies. In particular, the invention provides nucleic acid compositions comprising a SL sequence operably linked to a protein-encoding gene. Further provided are compositions and methods for enhanced gene expression in recombinant microorganisms as well as methods for identification and/or isolation of nucleic acid molecules tagged with a spliced leader sequence.

spliced leader sequences and methods of use thereof

The present invention provides novel promoter and terminator sequences for use in heterologous gene expression in eukaryotic cells, such as algal cells. The invention further provides expression cassettes comprising a promoter, as described herein, operably linked to a heterologous gene. The invention further provides expression vectors and host eukaryotic cells, such as algal cells, for expressing a protein encoded by the heterologous gene; and methods for identifying promoters.

Promoters and terminators for use in eukaryotic cells

Nannochloropsis spliced leader sequences and uses therefor

The invention relates to methods for producing lipids such as fatty acid products in recombinant host cells engineered to express a non-native gene encoding a dehydrogenase. The recombinant microorganisms are able to proliferate at a higher rate as compared with microorganisms that do not express a non-native dehydrogenase gene, and cultures of microorganisms that are engineered for lipid production and that express a non-native dehydrogenase produce more lipid than cultures of control microorganisms that do not include a non-native dehydrogenase gene.

Cell systems and methods for improving fatty acid synthesis by expression of dehydrogenases

The present invention provides for the improved production of fatty acid products in a recombinant microorganism or host cell engineered to express a non-native gene encoding a thioesterase and a non-native gene encoding a lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAAT), in which the LPAAT is overexpressed in the recombinant microorganism compared to an otherwise identical microorganism that does not include the non-native LPAAT gene. The invention also provides methods of producing fatty acid products using such recombinant microorganisms.

Recombinant microorganisms comprising thioesterase and lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase genes for fatty acid production

The invention provides microorganisms such as cyanobacteria genetically engineered to express proteins that include transcription factor domains for upregulation of lipid biosynthetic pathways. In addition to expression a gene encoding a transcription factor domain protein, the recombinant microorganisms can express at least one exogenous gene that encodes a polypeptide for the production of a fatty acid, fatty acid derivative, or triglyceride. Also included are methods of producing a fatty acid, fatty acid derivative, or triglyceride using the engineered microorganisms described herein as well as nucleic acid molecules encoding novel transcription factor domain proteins.

Recombinant cyanobacterium expressing a transcription factor domain protein

The invention relates to acyl-CoA-independent methods of producing fatty alcohols in recombinant host cells engineered to express an alcohol-forming acyl-ACP reductase. The recombinant host cells may be photosynthetic microorganisms, such as cyanobacteria. Isolated nucleic acid molecules, vectors, and recombinant host cells expressing an alcohol-forming acyl-ACP reductase, and systems for producing fatty alcohols via an acyl-CoA-independent pathway, are also provided. Also provided are microorganisms engineered for the secretion of fatty acids and fatty acid derivatives, including fatty alcohols, and methods of producing fatty acid derivatives using such engineering microorganisms.

Production and secretion of fatty acids and fatty acid derivatives

The described invention provides genetically engineered microorganisms, including photosynthetic microorganisms, expressing 4-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA thioesterases and methods of using the genetically engineered microorganisms for producing free fatty acids and/or fatty acid derivatives.

Genetically engineered microorganisms comprising 4-hydroxybenzoyl-coa thioesterases and methods of using the same for producing free fatty acids and fatty acid derivatives

The present invention provides novel diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) genes comprising Pleckstrin Homology (PH) domains. The present invention also provides for recombinant cells, such as algae, transformed with acyltransferase genes, such as DGAT, comprising PH domains, and methods of using such recombinant cells to produce increased triglyceride levels.

DGAT genes comprising pleckstrin homology domains and methods of use for triglyceride production in recombinant microorganisms

The described invention provides genetically engineered photosynthetic microorganisms expressing prokaryotic acyl-ACP thioesterases and methods of using the genetically engineered photosynthetic microorganisms for producing free fatty acids and/or fatty acid derivatives.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Rekha Seshadri