Algenol Biotech LLC

Algenol Biofuels, Inc.

Ulf Dühring

Heike Enke

Kerstin Baier

Dan Kramer

Alexandra Friedrich

Tuo Shi

Frank Uliczka

Karl Ziegler

Kui Wang

Irina Piven

Masami Inaba

Torsten Schwecke

Ming-De Deng

Kimberly Lynn Anderson

Frauke Germer

Methods for increasing the genetic stability of genetically enhanced microbial host cells capable of producing a compound of interest are disclosed.

Methods for increasing the stability of production of compounds in microbial host cells

This invention provides a method for the prolonged production of ethanol using a metabolically enhanced cyanobacterium.

Metabolically enhanced cyanobacterium with sequentially inducible production genes for the production of a first chemical compound

One embodiment of the invention is directed to a genetically enhanced cyanobacterium for the production of a first chemical compound, comprising at least one first recombinant gene encoding a first biocatalyst for the production of the first chemical compound, wherein the gene is under the transcriptional control of a Coor Zn-inducible promoter. Such a cyanobacterium can provide a tighter control of the production of the first chemical compound.

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A metabolically enhanced cyanobacterial cell for the production of ethanol is provided. The metabolically enhanced cyanobacterial cell for the production of ethanol comprises at least one recombinant gene encoding a pyruvate decarboxylase enzyme (Pdc) converting pyruvate to acetaldehyde, and at least one recombinant gene encoding a first Zndependent alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme (Adh) converting acetaldehyde to ethanol. The invention also provides a method for producing the metabolically enhanced, a method for producing ethanol with the metabolically enhanced, and a method for screening of alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme expressing cyanobacterial strains for the presence of NADPH-dependent native alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes.

Metabolically enhanced cyanobacterial cell for the production of ethanol

This invention provides a metabolically enhanced cyanobacterium for the production of a chemical compound of interest, having at least two first production genes encoding first biocatalysts for the production of the first chemical compound. One of the two first production genes is under the transcriptional control of a first promoter for the first production gene, whereas the other of the two first production genes is under the transcriptional control of a second promoter for the first production gene. The first promoter and second promoter are separately inducible under different conditions and the at least two first biocatalysts catalyze the same chemical reaction. Metabolically enhanced cyanobacteria according to the present invention allow prolonged production of first chemical compounds. Further provisions of the present invention include, inter alia, a method for producing the metabolically enhanced cyanobacterium and a method for producing a first chemical compound by culturing the metabolically enhanced cyanobacterium.

A cyanobacterial host cell,sp., that harbors at least one recombinant gene for the production of a chemical compounds is provided, as well as vectors derived from an endogenous plasmid isolated from the cell.

A genetically enhanced cyanobacterial host cell,sp. ABICyano1, is disclosed. The enhancedsp. ABICyano1 produces a compound or compounds of interest.

A metabolically enhanced cyanobacterial cell for the production of ethanol is provided. The metabolically enhanced cyanobacterial cell for the production of ethanol comprises at least one recombinant gene encoding a pyruvate decarboxylase enzyme (Pdc) converting pyruvate to acetaldehyde, and at least one recombinant gene encoding a first Zndependent alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme (Adh) converting acetaldehyde to ethanol. The invention also provides a method for producing the metabolically enhanced cyanobacterium, a method for producing ethanol with the metabolically enhanced cyanobacterium, and a method for screening of alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme expressing cyanobacterial strains for the presence of NADPH-dependent native alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes.

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Berlin, Germany

Ulf Dühring