Recombinant mutant microorganisms having increased ability to produce alcohols and method of producing alcohols using the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to recombinant mutant microorganisms having an increased ability to produce alcohol and a method of producing alcohol using the same, and more particularly to recombinant mutant microorganisms which have an increased ability to produce butanol, ethanol, isopropanol or mixed alcohols, which can be used as fuel, while producing little or no producing acetone as a byproduct, and to a method of producing butanol, ethanol, isopropanol or mixed alcohols using the same. The inventive recombinant mutant microorganisms having an increased ability to produce butanol or mixed alcohols and to remove acetone are those in which genes that encode enzymes involved in producing butanol from butyryl-CoA or butylaldehyde and in producing isopropanol from acetone were amplified or introduced in host microorganisms. The recombinant mutant microorganisms produce little or no byproducts such as acetone and can have an increased ability to produce alcohols, as a result of manipulating metabolic pathways. Thus, the recombinant mutant microorganisms are useful for industrial production of butanol or mixed alcohols comprising butanol and isopropanol.