Abstract: Provided herein are processes and microorganisms which utilize both protein hydrolysates and carbohydrates from biomass feedstocks to produce renewable hydrocarbon compositions. Advantages of the disclosed methods may be recognized in fuel blends comprising such hydrocarbon compositions.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to methods, approaches, devices, equipment, and systems for minimizing or reducing contamination in facilities implementing fermentation or distillation processes. In embodiments, the facility is a biofuel plant that produces fermentation product such as product alcohol like butanol. In some embodiments, the methods, approaches, devices, equipment, and systems are operable to implement clean in place contamination (CIP) mitigation techniques that can also include sterilize in place (SIP) mitigation techniques to decontaminate equipment including surfaces of the equipment that come in contact with materials used in the production of product alcohols. Other cleaning and contamination minimizing techniques are also described.

Abstract: Provided herein are processes for producing an improved culture of cells comprising an engineered butanol biosynthetic pathway. The processes comprise (a) providing a cell culture of recombinant microorganisms comprising an engineered butanol biosynthetic pathway, wherein the engineered butanol biosynthetic pathway is minimal or not activated; and (b) growing the culture of recombinant microorganisms under adaptive conditions whereby pathway activation is increased to produce an improved cell culture and whereby the improved cell culture is capable of continuing to grow in fermentation.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a recombinant host cell, in particular a yeast cell, comprising a dihydroxy-acid dehydratase polypeptide. The invention is also related to a recombinant host cell having increased specific activity of the dihydroxy-acid dehydratase polypeptide as a result of increased expression of the polypeptide, modulation of the Fe—S cluster biosynthesis of the cell, or a combination thereof. The present invention also includes methods of using the host cells, as well as, methods for identifying polypeptides that increase the flux in an Fe—S cluster biosynthesis pathway in a host cell.

Abstract: Gasoline blends and methods for producing gasoline blends containing high concentrations of a butanol isomer and having good cold start and warm-up driveability characteristics are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods of screening for dihydroxy-acid dehydratase (DHAD) variants that display increased DHAD activity are disclosed, along with DHAD variants identified by these methods. Such enzymes can result in increased production of compounds from DHAD requiring biosynthetic pathways. Also disclosed are isolated nucleic acids encoding the DHAD variants, recombinant host cells comprising the isolated nucleic acid molecules, and methods of producing butanol.

Abstract: The invention relates to the fields of industrial microbiology and alcohol production including production of yeast products with features suitable for transport, storage, and utilization in fermentation.

Abstract: A process for determining the distillation characteristics of a liquid petroleum product that contains an azeotropic mixture of an oxygenated or nitrogen-containing component and at least one petroleum blending component.

Abstract: The invention relates to recombinant host cells having at least one integrated polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide that catalyzes a step in a pyruvate-utilizing biosynthetic pathway, e.g., pyruvate to acetolactate conversion. The invention also relates to methods of increasing the biosynthetic production of isobutanol, 2,3-butanediol, 2-butanol or 2-butanone using such host cells.

Abstract: Polypeptides having ketol-acid reductoisomerase activity are provided. Also disclosed are recombinant host cells comprising isobutanol biosynthetic pathways employing such polypeptides. Methods for producing isobutanol employing host cells comprising the polypeptides having ketol-acid reductoisomerase activity are also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates to corrosion inhibitor additive combinations giving long acting performance in oxygenated gasoline blends comprising either low carbon number (<3) or high carbon number (greater than or equal to 4) alcohols or mixtures thereof and adapted for use in fuel delivery systems and internal combustion engines. The invention also is concerned with a process for conferring anti-corrosion properties to oxygenates in gasoline fuel mixtures wherein the oxygenate comprises biologically-derived butanol.

Abstract: Systems and processes for the production of fuel and fuel blends involve the production of fuels for blending with one or more alcohols such as ethanol and/or butanol. A method for producing a fuel blend includes blending a light distillate product from an oil refinery with butanol. The fuel blending can be at the oil refinery.

Abstract: The present invention is related to recombinant host cells comprising: (i) at least one deletion, mutation, and/or substitution in an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide that converts pyruvate to acetaldehyde, acetyl-phosphate or acetyl-CoA; and (ii) a heterologous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having phosphoketolase activity. The present invention is also related to recombinant host cells further comprising (iii) a heterologous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having phosphotransacetylase activity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to processes to remove butanol and other product alcohols from a fermentation broth employing vacuum vaporization.

Abstract: Provided herein are glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD) enzymes with increased KM for NADH and GPD enzymes with substantially the same affinity for NADH and NADPH and/or are feedback inhibited by glycerol-3-phosphate. Also provided herein are recombinant microorganisms comprising a heterologous gene encoding GPD and a deletion or disruption in an endogenous gene encoding GPD. Also provided are recombinant microorganisms comprising a heterologous gene encoding GPD and a butanol biosynthetic pathway. Further provided are methods of producing butanol comprising providing the recombinant microorganisms described herein and contacting the recombinant microorganism with at least one fermentable carbon substrate under conditions wherein butanol is produced.

Abstract: The invention relates to butanol compositions for fuel blending and fuel blends comprising such compositions. The compositions and fuel blends of the invention have desirable performance characteristics and can serve as alternatives to ethanol-containing fuel blends. The invention also relates to methods for producing such butanol compositions and fuel blends.

Abstract: The invention relates to the fields of industrial microbiology and alcohol production. The invention also relates to the development of a microorganism capable of producing fermentation products via an engineered pathway, and uses of the microorganism. The invention also relates to the methods to improve cell viability and productivity and the use of recycling and acid washing to increase the yield of fermentation products.

Abstract: Dihydroxy-acid dehydratase (DHAD) variants that display increased DHAD activity are disclosed. Such enzymes can result in increased production of compounds from DHAD requiring biosynthetic pathways. Also disclosed are isolated nucleic acids encoding the DHAD variants, recombinant host cells comprising the isolated nucleic acid molecules, and methods of producing butanol.

Abstract: A gasoline blend and a method for producing a gasoline blend containing low concentrations of a butanol isomer and having good cold start and warm-up driveability characteristics are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods for the fermentative production of four carbon alcohols is provided. Specifically, butanol, preferably isobutanol is produced by the fermentative growth of a recombinant bacterium expressing an isobutanol biosynthetic pathway.