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: 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: An alcohol fermentation process and composition that includes production of alcohol esters by esterification of product alcohol in a fermentation medium with a carboxylic acid (e.g., fatty acid) and a catalyst (e.g., lipase) capable of esterifying the product alcohol, such as butanol, with the carboxylic acid to form the alcohol esters. The alcohol esters can be extracted from the fermentation medium, and the product alcohol recovered from the alcohol esters. The carboxylic acid can also serve as an extractant for removal of the alcohol esters from the fermentation medium.

Abstract: High cell density cultures of yeast were found to have higher tolerance for butanol in the medium. The high cell density yeast cultures had greater survival and higher glucose utilization than cultures with low cell densities. Production of butanol using yeast in high cell density cultures is thus beneficial for improving butanol production.

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: From a bacterial strain isolated from an environmental sample, after enrichment in medium containing 1-butanol as the carbon source, a new enzyme with butanol dehydrogenase activity was identified. The enzyme can convert butyraldehyde to 1-butanol, isobutyraldehyde to isobutanol, as well as 2-butanone to 2-butanol and thus is useful for biosynthesis of butanol in recombinant microbial hosts producing these substrates. The encoding gene, named sadB, was isolated from the strain identified as an isolate of Achromobacter xylosoxidans.

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.

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: The present disclosure provides improved systems for the biological production of certain aliphatic alcohol compounds. In particular, the present disclosure provides biological systems that show improved resistance to aliphatic alcohol toxicity; in sonic embodiments, such improved resistance allows for increased levels of aliphatic alcohol production. Accordingly, the present disclosure provides, inter alia, engineered microorganisms that both produce an aliphatic alcohol compound and show resistance to that compound as measured by an ability to grow to predetermined levels in the presence of a given concentration of the compound.

Abstract: Methods for the evolution of NADPH binding ketol-acid reductoisomerase enzymes to acquire NADH binding functionality are provided. Specific mutant ketol-acid reductoisomerase enzymes isolated from Pseudomonas that have undergone co-factor switching to bind NADH are described.

Abstract: A fermentation liquid feed including water and a product alcohol and optionally CO2 is at least partially vaporized such that a vapor stream is produced. The vapor stream is contacted with an absorption liquid under suitable conditions wherein an amount of the product alcohol is absorbed. The portion of the vapor stream that is absorbed can include an amount of each of the water, the product alcohol and optionally the CO2. The temperature at the onset of the absorption of the vapor stream into the absorption liquid can be greater than the temperature at the onset of condensation of the vapor stream in the absence of the absorption liquid. The product alcohol can be separated from the absorption liquid whereby the absorption liquid is regenerated. The absorption liquid can include a water soluble organic molecule such as an amine.

Abstract: The invention relates to a recombinant host cell having (a) a modification in an endogenous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having dual-role hexokinase activity; (b) a heterologous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having hexose kinase activity; and optionally (c) a modification in an endogenous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having pyruvate decarboxylase activity. Additionally, the invention relates to methods of making and using such recombinant host cells including, for example, methods of increasing glucose consumption, methods of improving redox balance, and/or methods of increasing the production of a product of a pyruvate-utilizing pathway.

Abstract: Systems and methods for separating an alcohol, and in particular butanol, from a fermented feed and concentrating thin stillage into syrup includes operation of one or more alcohol recovery distillation columns using the heat supplied by steam generated from concentration of the thin stillage in a multi-train, multi-effect evaporation system.

Abstract: In an alcohol fermentation process, oil derived from biomass is chemically converted into an extractant available for in situ removal of a product alcohol such as butanol from a fermentation broth. The glycerides in the oil can be chemically converted into a reaction product, such as fatty acids, fatty alcohols, fatty amides, fatty acid methyl esters, fatty acid glycol esters, and hydroxylated triglycerides, and mixtures thereof, which forms a fermentation product extractant having a partition coefficient for a product alcohol greater than a partition coefficient of the oil of the biomass for the product alcohol. Oil derived from a feedstock of an alcohol fermentation process can be chemically converting into the fermentation product extractant.

Abstract: Fatty acids derived from biomass at a step in a fermentation process can be added to a fermentation medium comprising a recombinant microorganism that produces a product alcohol. At least one of growth rate and fermentable carbon consumption of the microorganism is greater in the presence of the fatty acids than the growth rate and the fermentable carbon consumption of the microorganism in the absence of the fatty acids. The addition of the fatty acids can increase glucose consumption, and can improve microorganism biomass production (cell growth/density) and growth rate, thereby reducing production time and increasing productivity of the fermentation process.

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.

Abstract: In an alcohol fermentation process, oil derived from biomass is hydrolyzed into an extractant available for in situ removal of a product alcohol such as butanol from a fermentation broth. The glycerides in the oil can be catalytically (e.g., enzymatically) hydrolyzed into free fatty acids, which form a fermentation product extractant having a partition coefficient for a product alcohol greater than a partition coefficient of the oil of the biomass for the product alcohol. Oil derived from a feedstock of an alcohol fermentation process can be hydrolyzed by contacting the feedstock including the oil with one or more enzymes whereby at least a portion of the oil is hydrolyzed into free fatty acids forming a fermentation product extractant, or the oil can be separated from the feedstock prior to the feedstock being fed to a fermentation vessel, and the separated oil can be contacted with the enzymes to form the fermentation product extractant.

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.

Abstract: A method of making butanol from at least one fermentable carbon source that overcomes the issues of toxicity resulting in an increase in the effective titer, the effective rate, and the effective yield of butanol production by fermentation utilizing a recombinant microbial host wherein the butanol is extracted into specific organic extractants during fermentation

Abstract: A process for recovering butanol from a mixture comprising a water-immiscible organic extractant, water, butanol, and optionally a non-condensable gas, is provided. The butanol is selected from 1-butanol, 2-butanol, isobutanol, and mixtures thereof. The extractant comprises at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of C7 to C22 fatty alcohols, C7 to C22 fatty acids, esters of C7 to C22 fatty acids, C7 to C22 fatty aldehydes, and mixtures thereof.