Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for the production of a biochemical selected among lactic acid, acetol and 1,2-propanediol, comprising culturing a microorganism modified for an improved production of the biochemical selected among lactic acid, acetol and 1,2-propanediol in an appropriate culture medium and recovery of the desired biochemical which may be further purified wherein the microorganism expresses a methylglyoxal synthase (MGS) enzyme which activity is not inhibited by orthophosphate. The present invention concerns a mutant methylglyoxal synthase (MGS) comprising at least one amino acid residue in the protein sequence of the parent enzyme replaced by a different amino acid residue at the same position wherein the mutant enzyme has retained more than 50% of the methylglyoxal synthase activity of the parent enzyme and the methylglyoxal synthase activity of the mutant MGS is not inhibited by orthophosphate as compared to the parent enzyme.

Abstract: A method of producing methionine, derivatives or precursors thereof includes culturing a modified microorganism in a culture medium comprising a source of carbon and a source of sulfur; and recovering methionine from the culture medium, wherein said modified microorganism has an increased expression of cysE gene encoding serine acetyltransferase, metH gene encoding methionine synthase and metF gene encoding 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase compared to expression of the cysE, metH and metF genes in an unmodified microorganism.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a microorganism for the production of methionine, wherein said microorganism is modified to enhance the transhydrogenase activity of PntAB. In a preferred aspect of the invention, the activity of the transhydrogenase UdhA is attenuated in said microorganisms. The invention also related to a method for producing methionine by fermentation.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a population of Clostridium acetobutylicum useful for the production of 1,3-propanediol (PDO), wherein said population comprises at least one strain of a Clostridium acetobutylicum sp. comprising mutations selected among the mutations identified in table 1, wherein relative percentages of said mutations are selected among specific genes.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a modified microorganism for the biological preparation of an hydroxy acid of formula (I) wherein the microorganism comprises a two-step metabolic pathway for the production of the said hydroxy acid from a hydroxy keto-acid of formula (II) through an intermediate hydroxy-aldehyde of formula (III), wherein EA1 is an enzyme having a 2-keto-acid decarboxylase activity, and EA2 is an enzyme having hydroxy aldehyde dehydrogenase activity. The invention also concerns a method for the fermentative production of a hydroxy acid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to use of inducible promoters in the production of glycolic acid by fermentation. The present invention concerns a method for the production of glycolic acid in a fermentative process comprising the following steps: culturing a modified microorganism in an appropriate culture medium comprising a source of carbon, modulating in said microorganism the expression of a target gene with an external stimulus, and recovering glycolic acid from the culture medium, wherein in said modified microorganism, the expression of at least one gene involved in glycolic acid production is under the control of a heterologous inducible promoter whose activity is modulated with said external stimulus. The invention also concerned the modified microorganism used in the method of glycolic acid production.

Abstract: Method for purifying an alcohol from a fermentation broth comprising adding a heavy solvent, evaporating the alcohol to be purified, and mechanically drawing out of the crystallized salts by heavy solvent flow and scrapping on a falling film evaporator, a wiped film evaporator, a thin film evaporator or a short path evaporator.

Abstract: Method for purifying an alcohol, notably 1,3-propanediol, from a fermentation broth.

Abstract: A method of producing methionine, derivatives or precursors thereof comprising culturing a microorganism modified to enhance production of cysteine in a culture medium comprising a source of carbon and a source of sulfur and recovering methionine from the culture medium. A microorganism for fermentative production of methionine or its derivatives in which production of methionine or derivatives thereof, wherein the microorganism enhances production of cysteine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved method for the bioconversion of a fermentable carbon source to glycolic acid by a recombinant microorganism bearing new genetic modifications such as ?ldhA, ?mgsA, ?arcA, and ?lldP, ?glcA, ?yjcG and combination of them allowing a production with higher yield, titer and productivity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the production of methionine using modified strains with attenuated transformation of threonine. This can be achieved by reducing threonine transformation into glycine, and/or by reducing its transformation to ?-ketobutyrate. The invention also concerns the modified strains with attenuated transformation of threonine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for improving the production of methionine by culturing a microorganism modified for enhancing the expression of genes involved in succinate dehydrogenase synthesis. The microorganisms were modified in a way that the methionine/carbon source yield is increased. The isolation of methionine from the fermentation medium is also claimed.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a new method combining evolution and rational design for the preparation of a strain of micro-organism for the production of 1,2-propanediol from a carbon source. The said method comprises growing an initial strain under selection pressure in an appropriate growth medium, said initial bacterial strain comprising an attenuation of the expression of the tpiA gene and an attenuation the expression of at least one gene involved in the conversion of methylglyoxal to lactate, in order to promote evolution in said initial strain; then selecting and isolating the evolved strain having an increased 1,2 propanediol production rate; then reconstructing a functional tpiA gene in the evolved strain. The present invention also concerns the evolved strain such as obtained, that may be furthermore genetically modified in order to optimize the conversion of a carbon source into 1,2-propanediol without bv-products and with the best possible yield.

Abstract: The present invention relates to use of inducible promoters in the production of methionine by fermentation. The present invention concerns a method for the production of methionine, its precursors or derivatives in a fermentative process comprising the following steps: culturing a modified microorganism in an appropriate culture medium comprising a source of carbon, a source of sulphur and a source of nitrogen, and recovering methionine and/or its derivatives from the culture medium, wherein in said modified microorganism, the expression of at least one gene involved in methionine production is under the control, direct or indirect, of a heterologous inducible promoter. The invention also concerned the modified microorganism used in the method.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a new method of preparation of a strain of evolved micro-organisms for the production of 1,2-propanediol by the metabolism of a simple carbon source, which method comprises the growth under selection pressure in an appropriate growth medium containing a simple carbon source of an initial bacterial strain that has undergone the deletion of the gene tpiA and the deletion of at least one gene involved in the conversion of methylglyoxal (propanal) into lactate, in order to cause, in said initial strain, the evolution of one or more genes involved in the biosynthesis pathway from DHAP to methylglyoxal and then to 1,2-propanediol towards evolved genes that possess an improved “1,2-propanediol synthase activity”, the resulting strain or strains of evolved micro-organisms possessing an improved “1,2-propanediol synthase activity” then being selected and isolated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the anaerobic production of 1,3 propanediol, by culturing a Clostridium strain in an appropriate culture medium comprising glycerol as a source of carbon, wherein said Clostridium strain does not produce substantially other products of the glycerol metabolism selected among the group consisting of: butyrate, lactate, butanol and ethanol, and recovering of 1,3-propanediol.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a new method for replacing or deleting DNA sequences in Clostridia, with high efficiency, easy to perform and applicable at an industrial level. This method is useful to modify several genetic loci in Clostridia in a routine manner. This method is based on a replicative vector carrying at least two marker genes.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for the production of 1,2-propanediol, comprising culturing a microorganism modified for an improved production of 1,2-propanediol in an appropriate culture medium and recovery of the 1,2-propanediol which may be further purified wherein the microorganism expresses a glycerol dehydrogenase (GlyDH) enzyme the inhibition of which activity by NAD+ and/or its substrate and/or its product is reduced. The present invention also relates to a mutant glycerol dehydrogenase (GlyDH) comprising at least one amino acid residue in the protein sequence of the parent enzyme replaced by a different amino acid residue at the same position wherein the mutant enzyme has retained more than 50% of the glycerol dehydrogenase activity of the parent enzyme and the glycerol dehydrogenase activity of the mutant GlyDH is less inhibited by NAD+ and/or by its substrate as compared to the parent enzyme and/or by its product as compared to the parent enzyme.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for the production of a biochemical selected among acetol and 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, ethylene glycol and 1,4-butanediol comprising culturing a microorganism modified for an improved production of the biochemical selected among acetol and 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, ethylene glycol and 1,4-butanediol in an appropriate culture medium and recovery of the desired biochemical which may be further purified wherein the microorganism expresses a YqhD enzyme which catalytic efficiency toward NADPH is increased. The present invention also relates to a mutant YqhD enzyme comprising at least one amino acid residue in the protein sequence of the parent enzyme replaced by a different amino acid residue at the same position wherein the mutant enzyme has retained more than 50% of the YqhD activity of the parent enzyme and the catalytic efficiency toward NADPH of the mutant YqhD is increased as compared with the catalytic efficiency toward NADPH of the parent enzyme.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for the production of a biochemical selected among lactic acid, acetol and 1,2-propanediol, comprising culturing a microorganism modified for an improved production of the biochemical selected among lactic acid, acetol and 1,2-propanediol in an appropriate culture medium and recovery of the desired biochemical which may be further purified wherein the microorganism expresses a methylglyoxal synthase (MGS) enzyme which activity is not inhibited by orthophosphate. The present invention concerns a mutant methylglyoxal synthase (MGS) comprising at least one amino acid residue in the protein sequence of the parent enzyme replaced by a different amino acid residue at the same position wherein the mutant enzyme has retained more than 50% of the methylglyoxal synthase activity of the parent enzyme and the methylglyoxal synthase activity of the mutant MGS is not inhibited by orthophosphate as compared to the parent enzyme.