Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a microorganism that makes it possible to produce muconic acid from a lignin-derived aromatic compound with sufficient economic efficiency and without depending on the type of lignin, and a method of producing muconic acid using the microorganism. The objective can be achieved by a transformed microorganism wherein the host microorganism is a microorganism of the genus Pseudomonas that has pcaH gene, pcaG gene, catA gene, and catB gene on its chromosome, and that can assimilate an aromatic compound derived from syringyl lignin; and wherein the transformed microorganism lacks at least one gene selected from the group consisting of pcaH gene and pcaG gene on its chromosome, lacks catB gene on its chromosome, and expresses aroY gene inserted; and a method of producing muconic acid using the transformed microorganism and the like.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid (PDC) by culturing a microorganism that produces PDC. The present invention provides a method of producing PDC by culturing a microorganism that produces 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid (PDC), wherein the method comprises: dissolving the starting substance for production of PDC in a buffer solution that contains no alkali metals, and adjusting the pH of a culture solution with a buffer solution that contains no alkali metals.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a microorganism that makes it possible to produce muconic acid from a lignin-derived aromatic compound with sufficient economic efficiency and without depending on the type of lignin, and a method of producing muconic acid using the microorganism. The objective can be achieved by a transformed microorganism wherein the host microorganism is a microorganism of the genus Pseudomonas that has pcaH gene, pcaG gene, catA gene, and catB gene on its chromosome, and that can assimilate an aromatic compound derived from syringyl lignin; and wherein the transformed microorganism lacks at least one gene selected from the group consisting of pcaH gene and pcaG gene on its chromosome, lacks catB gene on its chromosome, and expresses aroY gene inserted; and a method of producing muconic acid using the transformed microorganism and the like.

Abstract: There is provided a process for industrial production of simple 3-carboxy-cis,cis-muconic acid and/or 3-carboxymuconolactone from low molecular mixtures derived from plant components such as vanillin, vanillic acid and protocatechuic acid, via a multistage enzyme reaction. A recombinant plasmid containing a vanillate demethylase gene (vanAB genes), benzaldehyde dehydrogenase gene (ligV gene) and protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase gene (pcaHG genes); transformants incorporating the plasmid; and a process for production of 3-carboxy-cis,cis-muconic acid and/or 3-carboxymuconolactone characterized by culturing the transformants in the presence of vanillin, vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid or a mixture of two or more thereof.

Abstract: The invention provides biodegradable polyesters, polyurethanes, comprising 3-carboxymuconolactone as a structural unit, 3-carboxymuconolactone esters and a process for their production. Polyesters comprising a repeating unit represented by the following formula (I): [wherein R represents a hydrocarbon-based divalent residue which, in the structure, optionally contains a heteroatom without an active hydrogen], polyurethanes comprising the polyester structure; 3-carboxymuconolactone esters; and a process for their production.

Abstract: Industrial-scale fermentative production of 3-carboxy-cis,cis-muconic acid from terephthalic acid. Also, a protocatechuate 4,5-ring-cleaving enzyme gene-disrupted strain in which the gene coding for (a) the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3, or (b) the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 3 which has a deletion, substitution, addition and/or insertion of one or more amino acids and exhibits protocatechuate 4,5-ring cleavage activity, present in the chromosomal DNA of microbial cells, has been disrupted; recombinant plasmids comprising the Tph gene and protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase gene; transformants obtained by introducing the recombinant plasmids into the disrupted strain; and a process for production of 3-carboxy-cis,cis-muconic acid and/or 3-carboxymuconolactone characterized by culturing the transformants in the presence of terephthalic acid.

Abstract: There is provided a process for industrial production of simple 3-carboxy-cis,cis-muconic acid and/or 3-carboxymuconolactone from low molecular mixtures derived from plant components such as vanillin, vanillic acid and protocatechuic acid, via a multistage enzyme reaction. A recombinant plasmid containing a vanillate demethylase gene (vanAB genes), benzaldehyde dehydrogenase gene (ligV gene) and protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase gene (pcaHG genes); transformants incorporating the plasmid; and a process for production of 3-carboxy-cis,cis-muconic acid and/or 3-carboxymuconolactone characterized by culturing the transformants in the presence of vanillin, vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid or a mixture of two or more thereof.

Abstract: &agr;-Hydroxy-&ggr;-carboxymuconic acid-&egr;-semialdehyde dehydrogenase, a gene encoding the enzyme, a recombinant vector containing the gene and a transformant carrying the gene, and processes for producing the enzyme and 2-pyrone-dicarboxylic acid by using the transformant. Use of the transformant can produce &agr;-hydroxy-&ggr;-carboxymuconic acid-&egr;-semialdehyde dehydrogenase in a large amount, thereby permitting industrial production of 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid.

Abstract: &agr;-Hydroxy-&ggr;-carboxymuconic acid-&egr;-semialdehyde dehydrogenase, a gene encoding the enzyme, a recombinant vector containing the gene and a transformant carrying the gene, and processes for producing the enzyme and 2-pyrone-dicarboxylic acid by using the transformant.

Abstract: &agr;-Hydroxy-&ggr;-carboxymuconic acid-&egr;-semialdehyde dehydrogenase, a gene encoding the enzyme, a recombinant vector containing the gene and a transformant carrying the gene, and processes for producing the enzyme and 2-pyrone-dicarboxylic acid by using the transformant. Use of the transformant can produce &agr;-hydroxy-&ggr;-carboxymuconic acid-&egr;-semialdehyde dehydrogenase in a large amount, thereby permitting industrial production of 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid.