Abstract: Disclosed is the production by fermentation of poly D-lactic acid (PDLA) and poly L-lactic acid (PLLA). In particular, there is provided engineered (prokaryotic or eukaryotic) cells for the direct synthesis of PLLA polymers and engineered eukaryotic cells for the direct synthesis of PDLA polymers starting from a carbon source, including residual biomasses of the different production chains.

Abstract: Disclosed is the production by fermentation of poly D-lactic acid (PDLA) and poly L-lactic acid (PLLA). In particular, there is provided engineered (prokaryotic or eukaryotic) cells for the direct synthesis of PLLA polymers and engineered eukaryotic cells for the direct synthesis of PDLA polymers starting from a carbon source, including residual biomasses of the different production chains.

Abstract: It is disclosed a non-naturally occurring microbial organism comprising at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding an enzyme, or a portion thereof, selected from the group of ammonia lyase. Preferably, the enzyme is PAL3, and the at least one exogenous nucleic acid is obtained from Arabidopsis thaliana. The non-naturally occurring microbial organism has an increased resistance to biochemical stress compared to the starting microbial organism, as induced for instance by oxidative stress or organic acid stress. Preferably, the non-naturally occurring microbial organism is a yeast and it may be used for fermenting a carbon source obtained from a ligno-cellulosic feedstock.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the production of organic acids with yeasts that overexpress at least one sugar transporter. The yeast might express further genes related to the production of the desired organic acid. The organic acid is produced by cultivation of the yeast overexpressing a sugar transporter in an adequate culture medium, whereupon the desired organic acid is accumulated in the culture medium and subsequently purified to the desired degree by techniques known in the art.

Abstract: A method for increasing tolerance in yeast to organic acids and low pH comprising functionally transforming a yeast with at least one copy of a nucleotide sequence encoding a plasma membrane H+-ATPase.

Abstract: A method of producing an organic acid by staining a yeast population with a stain capable of internal pH (pHi)-dependent fluorescence, to yield a stained yeast population; determining a gate pH and a corresponding fluorescence parameter of the stained yeast population; and sorting the cells of the stained yeast population such that the cells having a pHi above the gate pH are retained and the cells having a pHi below the gate pH are discarded, to yield a yeast population for the production of the organic acid. Also, a method of producing an organic acid by performing the above steps, followed by isolating individual cells of the yeast population, to yield individual yeast cells for the production of an organic acid; culturing an individual yeast cell, to yield a cloned yeast population for the production of an organic acid; and incubating the cloned yeast population for the production of an organic acid in a medium containing an organic acid precursor, to produce the organic acid.

Abstract: A method of increasing stress tolerance in recombinant organisms that have been engineered for industrial production is described. Stress tolerance is increased by making L-ascorbic acid available to the recombinant organism, either by exogenous addition to the culture medium or by endogenous production from D-glucose by the recombinant organism. To enable endogenous production, the recombinant organism is transformed with a coding region encoding a mannose epimerase (ME), a coding region encoding an L-galactose dehydrogenase (LGDH), and a D-arabinono-1,4-lactone oxidase (ALO). The recombinant organism may be further transformed with a myoinositol phosphatase (MIP).

Abstract: A method of producing an organic acid by staining a yeast population with a stain capable of internal pH (pHi)-dependent fluorescence, to yield a stained yeast population; determining a gate pH and a corresponding fluorescence parameter of the stained yeast population; and sorting the cells of the stained yeast population such that the cells having a pHi above the gate pH are retained and the cells having a pHi below the gate pH are discarded, to yield a yeast population for the production of the organic acid. Also, a method of producing an organic acid by performing the above steps, followed by isolating individual cells of the yeast population, to yield individual yeast cells for the production of an organic acid; culturing an individual yeast cell, to yield a cloned yeast population for the production of an organic acid; and incubating the cloned yeast population for the production of an organic acid in a medium containing an organic acid precursor, to produce the organic acid.

Abstract: Herein is disclosed a method for the production of proteins. The protein is expressed by a yeast belonging to the species Zygosaccharomyces bailii. The yeast secretes the protein produced into the culture medium from where it is isolated, thereby simplifying the isolation process. Preferably the yeast is cultivated in chemically defined medium, thereby further simplifying the isolation process significantly.

Abstract: Herein is disclosed a method of generating ascorbic acid from yeast transformed with a mannose epimerase. In a further embodiment, the yeast can be further transformed with a myoinositol phosphatase. In the method, the transformed yeast can produce L-ascorbic acid from D-glucose. The transformed yeast has been observed to have increased growth rate, cell density, or survival when cultured on appropriate media.