Abstract: Process for the production of methionine or its derivatives by culturing a microorganism in an appropriate culture medium comprising a source of carbon and a source of sulfur. The microorganism and/or the culture medium are modified in such way that the methionine/carbon source yield is increased. The isolation of methionine or its derivates from the fermentation medium is also described.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a recombinant microorganism optimized for the fermentative production of methionine and/or its derivatives, wherein in said recombinant strain, the methionine efflux is enhanced by overexpressing the homologous logous genes of ygaZ and ygaH genes from Escherichia coli. It is also related to a method for optimizing the fermentative production of methionine or its derivatives comprising the steps of: a. culturing a recombinant microorganism wherein in said microorganism, the methionine efflux is enhanced by overexpressing the ygaZH homologous genes of ygaZ and ygaH genes from Escherichia coli, in an appropriate culture medium comprising a fermentable source of carbon and a source of sulphur, and b. recovering methionine and/or its derivatives from the culture medium.

Abstract: The present application is related to a recombinant microorganism optimized for the fermentative production of methionine and/or its derivatives, wherein in said recombinant microorganism, the cobalamin-dependent methionine synthase activity and the methionine efflux are enhanced. The application is also related to a method for optimizing the fermentative production of methionine and/or its derivatives comprising the steps of: c. culturing a recombinant microorganism wherein in said microorganism, the cobalamin-dependent methionine synthase activity and the methionine efflux are enhanced, in an appropriate culture medium comprising a fermentable source of carbon and a source of sulphur, and d. recovering methionine and/or its derivatives from the culture medium.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a recombinant Escherichia coli (E. coli) strain optimised for the fermentative production of methionine and/or its derivatives, wherein in said recombinant strain, the methionine import is attenuated and the methionine efflux is enhanced. It is also related to a method for optimising the fermentative production of methionine or its derivatives comprising the steps of: a. culturing a recombinant microorganism wherein in said microorganism, the methionine import is attenuated and the methionine efflux is enhanced, in an appropriate culture medium comprising a fermentable source of carbon and a source of sulphur, and b. recovering methionine and/or its derivatives from the culture medium.

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 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 is relative to a method for producing 1,2-propanediol by fermentation, comprising: cultivating a microorganism producing 1,2-propanediol in an appropriate medium comprising a source of sucrose, and recovering the 1,2-propanediol being produced, wherein the microorganism is able to utilize sucrose as sole carbon source for the production of 1,2-propanediol. In a preferred aspect of the invention, the source of sucrose is obtained from plant biomass, and is in particular sugar cane juice.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a recombinant microorganism optimized for the fermentative production of methionine, wherein the activity of the cobalamin-independent methionine synthase MetE is attenuated in said microorganism. The invention is also related to a method for producing methionine by fermentation.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a recombinant microorganism for improved methionine production comprising modifications to produce methionine from glucose as main carbon source by fermentation, and modifications to improve glucose import, wherein the glucose import is improved by modifying the expression of at least one gene selected from ptsG, sgrT sgrS and dgsA. The invention is also related to a method for the fermentative production of methionine or methionine derivatives comprising the steps of: culturing the recombinant microorganism as described above in an appropriate culture medium comprising a fermentable source of carbon containing glucose and a source of sulphur, and recovering methionine or methionine derivatives from the culture medium.

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: 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 recombinant microorganism optimised for the fermentative production of methionine, wherein the activity of the cobalamin-independent methionine synthase MetE is attenuated in said microorganism. The invention is also related to a method for producing methionine by fermentation.

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: The present invention concerns a modified microorganism with an increased methylglyoxal reductase activity, and its use for the preparation of 1,2-propanediol and/or acetol. In particular this increased methylglyoxal reductase activity is obtained by increasing the expression of specific genes from microorganisms. This invention is also related to a method for producing 1,2-propanediol and/or acetol by fermentation of a microorganism having an increased methylglyoxal reductase activity.

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 method for the fermentative production of hydroxymethionine, comprising the steps of: culturing a recombinant microorganism modified to produce methionine in an appropriate culture medium comprising a source of carbon, a source of sulfur and a source of nitrogen, recovering hydroxymethionine from the culture medium. In a specific embodiment, the recombinant microorganism is cultivated under conditions of nitrogen limitation. The invention is also related to the biologically-produced hydroxymethionine and its uses.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a recombinant microorganism engineered for the production of 2,3-butanediol (BDO), wherein said microorganism overexpresses at least one gene encoding a polypeptide involved in the conversion of pyruvate into 2,3-butanediol. The invention is also related to a method of production of 2,3-butanediol comprising the following steps: providing a recombinant microorganism as described above, cultivating the recombinant microorganism in a culture medium containing a source of carbon, and recovering the 2,3-butanediol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of recombinant homoserine transsuccinylase enzymes with altered feedback sensitivity (MetA*) and possibly recombinant S-adenosyl methionine synthetase enzymes with reduced activity (MetK*) for the production of methionine, its precursors or derivatives thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the production of methionine or its derivatives by culturing a microorganism in an appropriate culture medium comprising a source of carbon and a source of sulphur. The microorganism and/or the culture medium and/or the process parameters were modified in a way that the accumulation of the by-product N-acyl-methionine (NAM) is reduced. The isolation of methionine or its derivatives from the fermentation medium is also claimed.