Micoorganisms and Methods for the Production of Fatty Acids and Fatty Acid Derived Products

Abstract

This invention relates to metabolically engineered microorganism strains, such as bacterial strains, in which there is an increased utilization of malonyl-CoA for production of a fatty acid or fatty acid derived product, wherein the modified microorganism produces fatty acyl-CoA intermediates via a malonyl-CoA dependent but malonyl-ACP independent mechanism

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A genetically modified microorganism producing a fatty acid or fatty acid derived product, wherein the fatty acid chain length can be selected from 4 to >18, wherein fatty acids are produced via a growing fatty acyl-CoA chain and wherein additionally, the fatty acid chain is extended with at least one malonyl-CoA molecule and without the use of malonyl-ACP. 
     
     
         2 . A genetically modified microorganism of  claim 1 , wherein the butyryl-CoA product/intermediate is made from acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA. 
     
     
         3 . A genetically modified microorganism of  claim 1 , wherein the butyryl-CoA product/intermediate is made from malonyl-CoA. 
     
     
         4 . A genetically modified microorganism of  claim 1 , wherein an acyl-CoA (length n) product/intermediate with chain length greater than 4 is made from acetyl-CoA and an acyl-CoA chain (length n−2). 
     
     
         5 . A genetically modified microorganism of  claim 1 , wherein an acyl-CoA (length n) product/intermediate with chain length greater than 4 is made from malonyl-CoA and an acyl-CoA chain (length n−2). 
     
     
         6 . A genetically modified microorganism of  claim 1 , wherein the product is a fatty acid mixture enriched for chain length C4 and wherein the C4 chain comprises >9%, >50%, >85% or >95% percentage of the total fatty acid product on mass (g) basis. 
     
     
         7 . A genetically modified microorganism of  claim 1 , wherein the product is a fatty acid mixture enriched for chain length C6 and wherein the C6 chain comprises >10%, >50%, >85% or >95% percentage of the total fatty acid product on mass (g) basis. 
     
     
         8 . A genetically modified microorganism of  claim 1 , wherein the product is a fatty acid mixture enriched for chain length C8 and wherein the C8 chain comprises >10%, >50%, >85% or >95% percentage of the total fatty acid product on mass (g) basis. 
     
     
         9 . A genetically modified microorganism of  claim 1 , wherein the product is a fatty acid mixture enriched for chain length C10 and wherein the C10 chain comprises >10%, >50%, >85% or >95% percentage of the total fatty acid product on mass (g) basis. 
     
     
         10 . A genetically modified microorganism of  claim 1 , wherein the product is a fatty acid mixture enriched for chain length C12 and wherein the C12 chain comprises >10%, >50%, >85% or >95% percentage of the total fatty acid product on mass (g) basis. 
     
     
         11 . A genetically modified microorganism of  claim 1 , wherein the product is a fatty acid mixture enriched for chain length C14 and wherein the C14 chain comprises >10%, >50%, >85% or >95% percentage of the total fatty acid product on mass (g) basis. 
     
     
         12 . A genetically modified microorganism of  claim 1 , wherein the product is a fatty acid mixture enriched for chain length C16 and wherein the C16 chain comprises >10%, >50%, >85% or >95% percentage of the total fatty acid product on mass (g) basis. 
     
     
         13 . A genetically modified microorganism of  claim 1 , wherein the product is a fatty acid mixture enriched for chain length C18 and wherein the C18 chain comprises >10%, >50%, >85% or >95% percentage of the total fatty acid product on mass (g) basis. 
     
     
         14 . A fermentation process using an microorganism from any of the above claims, wherein a fatty acid or fatty acid based product is produced. 
     
     
         15 . A genetically modified microorganism of any of the above claims, wherein the microorganism is further genetically modified to convert an acyl-CoA into a fatty acid derived product, including an alcohol, aldehyde, alkene, alkane or diacid.