Methods and compositions for producing fatty alcohols and fatty aldehydes

Abstract

Compositions and methods for producing hydrocarbons such as aldehydes, alkanes, and alkenes are described herein. Certain hydrocarbons can be used in biofuels.

1 .- 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . A genetically engineered microorganism transformed with an exogenous polynucleotide sequence encoding an aldehyde biosynthetic polypeptide that has at least 80% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 66, 70, or 72. 
     
     
         47 . The genetically engineered microorganism of  claim 46 , wherein said aldehyde biosynthetic polypeptide catalyzes the conversion of an acyl-ACP to a fatty aldehyde. 
     
     
         48 . The genetically engineered microorganism of  claim 47 , wherein said aldehyde biosynthetic polypeptide is an acyl-ACP reductase. 
     
     
         49 . The genetically engineered microorganism of  claim 46 , wherein said exogenous polynucleotide comprises a recombinant vector. 
     
     
         50 . The genetically engineered microorganism of  claim 46 , wherein said exogenous polynucleotide is stably incorporated into the genomic DNA of the host cell. 
     
     
         51 . The genetically engineered microorganism of  claim 46 , wherein said microorganism is a bacterial cell. 
     
     
         52 . The genetically engineered microorganism of  claim 51 , wherein said bacterial cell is an  Escherichia  cell or a cyanobacterial cell. 
     
     
         53 . A genetically engineered microorganism transformed with an exogenous polynucleotide sequence encoding an aldehyde biosynthetic polypeptide comprising:
 amino acids 126-136 and 138-143 of SEQ ID NO: 66;   amino acids 156-159 and 161-175 of SEQ ID NO: 66;   amino acids 156-175 of SEQ ID NO: 66;   amino acids 126-136 and 138-143 of SEQ ID NO: 70;   amino acids 156-159 and 161-175 of SEQ ID NO: 70; or   amino acids 156-175 of SEQ ID NO: 70.