Amino acid production

Abstract

The present invention relates to amino acid production. The invention relates to a microbial cell for producing at least one L-amino acid from at least one C1-C4 alkane, wherein the cell comprises: (i) an increased expression relative to the wild type cell of Enzyme E1 capable of converting the alkane to a corresponding 1-alkanol; (ii) an increased expression relative to the wild type cell of Enzyme E2 capable of converting the 1-alkanol of (i) to a corresponding aldehyde; and either (iii) (A) an increased expression relative to the wild type cell of Enzyme E3 capable of converting the aldehyde of (ii) to a corresponding alkanoic acid; and a wild-type level expression of Enzyme E4 or an increased expression relative to the wild type cell of Enzyme E4 capable of converting the alkanoic acidof (iii) to a corresponding fatty acyl thioester; or (B) an increased expression relative to the wild type cell of Enzyme E5 capable of converting the aldehyde of (ii) to a corresponding fatty acyl thioester; and(iv) an increased expression relative to the wild type cell of Enzyme E6 capable of converting the fatty acyl thioester of (iii) to a corresponding amino acid.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a biotechnological process for the production of amino acids. In particular, the method makes it possible to use alkanes as starting materials for the production of L-amino acids. Background technique [0002] Amino acids are particularly useful as additives in animal feed and as nutritional supplements for humans. They can also be used in infusion solutions and can function as synthetic intermediates used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and agricultural chemicals. Compounds such as methionine, lysine, tryptophan and threonine are generally produced industrially for use as food or feed additives and in pharmaceuticals. Specifically, the essential amino acid methionine, which cannot be synthesized by animals, plays an important role in many bodily functions. L-methionine is currently produced by chemical synthesis from hydrogen cyanide, acrolein and methyl mercaptan. These petroleum-based starting materials suc...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Also, since the cost of these starting materials will be correlated to oil prices (which are expected to rise in future oil prices), the price of methionine will also increase relative to the increase in oil prices

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