Fermentative production of acetone from renewable resources by means of novel metabolic pathway

US8986961B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• EVONIK DEGUSSA GMBH · DE

Inventors

• Stefan Verseck · Hanau, DE
• Steffen Schaffer · Herten, DE
• Werner Freitag · Dorsten, DE
• Friedrich Georg Schmidt · Haltern am See, DE
• Matthias Orschel · Munster, DE
• Gerda Grund · Coesfeld, DE
• Wilfried Schmidt · Mössingen, DE
• Hubert Johannes Bahl · Essen (Oldenburg), DE
• Ralf-Joerg Fischer · Kritzmow, DE
• Antje May · Rostock, DE
• Peter Duerre · Ulm, DE
• Simone Lederle · Ulm, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 1, 2008
• Grant date: Mar 24, 2015
• Expiry date: May 1, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12Y301/02018
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention describes a process for preparing acetone starting from acetyl-coenzyme A comprising process steps A. enzymatic conversion of acetyl-CoA into acetoacetyl-CoA B. enzymatic conversion of acetoacetyl-CoA into acetoacetate and CoA and C. decarboxylation of acetoacetate to acetone and CO2, which is characterized in that the coenzyme A is not transferred in process step B to an acceptor molecule. In addition, process step B is surprisingly catalyzed by enzymes of the classes of acyl-CoA thioesterase, acyl-CoA synthetase or acyl-CoA thiokinase.A completely novel metabolic pathway is concerned, because the enzymatic hydrolysis of acetoacetyl-CoA without simultaneous transfer of CoA to a receptor molecule has never previously been described for any microbial enzyme.