Detoxification of biomass derived acetate via metabolic conversion to ethanol, acetone, isopropanol, or ethyl acetate

US9605269B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Lallemand Hungary Liquidity Management LLC · HU

Inventors

• William Ryan Sillers · Lebanon, US
• Hans Van Dijken · Schiedam, NL
• Steve Licht · Utica, US
• Arthur J. Shaw, IV · Belmont, US
• Alan Gilbert · Cambridge, US
• Aaron Argyros · Lebanon, US
• Allan Froehlich · Hartland, US
• John McBride · Lyme, US
• Haowen Xu · Lebanon, US
• David A. Hogsett · Niwot, US
• Vineet Rajgarhia · Dublin, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 5, 2011
• Grant date: Mar 28, 2017
• Expiry date: May 5, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/52
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

One aspect of the invention relates to a genetically modified thermophilic or mesophilic microorganism, wherein a first native gene is partially, substantially, or completely deleted, silenced, inactivated, or down-regulated, which first native gene encodes a first native enzyme involved in the metabolic production of an organic acid or a salt thereof, thereby increasing the native ability of said thermophilic or mesophilic microorganism to produce lactate or acetate as a fermentation product. In certain embodiments, the aforementioned microorganism further comprises a first non-native gene, which first non-native gene encodes a first non-native enzyme involved in the metabolic production of lactate or acetate. Another aspect of the invention relates to a process for converting lignocellulosic biomass to lactate or acetate, comprising contacting lignocellulosic biomass with a genetically modified thermophilic or mesophilic microorganism.