Production of fatty acids esters

US9944959B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• CARGILL, INCORPORATED · US

Inventors

• Katrin Grammann · Johannesweg, DE
• Jan Wolter · Goldkronach, DE
• Liv Reinecke · Essen, DE
• Steffen Schaffer · Herten, DE
• Eileen Spindler · Boulder, US
• Wendy Kathleen Ribble · Arvada, US
• Brittany Prather · Wheat Ridge, US
• Catherine Bradshaw POOR · Boulder, US
• Tanya Warnecke Lipscomb · Boulder, US
• Hans H. Liao · Plymouth, US
• Dave Hogsett · Lebanon, US
• Ronald J. Evans · Louisville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 2, 2015
• Grant date: Apr 17, 2018
• Expiry date: May 2, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E50/10
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A microbial cell is used for producing at least one fatty acid ester, wherein the cell is genetically modified to contain (i) at least one first genetic mutation that enables the cell to produce at least one fatty acid and/or acyl coenzyme A (CoA) thereof by increased enzymatic activity in the cell relative to the wild type cell of malonyl-CoA dependent and malonyl-ACP independent fatty acyl-CoA metabolic pathway, wherein the fatty acid contains at least 5 carbon atoms; and (ii) a second genetic mutation that increases the activity of at least one wax ester synthase in the cell relative to the wild type cell and the wax ester synthase has sequence identity of at least 50% to a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1-8 and combinations thereof or to a functional fragment of any of the polypeptides for catalyzing the conversion of fatty acid and/or acyl coenzyme A thereof to the fatty acid ester.