Methods and microorganisms for the production of 1,3-butanediol

A method for producing 1,3-butanediol (1,3-BDO), the method comprising:

• (a) providing recombinant bacteria engineered to produce 1,3-BDO from (i) condensation of two acetaldehydes to produce 3-hydroxybutanal, and (ii) reduction of the 3-hydroxybutanal to 1,3-BDO, the recombinant bacteria being engineered to express at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a deoxyribose-5-phosphate aldolase (DERA) that catalyzes reaction (i), and to express at least one further exogenous nucleic acid encoding an aldo-keto reductase (AKR) that catalyzes reaction (ii);
• and
• (b) culturing the recombinant bacteria under conditions and for a sufficient period of time to produce 1,3-BDO,
• wherein said DERA comprises an amino acid sequence at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 22 and comprises residues K21, N49, C71 or V71, F172, and H176 or G176, with respect to the amino acid numbering of the E. coli DERA of SEQ ID NO:
• 20;
• and
• wherein said AKR comprises an amino acid sequence at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 25.

A method for producing 1,3-butanediol (1,3-BDO), the method comprising:

• (a) providing recombinant bacteria engineered to produce 1,3-BDO from (i) condensation of two acetaldehydes to produce 3-hydroxybutanal, and (ii) reduction of the 3-hydroxybutanal to 1,3-BDO, the recombinant bacteria being engineered to express at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a deoxyribose-5-phosphate aldolase (DERA) that catalyzes reaction (i), and to express at least one further exogenous nucleic acid encoding an aldo-keto reductase (AKR) that catalyzes reaction (ii);
• and
• (b) culturing the recombinant bacteria under conditions and for a sufficient period of time to produce 1,3-BDO,
• wherein said DERA is a variant of a Bacillus halodurans DERA, said Bacillus halodurans DERA comprising an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 22;
• and
• wherein said AKR is a variant of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa AKR, said Pseudomonas aeruginosa AKR comprising an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 25.