Engineered microorganisms for production of commodity chemicals and cellular biomass

An in vitro genetically modified host cell genetically modified with:

• a) a heterologous nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a heterologous uronate dehydrogenase (UDH),
• wherein the heterologous UDH uses NADP+ or NAD+ as a cofactor, and produces NADPH or NADH, respectively, and wherein the heterologous UDH converts a sugar acid to its corresponding 1,5-aldonolactone, wherein the host cell coexpresses an endogenous or a heterologous reductase that utilizes the produced NADPH or NADH;
• and wherein:
• i) the heterologous modified UDH comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 95% amino acid sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:18, wherein two or three of amino acids D42, I43, and A44 are substituted;
• or
• ii) the heterologous modified UDH comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 95% amino acid sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:20, wherein X is arginine, histidine, or lysine;
• or
• iii) the heterologous UDH utilizes NADP+, and wherein the heterologous UDH comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 95% amino acid sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:19;
• and
• b) one or more heterologous nucleic acids comprising heterologous nucleotide sequences encoding one or more enzymes of an anabolic pathway, wherein the anabolic pathway requires the reductase that utilizes the produced NADPH or NADH.