Method for the in vivo synthesis of 4-hydroxymethylfurfural and derivatives thereof

A recombinant microorganism capable of producing 4-(hydroxymethyl)furoic acid from a feedstock comprising a carbon source, wherein the recombinant microorganism expresses the following:

• (a) endogenous or exogenous nucleic acid molecules encoding enzymes capable of converting a carbon source to glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (G3P);
• (b) at least one endogenous or exogenous nucleic acid molecule encoding a (5-formylfuran-3-yl)methyl phosphate synthase that catalyzes the conversion of G3P from (a) to (5-formylfuran-3-yl)methyl phosphate;
• (c) at least one endogenous or exogenous nucleic acid molecule encoding a phosphatase that catalyzes the conversion of (5-formylfuran-3-yl)methyl phosphate from (b) to 4-hydroxymethylfurfural (4-HMF);
• and
• (d) at least one endogenous or exogenous nucleic acid molecule encoding a dehydrogenase, an oxidase, or a peroxygenase that catalyzes the conversion of 4-HMF from (c) to 4-(hydroxymethyl)furoic acid.