Carbon compound production in photosynthetic microorganisms

A method for the photosynthetic production of a one, two, three or four carbon compound, the method comprising culturing a photosynthetic microorganism under conditions suitable for photosynthesis wherein the culture is irradiated with light having a wavelength between 380 nm and 500 nm, and isolating the one, two, three or four carbon compound.

The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein the culture is irradiated with light having a proportion of light having a wavelength between 380 nm and 500 nm that is greater than 35%.

The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein the culture is irradiated with light having a proportion of light having a wavelength between 501 nm and 800 nm that is less than 50%.

The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein said light having a wavelength between 380 nm and 500 nm has a photon dose greater than 50 μmol m−2s−1, and optionally less than 1000 μmol m−2s−1.

The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein the culture is irradiated with light having a wavelength between 380 nm and 500 nm for at least 5 minutes.

The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein the culture is irradiated with light having a wavelength between 380 nm and 500 nm for at least 60 minutes.

The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein the culture is irradiated with light from a light source that emits light having a proportion of light having a wavelength between 380 nm and 500 nm that is greater than 35%.

The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein the culture is irradiated with light from a light source that emits said light having a wavelength between 380 nm and 500 nm at a photon dose greater than 50 μmol m−2s−1, and optionally less than 1000 μmol m−2s−1.

The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein the culture is irradiated with light having a wavelength between 380 nm and 500 nm for a period of time sufficient to produce ethanol at a concentration of at least 2% (w/v) in the culture.

The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein the culture is irradiated with light having a wavelength between 380 nm and 500 nm for a period of time sufficient to produce ethanol at a concentration of at least 5% (w/v) in the culture.

The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein the culture is irradiated with light having a wavelength between 380 nm and 500 nm for a period of time sufficient to produce ethanol at over 0.1 g/L/h.

The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein the photosynthetic microorganism is cultured under white light irradiation for a period of time during which the photosynthetic microorganism may grow before light conditions are changed to irradiation with light having a wavelength between 380 nm and 500 nm.

The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein the pyruvate or metabolite of pyruvate is isolated by distillation.

The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein the photosynthetic microorganism has been modified to reduce fatty acid synthesis.

A method for the production of ethanol from a photosynthetic microorganism, the method comprising culturing the photosynthetic microorganism under conditions suitable for photosynthesis, wherein the photosynthetic microorganism has been modified to reduce fatty acid synthesis.

The method of any previous claim, comprising a step wherein the culture is irradiated with a single peak of blue light.

The method of any previous claim, comprising a step wherein the culture is irradiated with a single peak of light having a wavelength between 380 nm and 500 nm.

The method of any previous claim, comprising a step wherein the culture is irradiated with light which comprises less than 30% red light, orange light, yellow light and/or green light.

The method of any previous claim, comprising a step wherein the culture is irradiated with light which comprises no red light.