Recombinant zymomonas for pentose fermentation
AssigneeMidwest Research Institute
InventorsStephen K. Picataggio, Min Zhang, Christina K. Eddy, Kristine A. Deanda, Mark Finkelstein
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Abstract
The invention relates to microorganisms which normally do not ferment a pentose sugar and which are genetically altered to ferment this pentose to produce ethanol. A representative example is Zymomonas mobilis which has been transformed with E. coli xylose isomerase, xylulokinase, transaldolase and transketolase genes. Expression of the added genes are under the control of Zymomonas mobilis promoters. This newly created microorganism is useful for fermenting pentoses and glucose, produced by hydrolysis of hemicellulose and cellulose, to produce ethanol.
Claims9
A microorganism of the genus Zymomonas containing exogenous genes encoding xylose isomerase, xylulokinase, transaldolase and transketolase and further comprising at least one promotor recognized by Zymomonas which regulates the expression of at least one of said genes, and wherein said microorganism is capable of growing on xylose as a sole carbon source and fermenting said xylose to ethanol at about 88% theoretical yield and, wherein said microorganism without said genes is incapable of growing on or fermenting said xylose to ethanol.
A vector comprising genes encoding xylose isomerase, xylulokinase, transaldolase and transketolase and at least one promoter recognized by Zymomonas which regulates expression of said genes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.