Xylitol synthesis mutant of xylose-utilizing zymomonas for ethanol production
AssigneesE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company, Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
InventorsPaul V. Viitanen, Yat-Chen Chou, Carol M. McCutchen, Min Zhang
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Abstract
A strain of xylose-utilizing Zymomonas was engineered with a genetic modification to the glucose-fructose oxidoreductase gene resulting in reduced expression of GFOR enzyme activity. The engineered strain exhibits reduced production of xylitol, a detrimental by-product of xylose metabolism. It also consumes more xylose and produces more ethanol during mixed sugar fermentation under process-relevant conditions.
Claims9
A recombinant Zymomonas strain which utilizes xylose to produce ethanol, comprising at least one genetic modification which reduces glucose-fructose oxidoreductase activity.
A process for generating a Zymomonas strain which utilizes xylose to produce ethanol that has reduced GFOR activity, comprising:
- a) providing a recombinant Zymomonas strain which utilizes xylose to produce ethanol under suitable conditions;
- and
- b) introducing at least one genetic modification to the recombinant Zymomonas strain which utilizes xylose to produce ethanol of (a), wherein said modification reduces glucose-fructose oxidoreductase activity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.