Production of mevalonate, isoprene, and isoprenoids using genes encoding polypeptides having thiolase, HMG-CoA synthase and HMG-CoA reductase enzymatic activities

Recombinant cells with increased production of isoprene, the cells comprising one or more heterologous nucleic acids comprising nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of:

• a. a mevalonate E (mvaE) gene and a mevalonate S (mvaS) gene from Enterococcus gallinarum (E. gallinarum);
• b. a mvaE gene and a mvaS gene from Enterococcus casseliflavus (E. casseliflavus);
• c. a mvaE gene and a mvaS gene from Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium);
• and
• d. a mvaE gene and a mvaS gene from Listeria grayi (L. grayi)
• wherein said mvaE gene and mvaS gene encode polypeptides having thiolase, HMG-CoA synthase, and HMG-CoA reductase catalytic activities, and wherein the cells further comprise:
• i. one or more nucleic acids encoding polypeptides of the lower MVA pathway;
• and
• ii. a heterologous nucleic acid encoding an isoprene synthase polypeptide,
• wherein the cells produce increased amounts of isoprene compared to isoprene-producing cells that (A) contain an mvaE gene and mvaS gene from Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) and (B) do not contain said mvaE gene and mvaS gene from E. gallinarum, E. casseliflavus, E. faecium, or L. grayi.