Production of fatty acid derivatives

A method of producing a fatty acid ester, the method comprising:

• culturing a recombinant bacterium genetically engineered to express an exogenous ester synthase (EC 2.3.1.75) having at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:
• 18 and having an amino acid substitution at the residue corresponding to glycine 395 of SEQ ID NO:
• 18 in culture medium comprising a carbon source, under conditions effective to express the ester synthase, wherein said ester synthase has an increased enzymatic activity relative to that of SEQ ID NO:
• 18.