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 a mevalonate E (mvaE) gene and a mevalonate S (mvaS) gene selected from the organisms Listeria grayi (L. grayi), Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium), Enterococcus gallinarum (E. gallinarum), and Enterococcus casseliflavus (E. casseliflavus), wherein the mvaE gene and the 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 do not comprise the mvaE gene and the mvaS gene.