Host cells and methods for producing 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol, 3-methyl-3-buten-1-ol, and 3-methyl-butan-1-ol

1. A method for producing a 5-carbon alcohol in a genetically modified host cell, the method comprising: culturing a genetically modified host cell under a suitable condition, wherein the genetically modified host cell is transformed with a first nucleic acid construct encoding a first enzyme capable of catalyzing the dephosphorylation of an isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) or dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP), such that the culturing results in the genetically modified host cell producing a 5-carbon alcohol, wherein the 5-carbon alcohol is 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol, or 3-methyl-3-buten-1-ol.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of: (b) recovering the produced 5-carbon alcohol, wherein the recovering step is concurrent or subsequent to the culturing step.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first enzyme is Bacillus sp. YhfR , having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:70.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the genetically modified host cell is further transformed with a second nucleic acid construct encoding a second enzyme capable of reducing a 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol, such that the culturing results in the genetically modified host cell producing 3-methyl-butan-1-ol, wherein the first nucleic acid construct and the second nucleic acid construct reside on the same nucleic acid or two separate nucleic acids.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second enzyme is a reductase.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the reductase is an Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Torulaspora delbrueckii , or Kluyveromyces lactis fatty acid synthase.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the reductase is an OYE family member.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the reductase is a Saccharomyces sp. OYE family member.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the OYE family member is OYE2.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the OYE family member is OYE3.

11. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of: (b) recovering the produced 3-methyl-butan-1-ol, wherein the recovering step is concurrent or subsequent to the culturing step.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the 5-carbon alcohol is 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the 5-carbon alcohol is 3-methyl-3-buten-1-ol.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the host cell is a eubacteria.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the host cell is one selected from the Escherichia, Enterobacter, Azotobacter, Erwinia, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Klebsielia, Proteus, Salmonella, Serratia, Shigella, Rhizobia, Vitreoscilla, Synechococcus, Synechocystis , and Paracoccus taxonomical classes.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the host cell is Escherichia coli.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the host cell is an algal, fungal, insect, or an isolated mammalian cell line.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the host cell is a yeast.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the host cell is Saccharomyces cerevisae.

20. A genetically modified host cell transformed with a first nucleic acid construct encoding a first enzyme capable of catalyzing the dephosphorylation of an isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) or dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP), which under a suitable condition produces 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol, or 3-methyl-3-buten-1-ol, wherein said host cell prior to genetic modification does not produce 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol, 3-methyl-3-buten-1-ol and 3-methyl-butan-1-ol.

21. The genetically modified host cell of claim 20 , further comprising a second nucleic acid construct encoding a second enzyme capable of reducing a 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol, wherein the first nucleic acid construct and the second nucleic acid construct reside on the same nucleic acid or two separate nucleic acids.