Bacterial production of methyl ketones

1. A genetically modified bacterial host cell that produces methyl ketones, wherein the genetically modified bacterial host cell comprises a recombinant nucleic acid construct encoding a FadM that is capable of converting a β-ketoacyl-CoA to a β-keto acid, and overproduces β-ketoacyl-CoAs compared to a control bacterial host cell that has not been transformed with the nucleic acid construct encoding the FadM, wherein the FadM comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 60% identity to SEQ ID NO:1, and further, wherein the genetically modified host cell:

comprises a recombinant nucleic acid sequence that encodes an acyl-CoA oxidase capable of converting an acyl-CoA to a trans-2-enoyl-CoA;

comprises a recombinant nucleic acid sequence that encodes a FadB capable of converting a trans-2-enoyl-CoA to a β-hydroxyacyl-CoA and a β-hydroxyacyl-CoA to a β-ketoacyl-CoA; and

has an inactive fadA gene or chromosomal deletion of all or part of the fadA gene such that the host cell does not express active FadA.

2. The genetically modified host cell of claim 1 , wherein the FadM has at least 70% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:1.

3. The genetically modified host cell of claim 1 , wherein the FadM is an E. coli FadM.

4. The genetically modified host cell of claim 1 , wherein the acyl-CoA oxidase has at least 60% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:2.

5. The genetically modified host cell of claim 4 , wherein the acyl-CoA oxidase is from Micrococcus luteus.

6. The genetically modified host cell of claim 1 , wherein the genetically modified host cell further comprises a recombinant nucleic acid sequence that encodes a cytoplasmically-directed thioesterase 'tesA gene.

7. The genetically modified host cell of claim 1 , wherein the genetically modified host cell has an inactive fadE gene or chromosomal deletion of all or part of the fadE gene such that the host cell does not express active FadE.

8. The genetically modified host cell of claim 1 , wherein the host cell has an inactive poxB gene or chromosomal deletion of all or part of the poxB gene such that the host cell does not express PoxB.

9. The genetically modified host cell of claim 1 , wherein the host cell further comprises a recombinant nucleic acid sequence that is capable of expressing FadR and a recombinant nucleic acid sequence that is capable of expressing FadD.

10. The genetically modified host cell of claim 8 , wherein the host cell further comprises a recombinant nucleic acid sequence that is capable of expressing FadR and a recombinant nucleic acid sequence that is capable of expressing FadD.

11. The genetically modified host cell of claim 1 , wherein the host cell is a bacterial cell selected from the Escherichia, Enterobacter, Azotobacter, Erwinia, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Klebsielia, Proteus, Salmonella, Serratia, Shigella, Ralstonia, Rhizobia , or Vitreoscilla taxonomical class.

12. The genetically modified host cell of claim 11 , wherein the bacterial cell is an Escherichia coli cell.

13. A method of enhancing production of methyl ketones, the method comprising culturing the genetically modified host cell of claim 1 under conditions such that the culturing results in the production of methyl ketones.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising recovering the methyl ketones using a decane overlay.

15. A genetically modified bacterial host cell that produces methyl ketones, wherein the genetically modified bacterial host cell:

comprises a recombinant nucleic acid construct that comprises a nucleic acid sequence that encodes a FadM that is capable of converting a β-ketoacyl-CoA to a β-keto acid, wherein the FadM has at least 60% identity to SEQ 1,

comprises a recombinant nucleic acid sequence that encodes an acyl-CoA oxidase capable of converting an acyl-CoA to a trans-2-enoyl-CoA;

comprises a recombinant nucleic acid sequence that encodes a FadB capable of converting a trans-2-enoyl-CoA to a β-hydroxyacyl-CoA and a β-hydroxyacyl-CoA to a β-ketoacyl-CoA;

comprises a recombinant nucleic acid sequence that is capable of expressing FadR and a recombinant nucleic acid sequence that is capable of expressing FadD;

has an inactive fadA gene or chromosomal deletion of all or part of the fadA gene such that the host cell does not express active FadA; and

has an inactive poxB gene or chromosomal deletion of all or part of the poxB gene such that the host cell does not express PoxB.

16. The genetically modified host cell of claim 1 , wherein the FadM has at least 80% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:1.

17. The genetically modified host cell of claim 1 , wherein the FadM has at least 90% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:1.