Glycerol and acetic acid converting yeast cells with improved acetic acid conversion

1. A yeast cell that is genetically modified comprising:

a) one or more nucleotide sequence encoding a heterologous ethanolamine utilization protein having the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 or a functional homologue thereof having at least 80% amino acid identity to SEQ ID NO: 3;

b) one or more nucleotide sequence encoding a acetyl-CoA synthetase (belonging to E.C. 6.2.1.1);

c) one or more nucleotide sequence encoding a glycerol dehydrogenase (belonging to E.C. 1.1.1.6); and

d) one or more nucleotide sequence encoding a dihydroxyacetone kinase (belonging to E.C. 2.7.1.28 or E.C. 2.7.1.29), wherein the one or more recombinant nucleotide sequence encoding the dihydroxyacetone kinase is overexpressed in the yeast cell, and

wherein the yeast cell consumes glucose, xylose, glycerol and acetic acid.

2. The cell according to claim 1 , comprising a deletion or disruption of one or more endogenous nucleotide sequence encoding a glycerol 3-phosphate phosphohydrolase and/or encoding a glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene.

3. The cell according to claim 2 , wherein c) is one or more nucleotide sequence encoding a heterologous glycerol dehydrogenase set forth in SEQ ID NO: 7 or a functional homologue of SEQ ID NO: 7 having sequence identity of at least 60% with SEQ ID NO: 7; and/or one or more nucleotide sequence encoding a heterologous glycerol dehydrogenase set forth in SEQ ID NO: 9 or a functional homologue of SEQ ID NO: 9 having sequence identity of at least 60% with SEQ ID NO: 9.

4. The cell according to claim 3 , wherein c) is one or more nucleotide sequence encoding a heterologous glycerol dehydrogenase set forth in SEQ ID NO: 7 or a functional homologue of SEQ ID NO: 7 having sequence identity of at least 60% with SEQ ID NO: 7.

5. The cell according to claim 1 , wherein d) is one or more heterologous nucleotide sequence encoding a dihydroxyacetone kinase set forth in SEQ ID NO: 11 or a functional homologue of SEQ ID NO: 11 having sequence identity of at least 40% with SEQ ID NO: 11 and/or one or more nucleotide sequence encoding a dihydroxyacetone kinase set forth in SEQ ID NO: 13 or a functional homologue of SEQ ID NO: 13 having sequence identity of at least 40% with SEQ ID NO: 13.

6. The cell according to claim 5 , wherein d) is one or more nucleotide sequence encoding a dihydroxyacetone set forth in SEQ ID NO: 13 or a functional homologue of SEQ ID NO: 13 having sequence identity of at least 40% with SEQ ID NO: 13.

7. The cell according to claim 1 , wherein b) is one or more nucleotide sequence encoding a homologous or heterologous acetyl-CoA synthetase belonging to set forth in SEQ ID NO: 6 or a functional homologue of SEQ ID NO: 6 having sequence identity of at least 60% with SEQ ID NO: 6.

8. The cell according to claim 1 , wherein

a) is one or more nucleotide sequence encoding an ethanolamine utilization protein set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 or a functional homologue of SEQ ID NO: 3 having sequence identity of at least 80% with SEQ ID NO: 3;

b) is one or more nucleotide sequence encoding a homologous or heterologous acetyl-CoA synthetase set forth in SEQ ID NO: 6 or a functional homologue of SEQ ID NO: 6 having sequence identity of at least 80% with SEQ ID NO: 6;

c) is one or more nucleotide sequence encoding a glycerol dehydrogenase set forth in by SEQ ID NO: 9 or a functional homologue of SEQ ID NO: 9 having sequence identity of at least 60% with SEQ ID NO: 9; and

d) is one or more nucleotide sequence encoding a homologous or heterologous dihydroxyacetone kinase set forth in SEQ ID NO: 11 or a functional homologue of SEQ ID NO: 11 having sequence identity of at least 40% with SEQ ID NO: 11.

9. The cell according to claim 1 , wherein

a) is one or more nucleotide sequence encoding an ethanolamine utilization protein set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 or a functional homologue of SEQ ID NO: 3 having sequence identity of at least 80% with SEQ ID NO: 3;

b) is one or more nucleotide sequence encoding a homologous or heterologous acetyl-CoA synthetase set forth in by SEQ ID NO: 6 or a functional homologue of SEQ ID NO: 6 having sequence identity of at least 60% with SEQ ID NO: 6;

c) is one or more nucleotide sequence encoding a glycerol dehydrogenase set forth in by SEQ ID NO: 7 or a functional homologue of SEQ ID NO: 7 having sequence identity of at least 60% with SEQ ID NO: 7; and

d) is one or more nucleotide sequence encoding a homologous or heterologous dihydroxyacetone kinase set forth in by SEQ ID NO: 13 or a functional homologue of SEQ ID NO: 13 having sequence identity of at least 40% with SEQ ID NO: 13.

10. The cell according to claim 9 , wherein in the yeast cell all endogenous nucleotide sequences encoding a glycerol 3-phosphate phosphohydrolase and all endogenous nucleotide sequences encoding a glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase are deleted.

11. The cell according to claim 10 , wherein the yeast cell is free of genes encoding NADH-dependent glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase.

12. The yeast cell according to claim 10 , wherein the yeast cell is selected from the group consisting of Saccharomycesaceae , optionally from the group of Saccharomyces , optionally Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Kluyveromyces , optionally Kluyveromyces marxianus; Pichia , optionally Pichia stipitis or Pichia angusta; Zygosaccharomyces , optionally Zygosaccharomyces bailii ; and

Brettanomyces , optionally Brettanomyces intermedius, Issatchenkia , optionally Issatchenkia orientalis and Hansenula.

13. A yeast cell according to claim 1 capable of being used for the preparation of ethanol.