Process for the biological production of methacrylic acid and derivatives thereof
A process of producing methacrylic acid and/or derivatives thereof including the following steps: (a) biologically converting isobutyryl-CoA into methacrylyl-CoA by the action of an oxidase; and (b) converting methacrylyl-CoA into methacrylic acid and/or derivatives thereof. The invention also extends to microorganisms adapted to conduct the steps of the process.
1. A microorganism adapted to conduct the following steps:
(a) biologically converting isobutyryl-CoA into methacrylyl-CoA by expression of a peroxisomal acyl-CoA oxidase from Vigna adiate and/or a short chain acyl-CoA oxidase from Arthrobacter nicotianae ; and
(b) biologically converting methacrylyl-CoA into methacrylic acid and/or derivatives thereof.
2. A microorganism according to claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is Escherichia coli.
3. A microorganism according to claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is a recombinant microorganism.
4. A microorganism according to claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is modified by one or more heterologous nucleic acids.
5. A microorganism according to claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is adapted to biologically convert methacrylyl-CoA into a C1 to C20 methacrylic acid ester by expression of an alcohol acyl transferase.
6. A microorganism according to claim 1 , wherein the microorganism is adapted to biologically convert methacrylyl-CoA into methacrylic acid by the action of a thioesterase, transferase, synthetase, and/or a phosphotransacylase and a short chain fatty acid kinase.
7. A fermentation medium comprising one or more microorganism/s of claim 1 .
8. A process of fermentation comprising culturing one or more microorganism/s of claim 1 in a fermentation medium to produce methacrylic acid and/or derivatives thereof.