Biological methods for preparing a fatty dicarboxylic acid

1. A method for producing a diacid, comprising:

contacting a genetically modified yeast with a feedstock capable of being converted by the yeast to a diacid; and

culturing the yeast under conditions in which the diacid is produced from the feedstock,

wherein the genetically modified yeast comprises: one or more genetic modifications that substantially block beta oxidation activity; and one or more genetic modifications that increase ADH8 alcohol dehydrogenase activity and wherein ADH8 alcohol dehydrogenase comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 127.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the genetically modified yeast further comprises one or more genetic modifications that increase one or more CYP52A12, CYP52A13, CYP52A14, CYP52A15, CYP52A16, CYP52A17, CYP52A18, CYP52A19 or CYP52A20 monooxygenase activities and a CPRB monooxygenase reductase activity.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the genetically modified yeast is a Candida spp. yeast.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the Candida spp. yeast is chosen from C. tropicalis and C. viswanathii.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the Candida spp. yeast is genetically modified ATCC20336 yeast.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the genetically modified yeast is capable of producing a diacid from a feedstock comprising one or more components from a vegetable oil.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the diacid is a C8, C10, C12, C14, C16, C18 or C20 diacid.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the diacid contains one or more unsaturations.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the feedstock comprises a substantially pure oil.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the feedstock comprises a plurality of fatty acids.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the vegetable oil is from a plant chosen from palm, palm kernel, coconut, soy, safflower, canola or combination thereof.