Yeast cell modified to overproduce fatty acid and fatty acid-derived compounds

1. A genetically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae host cell capable of producing one or more fatty acids, or fatty acid-derived compounds, or a mixture thereof, comprising:

(a) increased expression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, wherein the endogenous promoter of the ACC1 gene is replaced with promoter P TEF1 ;

(b) increased expression of one or more fatty acid synthases, wherein the endogenous promoter of the FAS1 and FAS2 genes are replaced with promoter P TEF1 ;

(c) optionally reduced expression of one or more enzymes in the β-oxidation pathway, wherein the endogenous POX1 and/or PXA2 genes are deleted;

(d) a plasmid encoding an Escherichia coli TesA, which lacks a membrane signal peptide at a N-terminal end of TesA, operatively linked to promoter P GAL10 ; and

(e) reduced expression of fatty-acyl-CoA synthetases, wherein the endogenous FAA1 and/or FAA4 genes are deleted;

wherein the host cell does not comprise the ΔSnf2 mutation and the host cell is capable of producing at least 162 mg of free fatty acids when cultured in one liter of culture medium.

2. The host cell of claim 1 , wherein the one or more enzymes involved in or in the β-oxidation pathway are peroxisomal transporters PXA1 and PXA2, and β-oxidation enzymes PDX1, PDX2, and PDX3.

3. The host cell of claim 1 , wherein the fatty acid-derived compound is a fatty acyl ethyl ester (FAEE), a fatty alcohol, a triacylglycerol (TAG), or a mixture thereof.

4. The host cell of claim 1 , wherein the fatty acid is a C12:0, C14:0, C16:0, C16:1, C18:0, or C18:1, or mixture thereof, and the fatty acid-derived compound is a fatty acid methyl and ethyl esters (FAEE), fatty alcohol, or triacylglycerol (TAG) derived from one or more the following fatty acids: C12:0, C14:0, C16:0, C16:1, C18:0, and C18:1.

5. The host cell of claim 1 , wherein the host cell is capable of producing at least 201 mg of free fatty acids when cultured in one liter of culture medium.

6. The host cell of claim 5 , wherein the host cell is capable of producing at least 400 mg of free fatty acids when cultured in one liter of culture medium.

7. The host cell of claim 1 , wherein the host cell comprises the following genotype: Mat α; his3Δ1; leu2Δ0; lys2Δ0; ura3Δ0.

8. A method of constructing a genetically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae host cell of the claimed invention, comprising:

(a) replacing the endogenous promoter of the ACC1 gene with promoter P TEF1 and the endogenous promoter of the FAS1 and FAS2 genes with promoter P TEF1 ;

(b) optionally the deleting the endogenous POX1 and/or PXA2 genes;

(c) introducing a plasmid encoding an Escherichia coli TesA, which lacks a membrane signal peptide at a N-terminal end of TesA, operatively linked to promoter P GAL10 into the host cell;

(d) deleting the endogenous FAA1 and/or FAA4 genes; and

(e) culturing the host cell in a cell culture such that the cell culture produces at least 162 mg of free fatty acids per one liter of culture medium;

wherein the host cell does not comprise the ΔSnf2 mutation.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the host cell comprises the following genotype: Matα; his3Δ1; leu2Δ0; lys2Δ0; ura3Δ0.

10. A method of producing one or more fatty acids, or fatty acid-derived compounds, or a mixture thereof, in a genetically modified yeast host cell of claim 1 , comprising culturing the genetically modified yeast host cell of claim 1 under a suitable condition such that the culturing results in the genetically modified yeast host cell producing the one or more fatty acids, or fatty acid-derived compounds, or a mixture thereof.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

recovering the one or more fatty acids, or fatty acid-derived compounds, or a mixture thereof, and optionally chemically treating the recovered compound to produce a second compound, wherein the second compound when combusted, can produce more energy that the combustion of the recovered compound.