This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No.

61/862,422, filed August 5, 2013. The contents of the prior application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This document relates to methods for biosynthesizing isobutene using one or more isolated enzymes such as one or more of an enoyl-CoA dehydratase, a mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase, or a decarboxylating thioesterase (TE) such as CurM TE, or using recombinant host cells expressing one or more such enzymes.

BACKGROUND

Isobutene is an important monomer in the manufacture of fuel additives, butyl rubber polymer, and antioxidants (Bianca et al., Appl. Microbiol Biotechnol, 2012, 93, 1377 - 1387).

Manufacturers of goods using isobutene as feedstock depend on a number of petroleum-based sources, including (i) a C4 stream from a steam cracker separated from the butadiene, (ii) butene-butane fractions from a catalytic cracker and (iii) n-butane (from LPG) that is isomerized to isobutane and dehydrogenated to isobutene.

Given a reliance on petrochemical feedstocks and energy intensive processes, biotechnology offers an alternative approach via biocatalysis. Biocatalysis is the use of biological catalysts, such as enzymes or whole cells, to perform biochemical

transformations of organic compounds.

Accordingly, against this background, it is clear that there is a need for sustainable methods for producing intermediates, in particular isobutene, wherein the methods are biocatalysis based. Both bioderived feedstocks and petrochemical feedstocks are viable starting materials for the biocatalysis processes. SUMMARY

This document is based, at least in part, on constructing efficient biochemical pathways for producing 3-methyl-3-hydroxy-butyrate, which can be converted to isobutene by a mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase or a decarboxylating thioesterase such as CurM TE. Such pathways rely on a R-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase to introduce the (R)-3 -hydroxy functional group into 3-methyl-but-2-enoyl-CoA. Prior to the present invention, it was not known that an enzyme capable of introducing a (R)-3 -hydroxy group into 3-methyl-but-2-enoyl-CoA could be utilized for the biological synthesis of 3- hydroxy-3-methylbutyrate. Also, as described herein, activation of 3-methyl-3- hydroxybutyrate substrate with acyl carrier protein and sulphonation of the 3-hydroxyl group allows conversion to isobutene by a decarboxylating thioesterase such as CurM TE.

Thus this document provides pathways and enzymes which can convert either of the central precursors 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoate or 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate into isobutene via a common intermediate, 3-methyl-3-hydroxy-but-2-enoyl-CoA. As used herein, the term "central precursor" is used to denote any metabolite in any metabolic pathway shown herein leading to the synthesis of isobutene. The term "central metabolite" is used herein to denote a metabolite that is produced in all microorganisms to support growth.

In one aspect, this document features a method for synthesizing isobutene. The method includes forming a vinyl group in 3-methyl-3-hydroxybutanoate using a decarboxylating thioesterase. The decarboxylating thioesterase can be the gene product of CurM TE. The decarboxylating thioesterase can have at least 70% homology to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:4. The method can be performed using isolated enzymes, using cell lysates comprising the enzymes, or can be performed in a recombinant host. The host can be a prokaryotic host selected from the group consisting of the genus Escherichia such as Escherichia coli; from the genus Clostridia such as Clostridium ljungdahlii, Clostridium autoethanogenum or Clostridium kluyveri; from the genus Corynebacteria such as Corynebacterium glutamicum; from the genus Cupriavidus such as Cupriavidus necator or Cupriavidus metallidurans; from the genus Pseudomonas such as Pseudomonas fluorescens or Pseudomonas putida; from the genus Bacillus such as Bacillus subtillis; or from the genus Rhodococcus such as Rhodococcus equi. The host can be a eukaryotic host selected from the group consisting of the genus Aspergillus such as Aspergillus niger; from the genus Saccharomyces such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae; from the genus Pichia such as Pichia pastoris; from the genus Yarrowia such as

Yarrowia lipolytica or from the genus Issatchenkia such as Issathenkia orientalis or from the genus Debaryomyces such as Debaryomyces hansenii or from the genus Arxula such as Arxula adenoinivorans or from the genus Kluyveromyces such as Kluyveromyces lactis.

The recombinant host can be subjected to a fermentation strategy entailing anaerobic, micro-aerobic or aerobic cultivation. A cell retention strategy using, for example, a ceramic hollow fiber membrane can be used to achieve and maintain a high cell density during fermentation.

The principal carbon source fed to the fermentation derives from biological or non-biological feedstocks. The biological feedstock can be, or can derive from, glycerol, levulinic acid, hemicellulose, cellulose, lignocellulose, lignin, monosaccharides, disaccharides, triglycerides or municipal waste. The non-biological feedstock can be, or can derive from, natural gas, syngas, non- volatile residue (NVR) or other waste stream for either the chemical or petrochemical industries.

This document also features a recombinant host that includes an exogenous nucleic acid encoding a R-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase, a sulfotransferase, and a decarboxylating thioesterase.

The reactions of the pathways described herein can be performed in one or more cell (e.g., host cell) strains (a) naturally expressing one or more relevant enzymes, (b) genetically engineered to express one or more relevant enzymes, or (c) naturally expressing one or more relevant enzymes and genetically engineered to express one or more relevant enzymes. Alternatively, relevant enzymes can be extracted from any of the above types of host cells and used in a purified or semi-purified form. Extracted enzymes can optionally be immobilized to a solid substrate such as the floors and/or walls of appropriate reaction vessels. Moreover, such extracts include lysates (e.g., cell lysates) that can be used as sources of relevant enzymes. In the methods provided by the document, all the steps can be performed in cells (e.g., host cells), all the steps can be performed using extracted enzymes, or some of the steps can be performed in cells and others can be performed using extracted enzymes.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used to practice the invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and the drawings, and from the claims. The word "comprising" in the claims may be replaced by "consisting essentially of or with "consisting of," according to standard practice in patent law.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a schematic of exemplary biochemical pathways leading to isobutene using 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoate as a central precursor.

Figure 2 is a schematic of exemplary biochemical pathways leading to isobutene using 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate as a central precursor.

Figure 3 is the amino acid sequence of the (R)-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa (encoded by PhaJl gene) (GenBank: BAA92740) (SEQ ID NO: 1); Aeromonas punctata (GenBank: BAA21816.1) (SEQ ID NO: 2); and

Pseudomonas putida (GenBank: NP 746661) (SEQ ID NO: 3). Figure 4 is the amino acid sequence of the Lyngbya majuscula chain A, thioesterase from the Curacin biosynthetic pathway (GenBank: 3QIT A) (SEQ ID NO: 4)·

Figure 5 is a graph of the absorbance units of crotonyl-CoA (substrate) over time in a spectrophotometric enzyme assay in the forward (hydrating) direction for an enoyl- CoA hydratase encoded by phaJ.

Figure 6 is a table of results for the LC-MS analysis of an enzyme assay in the reverse (dehydrating) direction for an enoyl-CoA hydratase activity encoded by phaJ. The results indicate that the enoyl-CoA hydratase is reversible, favoring the forward hydration reaction.

Figure 7 is a table of results for the LC-MS analysis of an enzyme assay in the reverse (dehydrating) direction for an enoyl-CoA hydratase encoded by phaJ. The results indicate that the enoyl-CoA hydratase accepted 3-methyl-3-hydroxybutanoyl-CoA as substrate. Given the reversibility of the enzyme reaction, the enoyl-CoA hydratase accepts 3-methyl-3-hydroxybut-2-enoyl-CoA as a substrate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In particular, this document provides enzymes and recombinant host

microorganisms for isobutene synthesis that can introduce a (R)-3 -hydroxy functional group into 3-methyl-but-2-enoyl-CoA, which can in turn be converted after one or more enzymatic steps to isobutene by a MDD or a decarboxylating thioesterase such as CurM TE. As such, host microorganisms described herein can include pathways that can be manipulated such that isobutene can be produced. In an endogenous pathway, the host microorganism naturally expresses all of the enzymes catalyzing the reactions within the pathway. A host microorganism containing an engineered pathway does not naturally express all of the enzymes catalyzing the reactions within the pathway but has been engineered such that all of the enzymes within the pathway are expressed in the host. Within an engineered pathway, the enzymes can be from a single source, i.e., from one species, or can be from multiple sources, i.e., different species. Nucleic acids encoding the enzymes described herein have been identified from various organisms and are readily available in publicly available databases such as GenBank or EMBL. Any of the enzymes described herein that can be used for isobutene production can have at least 70% sequence identity (homology) (e.g., at least 75%, 80%>, 85%, 90%, 95%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or 100%) to the amino acid sequence of the corresponding wild-type enzyme. For example, a (R)-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase described herein can have at least 70%> sequence identity (homology) (e.g., at least 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or 100%) to the amino acid sequence of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa (R)-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase encoded by PhaJl gene (GenBank: BAA92740, SEQ ID NO:l), Aeromonas punctata (R)-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase (GenBank: BAA21816.1, SEQ ID NO:2), and Pseudomonas putida acyl dehydratase (GenBank: NP 746661, SEQ ID NO:3). For example, a decarboxylating thioesterase described herein can have at least 70%> sequence identity (homology) (e.g., at least 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or 100%) to the amino acid sequence of the Lyngbya majuscula chain A, thioesterase from the Curacin biosynthetic pathway (GenBank: 3QIT_A, SEQ ID NO:4), Pseudomonas entomophila thioesterase (GenBank: YP 610919), Haliangium ochraceum thioesterase (GenBank:

YP_003265308), Synechococcus thioesterase (GenBank: YP_001734428), or Cyanothece thioesterase (GenBank: YP 002377174). The percent identity (homology) between two amino acid sequences can be determined as follows. First, the amino acid sequences are aligned using the BLAST 2 Sequences (B12seq) program from the stand-alone version of BLASTZ containing BLASTP version 2.0.14. This stand-alone version of BLASTZ can be obtained from Fish & Richardson's web site (e.g., www.fr.com/blast/) or the U.S. government's National Center for Biotechnology Information web site (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

Instructions explaining how to use the B12seq program can be found in the readme file accompanying BLASTZ. B12seq performs a comparison between two amino acid sequences using the BLASTP algorithm. To compare two amino acid sequences, the options of B12seq are set as follows: -i is set to a file containing the first amino acid sequence to be compared (e.g., C:\seql .txt); -j is set to a file containing the second amino acid sequence to be compared (e.g., C:\seq2.txt); -p is set to blastp; -o is set to any desired file name (e.g., C:\output.txt); and all other options are left at their default setting. For example, the following command can be used to generate an output file containing a comparison between two amino acid sequences: C:\B12seq -i c:\seql .txt -j c:\seq2.txt -p blastp -o c:\output.txt. If the two compared sequences share homology (identity), then the designated output file will present those regions of homology as aligned sequences. If the two compared sequences do not share homology (identity), then the designated output file will not present aligned sequences. Similar procedures can be following for nucleic acid sequences except that blastn is used.

Once aligned, the number of matches is determined by counting the number of positions where an identical amino acid residue is presented in both sequences. The percent identity (homology) is determined by dividing the number of matches by the length of the full-length polypeptide amino acid sequence followed by multiplying the resulting value by 100. It is noted that the percent identity (homology) value is rounded to the nearest tenth. For example, 78.11, 78.12, 78.13, and 78.14 is rounded down to 78.1, while 78.15, 78.16, 78.17, 78.18, and 78.19 is rounded up to 78.2. It also is noted that the length value will always be an integer.

It will be appreciated that a number of nucleic acids can encode a polypeptide having a particular amino acid sequence. The degeneracy of the genetic code is well known to the art; i.e., for many amino acids, there is more than one nucleotide triplet that serves as the codon for the amino acid. For example, codons in the coding sequence for a given enzyme can be modified such that optimal expression in a particular species (e.g., bacteria or fungus) is obtained, using appropriate codon bias tables for that species.

Functional fragments of any of the enzymes described herein can also be used in the methods of the document. The term "functional fragment" as used herein refers to a peptide fragment of a protein that has at least 25% (e.g., at least: 30%>; 40%>; 50%>; 60%>; 70%; 75%; 80%; 85%; 90%; 95%; 98%; 99%; 100%; or even greater than 100%) of the activity of the corresponding mature, full-length, wild-type protein. The functional fragment can generally, but not always, be comprised of a continuous region of the protein, wherein the region has functional activity.

This document also provides (i) functional variants of the enzymes used in the methods of the document and (ii) functional variants of the functional fragments described above. Functional variants of the enzymes and functional fragments can contain additions, deletions, or substitutions relative to the corresponding wild-type sequences. Enzymes with substitutions will generally have not more than 50 (e.g., not more than one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, 12, 15,20,25,30,35,40, or 50) amino acid substitutions (e.g., conservative substitutions). This applies to any of the enzymes described herein and functional fragments. A conservative substitution is a substitution of one amino acid for another with similar characteristics. Conservative substitutions include substitutions within the following groups: valine, alanine and glycine; leucine, valine, and isoleucine; aspartic acid and glutamic acid; asparagine and glutamine; serine, cysteine, and threonine; lysine and arginine; and phenylalanine and tyrosine. The nonpolar hydrophobic amino acids include alanine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, proline, phenylalanine, tryptophan and methionine. The polar neutral amino acids include glycine, serine, threonine, cysteine, tyrosine, asparagine and glutamine. The positively charged (basic) amino acids include arginine, lysine and histidine. The negatively charged (acidic) amino acids include aspartic acid and glutamic acid. Any substitution of one member of the above-mentioned polar, basic or acidic groups by another member of the same group can be deemed a conservative substitution. By contrast, a nonconservative substitution is a substitution of one amino acid for another with dissimilar characteristics.

Deletion variants can lack one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20 amino acid segments (of two or more amino acids) or non-contiguous single amino acids. Additions (addition variants) include fusion proteins containing: (a) any of the enzymes described herein or a fragment thereof; and (b) internal or terminal (C or N) irrelevant or heterologous amino acid sequences. In the context of such fusion proteins, the term "heterologous amino acid sequences" refers to an amino acid sequence other than (a). A heterologous sequence can be, for example a sequence used for purification of the recombinant protein (e.g., FLAG, polyhistidine (e.g., hexahistidine), hemagluttanin (HA), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), or maltosebinding protein (MBP)). Heterologous sequences also can be proteins useful as detectable markers, for example, luciferase, green fluorescent protein (GFP), or chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT). In some embodiments, the fusion protein contains a signal sequence from another protein. In certain host cells (e.g., yeast host cells), expression and/or secretion of the target protein can be increased through use of a heterologous signal sequence. In some embodiments, the fusion protein can contain a carrier (e.g., KLH) useful, e.g., in eliciting an immune response for antibody generation) or ER or Golgi apparatus retention signals. Heterologous sequences can be of varying length and in some cases can be a longer sequences than the full-length target proteins to which the heterologous sequences are attached.

Recombinant hosts can naturally express none or some (e.g., one or more, two or more, three or more, four or more, five or more, or six or more) of the enzymes of the pathways described herein. Endogenous genes of the recombinant hosts also can be disrupted to prevent the formation of undesirable metabolites or prevent the loss of intermediates in the pathway through other enzymes acting on such intermediates.

Recombinant hosts can be referred to as recombinant host cells, engineered cells, or engineered hosts. Thus, as described herein, recombinant hosts can include nucleic acids encoding one or more of a decarboxylase, a dehydrogenase, a desaturase, a hydratase, a thioesterase, or a coenzyme A transferase, as described in more detail below.

In addition, the production of isobutene can be performed in vitro using the isolated enzymes described herein, using a lysate (e.g., a cell lysate) from a host microorganism as a source of the enzymes, or using a plurality of lysates from different host microorganisms as the source of the enzymes.

In some embodiments, the (R)-3 -hydroxy functional group is introduced into 3- methyl-but-2-enoyl-CoA by a R-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase enzyme classified, for example, under EC 4.2.1.- such as the gene product of phaJ. In some embodiments, the hydratase enzyme is the result of enzyme engineering, using the enzyme structure of phaJ, EC 4.2.1.119 and EC 4.2.1.18 to inform rational enzyme design. In some embodiments, the vinyl group of isobutene is formed by a decarboxylating thioesterase such as CurM TE.

In some embodiments (Figure 1), the central precursor to 3-methyl-but-2-enoyl- CoA, 3-methyl-2-oxo-butanoate, is converted to 3-methyl-2-hydroxy-butanoate by a 2- hydroxy-acyl dehydrogenase such as EC 1.1.1.272; followed by conversion to 3-methyl- 2-hydroxybutanoyl-CoA by a CoA transferase such as the gene product of GctAB;

followed by conversion to 3-methyl-but-2-enoyl-CoA by a 2-hydroxy-acyl-CoA dehydratase such as the gene product of HadBC and the initiator Hadl; followed by conversion to 3-methyl-3-hydroxy-butanoyl-CoA by a (R)-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase classified, for example, under EC 4.2.1.- such as the gene product of phaJ; followed by conversion to 3-methyl-3-hydroxy-butanoate by a thioesterase classified, for example, under EC 3.1.2.- such as the gene product of tesA or tesB; followed by conversion to isobutene by a mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (classified, for example, under EC 4.1.1.33).

In some embodiments (Figure 1), the central precursor to 3-methyl-but-2-enoyl- CoA, 3-methyl-2-oxo-butanoate, is converted to 3-methyl-2-hydroxy-butanoate by a 2- hydroxy-acyl dehydrogenase such as EC 1.1.1.272; followed by conversion to 3-methyl- 2-hydroxybutanoyl-CoA by a CoA transferase such as the gene product of GctAB;

followed by conversion to 3-methyl-but-2-enoyl-CoA by a 2-hydroxy-acyl-CoA dehydratase such as the gene product of HadBC and the initiator Hadl; followed by conversion to 3-methyl-3-hydroxy-butanoyl-CoA by a (R)-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase classified, for example, under EC 4.2.1.- such as the gene product of phaJ; followed by conversion to 3-methyl-3-hydroxy-butanoyl-ACP by a CoA:ACP 3- hydroxyacyltransf erase such as the gene product of phaG or a phosphopantetheinyl transferase such as the gene product of sfp or svp; followed by conversion to 3-methyl-3- sulphoryl-butanoyl-ACP by a sulfotransferase such as CurM ST ox OLS ST; followed by conversion to isobutene by a decarboxylating thioesterase such as CurM TE.

In some embodiments (Figure 2), the central precursor to 3-methyl-but-2-enoyl- CoA, 4-methyl-2-oxo-pentanoate, is converted to 3-methylbutanoate by a 4-methyl-2- oxo-pentanoate dehydrogenase classified, for example, under EC 1.2.1.- such as the gene products of aceD and citL or classified under EC 1.2.7.7; followed by conversion to 3- methylcrotonyl-CoA by an isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase such as EC 1.3.8.4; followed by conversion to 3-methyl-3-hydroxy-butanoyl-CoA by a (R)-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase classified, for example, under EC 4.2.1.- such as the gene product of phaJ; followed by conversion to 3-methyl-3-hydroxy-butanoate by a thioesterase classified, for example, under EC 3.1.2.- such as the gene product of tesA or tesB; followed by conversion to isobutene by a mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.33).

In some embodiments (Figure 2), the central precursor to 3-methyl-but-2-enoyl- CoA, 4-methyl-2-oxo-pentanoate, is converted to 3-methylbutanoate by a 4-methyl-2- oxo-pentanoate dehydrogenase classified, for example, under EC 1.2.1.- such as the gene products of aceD and citL or classified under EC 1.2.7.7; followed by conversion to 3- methylcrotonyl-CoA by an isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase such as EC 1.3.8.4; followed by conversion to 3-methyl-3-hydroxy-butanoyl-CoA by a (R)-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase classified, for example, under EC 4.2.1.- such as the gene product of phaJ; followed by conversion to 3-methyl-3-hydroxy-butanoyl-ACP by a CoA:ACP 3- hydroxyacyltransf erase such as the gene product of phaG or a phosphopantetheinyl transferase such as the gene product of sfp or svp; followed by conversion to 3-methyl-3- sulphoryl-butanoyl-ACP by a sulfotransferase such as CurM ST or OLS ST; followed by conversion to isobutene by a decarboxylating thioesterase such as CurM TE.

In some embodiments, the enzymes responsible for 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'- phosphosulfate (PAPS) synthesis classified under EC 2.7.7.4 and EC 2.7.1.25 are constitutively expressed in the host organisms.

In some embodiments, the nucleic acids encoding the enzymes of the pathways described in Figures 1 or 2 are introduced into a host microorganism that is either a prokaryote or eukaryote.

In some embodiments, the host microorganism is a prokaryote from the genus Escherichia such as Escherichia coli; from the genus Clostridia such as Clostridium ljungdahlii, Clostridium autoethanogenum or Clostridium kluyveri; from the genus Corynebacteria such as Corynebacterium glutamicum; from the genus Cupriavidus such as Cupriavidus necator or Cupriavidus metallidurans; from the genus Pseudomonas such as Pseudomonas fluorescens or Pseudomonas putida; from the genus Bacillus such as Bacillus subtillis; or from the genus Rhodococcus such as Rhodococcus equi.

In some embodiments, the host microorganism is a eukaryote from the genus Aspergillus such as Aspergillus niger; from the genus Saccharomyces such as

Saccharomyces cerevisiae; from the genus Pichia such as Pichia pastoris; from the genus Yarrowia such as Yarrowia lipolytica; from the genus Issatchenkia such as Issathenkia orientalis; from the genus Debaryomyces such as Debaryomyces hansenii; from the genus Arxula such as Arxula adenoinivorans; or from the genus Kluyveromyces such as Kluyveromyces lactis.

In some embodiments, the fermentation strategy entails anaerobic, micro-aerobic or aerobic cultivation.

In some embodiments, a cell retention strategy using, for example, ceramic hollow fiber membranes is employed to achieve and maintain a high cell density during fermentation.

In some embodiments, the principal carbon source fed to the fermentation derives from biological or non-biological feedstocks.

In some embodiments, the biological feedstock is, or derives from,

monosaccharides, disaccharides, hemicellulose such as levulinic acid and furfural, cellulose, lignocellulose, lignin, monosaccharides, disaccharides, triglycerides such as glycerol and fatty acids, agricultural waste or municipal waste.

In some embodiments, the non-biological feedstock is, or derives from, either natural gas, syngas, CO2/H2, methanol, ethanol, non-volatile residue (NVR) caustic wash from cyclohexane oxidation or waste streams from the chemical and petrochemical industries.

In some embodiments, substantially pure cultures of recombinant host microorganisms are provided. As used herein, a "substantially pure culture" of a recombinant host microorganism is a culture of that microorganism in which less than about 40% (i.e., less than about : 35%; 30%; 25%; 20%; 15%; 10%; 5%; 2%; 1%; 0.5%; 0.25%; 0.1%; 0.01%; 0.001%; 0.0001%; or even less) of the total number of viable cells in the culture are viable cells other than the recombinant microorganism, e.g., bacterial, fungal (including yeast), mycoplasmal, or protozoan cells. The term "about" in this context means that the relevant percentage can be 15% of the specified percentage above or below the specified percentage. Thus, for example, about 20% can be 17% to 23%. Such a culture of recombinant microorganisms includes the cells and a growth, storage, or transport medium. Media can be liquid, semi-solid (e.g., gelatinous media), or frozen. The culture includes the cells growing in the liquid or in/on the semi-solid medium or being stored or transported in a storage or transport medium, including a frozen storage or transport medium. The cultures are in a culture vessel or storage vessel or substrate (e.g., a culture dish, flask, or tube or a storage vial or tube).

EXAMPLE

Enzyme activity of R-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase accepting 3-methyl-3- hydroxybutanoyl-CoA as substrate

A C-terminal His-tagged phaJ gene from Aeromonas punctata, which encodes a R-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase (SEQ ID NO:2, see FIG. 3) was cloned into a pE23a expression vector under the T7 promoter. The expression vector was transformed into a BL21 [DE3] E. coli host. The resulting recombinant E. coli strain was cultivated at 30°C in a 1L shake flask culture containing 100 mL Luria Broth media, with shaking at 200 rpm. The culture was induced using 1 mM IPTG for 2 hours.

The pellet from each of the induced shake flask cultures was harvested by centrifugation. Each pellet was resuspended in 20 mM HEPES (pH = 7.2 [-]), 1 mM PMSF and 29 units benzonase, and lysed via sonication. The cell debris was separated from the supernatant via centrifugation and filtered using a 0.2 μιη filter. The phaJ enzyme was purified from the supernatant using Ni-affinity chromatography and concentrated to 1.25 mg/rnL.

The native enzyme activity assay in the forward (hydration) direction was undertaken in a buffer composed of 10 mM ammonium acetate (pH = 8) and 1 mM of crotonyl-CoA (also known as 2-butenoyl-CoA) (Sigma-Aldrich) at 30 °C. The enzyme activity assay reaction was initiated by adding 0.4 μΜ of purified enoyl-CoA hydratase to the assay buffer containing the substrate. The enoyl-CoA hydratase accepted crotonyl- CoA as substrate as confirmed via spectrophotometry at 263 nm at 30 °C. The substrate only control showed minimal spontaneous hydration of crotonyl-CoA as determined by spectrophotometry at 263 nm. See FIG. 5.

The native enzyme activity assay in the reverse (dehydration) direction was undertaken in a buffer composed of 10 mM ammonium acetate (pH = 8) and 1 mM of racemic 3-hydroxybutanoyl-CoA. The enzyme activity assay reaction was initiated by adding 5 μΜ of purified enoyl-CoA hydratase to the assay buffer containing the substrate and incubated at 30 °C for 1 hour. The enoyl-CoA hydratase accepted 3- hydroxybutanoyl-CoA as substrate as confirmed via LC-MS. The substrate only control showed negligible spontaneous dehydration of 3-hydroxybutanoyl-CoA. As

demonstrated previously (Lan and Liao, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 2012, 109(16), 6018 - 6023), the enoyl-CoA hydratase encoded by phaJ is reversible, though favors the forward (hydration) direction. See FIG. 6.

The non-native enzyme activity assay in the reverse (dehydration) direction was undertaken in a buffer composed of 10 mM ammonium acetate (pH = 8) and 1 mM of 3- methyl-3-hydroxybutanoyl-CoA. The enzyme activity assay reaction was initiated by adding 5 μΜ of purified enoyl-CoA hydratase to the assay buffer containing the substrate and incubated at 30 °C for 1 hour. The enzyme encoded by phaJ accepted 3-methyl-3- hydroxybutanoyl-CoA as substrate as confirmed via LC-MS. The substrate only control showed no spontaneous dehydration of 3-methyl-3-hydroxybutanoyl-CoA. See FIG. 7.

The enoyl-CoA hydratase encoded by phaJ from A eromonas punctata accepted 3- methyl-3-hydroxybutanoyl-CoA as substrate in the dehydration direction. Given the reversibility of the enzyme reaction and the favored hydration direction, the enoyl-CoA hydratase encoded by phaJ from Aeromonas punctata accepts 3-methyl-but-2-enoyl-CoA as substrate.

OTHER EMBODIMENTS

It is to be understood that while the invention has been described in conjunction with the detailed description thereof, the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the appended claims. Other aspects, advantages, and modifications are within the scope of the following claims.