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US 20200199632A1 IN (19 ) United States (12 ) Patent Application Publication ( 10 ) Pub . No .: US 2020/0199632 A1 Toivari et al. (43 ) Pub . Date : Jun . 25 , 2020 ( 54 ) IMPROVED PRODUCTION OF C12N 9/14 (2006.01 ) OXALYL - COA , GLYOXYLATE AND /OR C12N 9/00 (2006.01 ) GLYCOLIC ACID C12N 9/88 (2006.01 ) (52 ) U.S. CI. ( 71 ) Applicant : Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus VTT CPC C12P 7/42 (2013.01 ) ; C12P 5/026 Oy , Espoo (FI ) ( 2013.01) ; C12N 9/14 (2013.01 ) ; C12N 9/88 (72 ) Inventors : Mervi Toivari , VTT (FI ) ; Marja ( 2013.01 ) ; C12N 9/93 (2013.01 ) ; C12Y Ilmén , VTT (FI ) ; Merja Penttilä , VTT 604/01001 ( 2013.01 ) ; C12 Y 602/01008 (FI ) ( 2013.01 ) ; C12Y 307/01001 (2013.01 ) (21 ) Appl. No.: 16 /633,608 (57 ) ABSTRACT ( 22 ) PCT Filed : Jul, 27 , 2018 The present invention relates to a method of converting ( 86 ) PCT No .: PCT/ FI2018 / 050557 oxalate to oxalyl - coA and /or oxalyl - coA to glyoxylate in a fungus and to a method of producing glycolic acid . Still , the $ 371 ( c ) ( 1 ) , present invention relates to a genetically modified fungus (2 ) Date : Jan. 24 , 2020 comprising increased enzyme activity associated with oxalyl- CoA . And furthermore , the present invention relates ( 30 ) Foreign Application Priority Data to use of the fungus of the present invention for producing oxalate , oxalyl- CoA , glyoxylate and /or glycolic acid from a Jul. 28 , 2017 (FI ) 20175703 carbon substrate . Still furthermore , the present invention Publication Classification relates to a method of producing specific products and to a (51 ) Int. Ci. method of preparing the genetically modified fungus of the C12P 7/42 ( 2006.01 ) present invention . C12P 5/02 (2006.01 ) Specification includes a Sequence Listing . Patent Application Publication Jun . 25 , 2020 Sheet 1 of 2 US 2020/0199632 A1 Sugar Pyruvate Oxaloacetate Oxalate Acetate ATPI 2 COA Oxaly -COA 2 ATPAcetyl - COA NAD (PHL Glyoxylate NAD (PH } Glycolic acid * Figure 1 . Figure 2 . Patent Application Publication Jun . 25 , 2020 Sheet 2 of 2 US 2020/0199632 A1 0,4 Figure 3 . US 2020/0199632 A1 Jun . 25 , 2020 IMPROVED PRODUCTION OF BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION OXALYL - COA , GLYOXYLATE AND /OR [0006 ] The present invention describes a novel biotechni GLYCOLIC ACID cal production method of oxalyl- CoA , glyoxylate and / or glycolic acid from pyruvate by fermentation . The object of FIELD OF THE INVENTION the invention is to provide synthetic biological applications for sustainable bioeconomy. Producing glycolic acid directly [0001 ] The present invention relates to the fields of indus from renewable sources is a green alternative and at the trial biotechnology , microbial production organisms and same time an industrially feasible production process . bio -based chemicals . Specifically , the invention relates to a [0007 ] The present invention surprisingly reveals method of converting oxalate to oxalyl- coA and/ or oxalyl improved production of oxalyl- CoA , glyoxylate and /or gly COA to glyoxylate in a fungus and to a method of producing colic acid or any combination thereof . By utilizing genetic oxalyl- CoA , glyoxylate and /or glycolic acid . Still , the pres modifications great yields of oxalyl- CoA , glyoxylate and /or ent invention relates to a genetically modified fungus com glycolic acid or any combination thereof may be produced prising increased enzyme activity associated with oxalyl in fungi (FIG . 1 ). The objects of the invention are achieved COA . And furthermore, the present invention relates to use by utilizing a synthetic metabolic pathway converting pyru of the fungus of the present invention for producing oxalate , vate and CO2 or alternatively pyruvate to glycolic acid via oxalyl- coA , glyoxylate and /or glycolic acid from a carbon oxalate /oxalyl - CoA / glyoxylate (FIG . 1 ) , or any part of said substrate , or to use of the fungus of the present invention for pathway producing polymers , emulsion polymers, biocompatible [0008 ] Specifically the present invention reveals that by copolymers , polyglycolic acids, hot- melt adhesives, surfac genetically modifying expression of one or more enzymes tants , surface treatment products , adhesives , food additives , associated with oxalyl -CoA ( e.g. enzymes converting flavoring agents , preservatives , solvents , cleaning additives oxalate to oxalyl -CoA and / or converting oxalyl- CoA to or products , dyeing or tanning agents , plasticizers , fra glyoxylate ) increased yield of oxalyl- coA , glyoxylate and /or grances, cosmetics, skin care agents and products , or phar glycolic acid may be obtained . maceuticals . Still furthermore , the present invention relates [ 0009 ] The present invention is based on a novel pathway to a method of producing specific products and to a method for glycolic acid production which results in better yield and of preparing the genetically modified fungus of the present lower oxygen consumption compared to the previously invention . described methods . Indeed , the present invention improves carbon yield for glycolic acid . There is also either endog BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION enous or exogenous CO2 fixation involved , in case of oxaloacetate originating from pyruvate and CO2. [0002 ] Glycolic acid ( chemical formula C2H403 ) is a [ 0010 ] The present fermentation process for production of 2 - carbon organic acid that can be used e.g. in polymers as bio -based chemicals is as carbon and energy efficient as well as in cleaning and skin -care applications . Glycolic possible . Indeed , the present invention provides a fast and acids occur naturally but are mainly synthetically produced . high yield production process , which is suitable for an [0003 ] Compared to synthetic production of glycolic acids industrial scale . High yields of oxalyl- coA , glyoxylate and / industrial fermentation enables reduction ofused energy and or glycolic acid enable low production costs compared to the water resources . Also , by fermentation processes fossil prior art. Also , the present invention provides efficient carbon resources as well as chemicals utilized in the chemi possibilities for further processing of high yields of glycolic cal synthesis can be avoided . Among other applications acids . fermentation processes have also been exploited in produc [0011 ] Also , the present invention enables combination of tion of glycolic acids. Genetically modified bacteria have the new synthetic metabolic pathway and the glyoxylate been used as hosts for producing glycolic acid by fermen route for production of glycolic acid . By the present inven tation as exemplified e.g. in WO2007141316 A2 and tion it is possible to concentrate on efficient production of WO2011036213 A2 . only one or some main products instead of several by [ 0004 ] To date , some genetic modifications have been products . tested for engineering the fungal glyoxylate cycle for pro [ 0012 ] The present invention relates to a method of con duction of glycolic acid . As an example WO2016 /193540 verting oxalate to oxalyl- coA and / or oxalyl- coA to glyoxy Al describes a genetically modified fungal cell overexpress late in a fungus , said method comprising ing a gene encoding glyoxylate reductase activity . Glyoxy [ 0013] providing a fungus that has been genetically late reductase converts glyoxylate to glycolic acid . In modified to increase an enzyme activity associated with WO2016 / 193540 A1 said fungal cell is utilized in a method oxalyl - COA for producing glycolic acid and said publication illustrates a [0014 ] culturing said fungus in a carbon substrate con modification of a pathway converting isocitrate to glyoxy taining medium to obtain oxalyl -CoA and /or glyoxylate . late for increased production of glycolic acid . Also [0015 ] Also , the present invention relates to a method of WO2013 /050659 Al describes fungal cells having genetic producing oxalate , oxalyl -coA and /or glyoxylate in a fungus, modifications of glyoxylate reductase and having ability to said method comprising produce glycolic acid . [0016 ] providing a fungus that has been genetically [0005 ] Despite of the progress in glycolic acid production modified to increase an enzyme activity associated with there are remaining challenges for example in low yield , oxalyl- CoA compartmentalization , allosteric regulation , glucose repres [ 0017 ] culturing said fungus in a carbon substrate con sion , cofactor imbalance and production of several (un taining medium to obtain oxalate , oxalyl- coA and /or wanted ) by -products . glyoxylate . US 2020/0199632 A1 Jun . 25 , 2020 2 [0018 ] Also , the present invention relates to a method of [ 0028 ] Biomass , pyruvate and CO2 are the main side producing glycolic acid , said method comprising products of the (oxalate ) pathway utilized in the present [0019 ) providing a fungus that has been genetically invention . The invention is applicable for production / co modified to increase an enzyme activity associated with production of all acetate / acetyl- CoA derived compounds, for oxalyl - CoA example lipids, terpenes , and polyketides . As an example , [0020 ] culturing said fungus in a carbon substrate con isoprene may be produced from acetyl -CoA . taining medium to obtain glycolic acid . [0029 ] FIG . 2 shows production of glycolic acid from [ 0021] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a pyruvate by a genetically modified fungus. genetically modified fungus comprising increased enzyme [0030 ] FIG . 3 reveals that a control fungus ( i.e. not geneti activity associated with oxalyl- CoA . cally modified