METHODS OF PRODUCING 7-CARBON CHEMICALS VIA PYRUVATE AND SUCCINATE SEMIALDEHYDE ALDOL CONDENSATION

Abstract

This document describes biochemical pathways for producing one or more of pimelic acid, 7-aminoheptanoic acid, 7-hydroxyheptanoic acid, heptamethylenediamine and 1,7-heptanediol by forming one or two terminal functional groups, comprised of carboxyl, amine or hydroxyl groups, in a C7 aliphatic backbone substrate produced from succinate semialdehyde or pyruvate. These pathways, metabolic engineering and cultivation strategies described herein rely on the aldol condensation of succinate semialdehyde and pyruvate.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/138,992, filed Dec. 23, 2013, which claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/747,405, filed Dec. 31, 2012, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/829,087, filed May 30, 2013. The contents of the prior applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY

[0002] An official copy of the sequence listing is submitted electronically via EFS-Web as an ASCII formatted sequence listing with a file named "SequenceListing.txt", submitted Mar. 14, 2014 in parent U.S. application Ser. No. 14/138,992, and having a size of 94,070 bytes. The sequence listing contained in this ASCII formatted document is part of the specification and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] This document relates to methods for biosynthesizing one or more of pimelic acid, 7-aminoheptanoate, 7-hydroxyheptanoate, heptamethylenediamine, and 1,7-heptanediol (hereafter "C7 building blocks") from pyruvate and succinate semialdehyde via aldol condensation, wherein the aldol condensation comprises an aldol reaction and a dehydration, using one or more isolated enzymes such as aldolases, dehydrogenases, reductases, dehydratases, thioesterases, deacetylases, N-acetyl transferases, CoA-transferases, reversible CoA-ligases and transaminases or using recombinant host cells expressing one or more such enzymes.

BACKGROUND

[0004] Nylons are polyamides which are sometimes synthesized by the condensation polymerisation of a diamine with a dicarboxylic acid. Similarly, Nylons may be produced by the condensation polymerisation of lactams. A ubiquitous Nylon is Nylon 6,6, which is produced by reaction of hexamethylenediamine (HMD) and adipic acid. Nylon 6 is produced by a ring opening polymerisation of caprolactam (Anton & Baird, Polyamides Fibers, Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, 2001).

[0005] Nylon 7 and Nylon 7,7 represent novel polyamides with value-added characteristics compared to Nylon 6 and Nylon 6,6. Nylon 7 is produced by polymerisation of 7-aminoheptanoic acid, whereas Nylon 7,7 is produced by condensation polymerisation of pimelic acid and heptamethylenediamine. No economically viable petrochemical routes exist to producing the monomers for Nylon 7 and Nylon 7,7.

[0006] Given no economically viable petrochemical monomer feedstocks, biotechnology offers an alternative approach via biocatalysis. Biocatalysis is the use of biological catalysts, such as enzymes, to perform biochemical transformations of organic compounds.

[0007] Both bioderived feedstocks and petrochemical feedstocks are viable starting materials for the biocatalysis processes.

[0008] Accordingly, against this background, it is clear that there is a need for methods for producing pimelic acid, 7-aminoheptanoic acid, heptamethylenediamine, 7-hydroxyheptanoic acid and 1,7-heptanediol (hereafter "C7 building blocks") wherein the methods are biocatalyst-based.

[0009] However, no wild-type prokaryote or eukaryote naturally overproduces or excretes C7 building blocks to the extracellular environment. Nevertheless, the metabolism of pimelic acid has been reported.

[0010] The dicarboxylic acid, pimelic acid, is converted efficiently as a carbon source by a number of bacteria and yeasts via .beta.-oxidation into central metabolites. .beta.-oxidation of CoEnzyme A (CoA) activated pimelate to CoA-activated 3-oxopimelate facilitates further catabolism via, for example, pathways associated with aromatic substrate degradation. The catabolism of 3-oxopimeloyl-CoA to acetyl-CoA and glutaryl-CoA by several bacteria has been characterised comprehensively (Harwood and Paroles, Annual Review of Microbiology, 1996, 50, 553-590).

[0011] The optimality principle states that microorganisms regulate their biochemical networks to support maximum biomass growth. Beyond the need to express heterologous pathways in a host organism, directing carbon flux towards C7 building blocks that serve as carbon sources rather than to biomass growth constituents, contradicts the optimality principle. For example, transferring the 1-butanol pathway from Clostridium species into other production strains has often fallen short by an order of magnitude compared to the production performance of native producers (Shen et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 2011, 77(9), 2905-2915).

[0012] The efficient synthesis of the seven carbon aliphatic backbone precursor is a key consideration in synthesizing C7 building blocks prior to forming terminal functional groups, such as carboxyl, amine or hydroxyl groups, on the C7 aliphatic backbone.

SUMMARY

[0013] This document is based at least in part on the discovery that it is possible to construct biochemical pathways for producing a seven carbon chain aliphatic backbone precursor, in which one or two functional groups, i.e., carboxyl, amine or hydroxyl, can be formed, leading to the synthesis of one or more of pimelic acid, 7-aminoheptanoate, 7-hydroxyheptanoate, heptamethylenediamine, and 1,7-heptanediol (hereafter "C7 building blocks). Pimelic acid and pimelate, 7-hydroxyheptanoic acid and 7-hydroxyheptanoate, and 7-aminoheptanoic and 7-aminoheptanoate are used interchangeably herein to refer to the compound in any of its neutral or ionized forms, including any salt forms thereof. It is understood by those skilled in the art that the specific form will depend on pH. These pathways, metabolic engineering and cultivation strategies described herein rely on the enzymes associated with anaerobic aromatic substrate degradation pathways such as tyrosine degradation to central metabolites.

[0014] In the face of the optimality principle, it has been surprisingly discovered that appropriate non-natural pathways, feedstocks, host microorganisms, attenuation strategies to the host's biochemical network and cultivation strategies may be combined to efficiently produce one or more C7 building blocks.

[0015] In some embodiments, the C7 aliphatic backbone for conversion to one or more C7 building blocks is pimeloyl-CoA or pimelate semialdehyde (also known as 6-carboxyhexanoyl-CoA), which can be formed via aldol condensation, wherein the aldol condensation comprises an aldol reaction and a dehydration, of succinate semialdehyde and pyruvate, followed by enoate reduction to either pimelate semialdehyde or pimeloyl-CoA. See FIG. 1.

[0016] In some embodiments, a terminal carboxyl group can be enzymatically formed using a thioesterase, an aldehyde dehydrogenase, a 6-oxohexanoate dehydrogenase, a 7-oxoheptanoate dehydrogenase, or a reversible CoA-ligase or CoA-transferase. See FIG. 2.

[0017] In some embodiments, a terminal amine group can be enzymatically formed using a .omega.-transaminase or a deacetylase. See FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

[0018] In some embodiments, a terminal hydroxyl group can be enzymatically formed using a 4-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase, 5-hydroxypentanoate dehydrogenase or a 6-hydroxyhexanoate dehydrogenase or an alcohol dehydrogenase. See FIG. 5 and FIG. 6.

[0019] In one aspect, this document features a method for biosynthesizing a product selected from the group consisting of pimelic acid, 7-aminoheptanoate, 7-hydroxyheptanoate, heptamethylenediamine and 1,7-heptanediol. The method includes enzymatically synthesizing a seven carbon chain aliphatic backbone from succinate semialdehyde and pyruvate via aldol condensation and enzymatically forming one or two terminal functional groups selected from the group consisting of carboxyl, amine, and hydroxyl groups in the backbone, thereby forming the product. The seven carbon chain aliphatic backbone can be pimeloyl-CoA or pimelate semialdehyde. A 4-hydroxy-2-oxopimelate aldolase can catalyse the aldol reaction of pyruvate and succinate semialdehyde. The product of the aldol reaction can be 2,4-dihydroxyhept-2-enedioate or its tautomer 4-hydroxy-2-oxo-pimelate (4-hydroxy-2-oxo-pimelate/2,4-dihydroxyhept-2-enedioate). The product can be converted to pimeloyl-CoA using one or more of (i) a 2-hydroxyhepta-2,4-dienedioate hydratase, (ii) an emote reductase, (iii) a 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase, (iv) a glutaconate CoA-transferase, (v) a 2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase, or (vi) an enoyl-CoA reductase or an enoyl-[acp] reductase. The product can be converted to pimelate semialdehyde using one or more of (i) a 2-hydroxyhepta-2,4-dienedioate hydratase, (ii) an enoate reductase, (iii) a 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase, (iv) a glutaconate CoA-transferase, (v) a 2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase, or (vi) a carboxylase reductase. The enoate reductase can have at least 70% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 16 and SEQ ID NO:17.

[0020] The two terminal functional groups can be the same (e.g., amine or hydroxyl) or can be different (e.g., a terminal amine and a terminal carboxyl group; or a terminal hydroxyl group and a terminal carboxyl group).

[0021] A .omega.-transaminase or a deacetylase can enzymatically form an amine group. The .omega.-transaminase can have at least 70% sequence identity to any one of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NO. 8-13.

[0022] A 6-hydroxyhexanoate dehydrogenase, a 5-hydroxypentanoate dehydrogenase, a 4-hydroxybutyrate dehydratase, or an alcohol dehydrogenase can enzymatically form a hydroxyl group.

[0023] A thioesterase, an aldehyde dehydrogenase, a 7-oxoheptanoate dehydrogenase, a 6-oxohexanoate dehydrogenase, a CoA-transferase (e.g. a glutaconate CoA transferase), or a reversible CoA-ligase (e.g., a reversible succinate-CoA ligase) can enzymatically forms a terminal carboxyl group. The thioesterase can have at least 70% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1.

[0024] A carboxylase reductase and a phosphopantetheinyl transferase can form a terminal aldehyde group as an intermediate in forming the product. The carboxylate reductase can have at least 70% sequence identity to any one of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NO. 2-7.

[0025] Any of the methods can be performed in a recombinant host by fermentation. The host can be subjected to a cultivation strategy under anaerobic, micro-aerobic or mixed oxygen/denitrification cultivation conditions. The host can be cultured under conditions of nutrient limitation. The host can be retained using a ceramic hollow fiber membrane to maintain a high cell density during fermentation. The final electron acceptor can be an alternative to oxygen such as nitrates.

[0026] In any of the methods, the host's tolerance to high concentrations of a C7 building block can be improved through continuous cultivation in a selective environment.

[0027] The principal carbon source fed to the fermentation can derive from biological or non-biological feedstocks. In some embodiments, the biological feedstock is, includes, or derives from, monosaccharides, disaccharides, lignocellulose, hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin, levulinic acid and formic acid, triglycerides, glycerol, fatty acids, agricultural waste, condensed distillers' solubles, or municipal waste.

[0028] In some embodiments, the non-biological feedstock is or derives from natural gas, syngas, CO.sub.2/H.sub.2, methanol, ethanol, benzoate, non-volatile residue (NVR) or a caustic wash waste stream from cyclohexane oxidation processes, or a terephthalic acid/isophthalic acid mixture waste stream.

[0029] This document also features a recombinant host that includes at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding an 4-hydroxy-2-oxopimelate aldolase, a 2-hydroxyhepta-2,4-dienedioate hydratase, an enoate reductase, a 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase, a glutaconate CoA-transferase, a 2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase, and an enoyl-CoA reductase or an enoyl-[acp] reductase, said host producing pimeloyl-CoA.

[0030] This document also features a recombinant host that includes at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding an 4-hydroxy-2-oxopimelate aldolase, a 2-hydroxyhepta-2,4-dienedioate hydratase, an enoate reductase, a 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase, a glutaconate CoA-transferase, a 2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase, and a carboxylate reductase, the host producing pimelate semialdehyde. In any of the recombinant hosts expressing a carboxylate reductase, a phosphopantetheinyl transferase also can be expressed to enhance the activity of the carboxylate reductase.

[0031] A recombinant host producing pimelate semialdehyde further can include at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a .omega.-transaminase, and producing 7-aminoheptanoate.

[0032] A recombinant host producing pimelate semialdehyde further can include at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a 4-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase, a 5-hydroxypentanoate dehydrogenase or a 6-hydroxyhexanoate dehydrogenase, the host producing 7-hydroxyheptanoic acid.

[0033] A recombinant host producing pimelate semialdehyde, 7-aminoheptanoate, or 7-hydroxyheptanoic acid further can include a carboxylate reductase, a .omega.-transaminase, a deacetylase, an N-acetyl transferase, or an alcohol dehydrogenase, the host producing heptamethylenediamine.

[0034] A recombinant host producing 7-hydroxyheptanoic acid further can include at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a carboxylate reductase or an alcohol dehydrogenase, the host producing 1,7-heptanediol.

[0035] The recombinant host can be a prokaryote, e.g., 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, Pseudomonas putida or Pseudomonas oleavorans; from the genus Delftia acidovorans, from the genus Bacillus such as Bacillus subtillis; from the genes Lactobacillus such as Lactobacillus delbrueckii; from the genus Lactococcus such as Lactococcus lactis or from the genus Rhodococcus such as Rhodococcus equi.

[0036] The recombinant host can be a eukaryote, e.g., 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.

[0037] Any of the recombinant hosts described herein further can include one or more of the following attenuated enzymes: a lactate dehydrogenase, a menaquinol-fumarate oxidoreductase, an alcohol dehydrogenase producing ethanol, a pyruvate decarboxylase, a 2-oxoacid decarboxylase generating isobutanol, a polymer synthase, a NADH-specific L-glutamate dehydrogenase, a NADH-consuming transhydrogenase, a pimeloyl-CoA dehydrogenase; an acyl-CoA dehydrogenase that degrades C7 building blocks and their precursors; a glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase; or a pimeloyl-CoA synthetase.

[0038] Any of the recombinant hosts described herein further can overexpress one or more genes encoding: a PEP carboxykinase, a PEP carboxylase, a pyruvate carboxylase, a PEP synthase, a formate dehydrogenase, a L-alanine dehydrogenase; a NADPH-specific L-glutamate dehydrogenase; a diamine transporter; a dicarboxylate transporter; and/or a multidrug transporter.

[0039] 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.

[0040] Many of the enzymes described herein catalyze reversible reactions, and the reaction of interest may be the reverse of the described reaction. The schematic pathways shown in FIGS. 1-6 illustrate the reaction of interest for each of the intermediates.

[0041] In some embodiments, the host microorganism's endogenous biochemical network is attenuated or augmented to (1) ensure the intracellular availability of succinate semialdehyde and pyruvate, (2) create an NADH imbalance that may only be balanced via the formation of a C7 building block, (3) prevent degradation of central metabolites, central precursors leading to and including C7 building blocks and (4) ensure efficient efflux from the cell.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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

[0044] FIG. 1 is a schematic of an exemplary biochemical pathway leading to pimeloyl-CoA or pimelate semialdehyde using succinate semialdehyde and pyruvate as central metabolites.

[0045] FIG. 2 is a schematic of exemplary biochemical pathways leading to pimelate using pimeloyl-CoA or pimelate semialdehyde as a central precursor.

[0046] FIG. 3 is a schematic of exemplary biochemical pathways leading to 7-aminoheptanoate using pimelate, pimeloyl-CoA or pimelate semialdehyde as central precursors.

[0047] FIG. 4 is a schematic of an exemplary biochemical pathway leading to heptamethylenediamine using 7-aminoheptanoate, 7-hydroxyheptanoate or pimelate semialdehyde as a central precursor.

[0048] FIG. 5 is a schematic of exemplary biochemical pathways leading to 7-hydroxyheptanoate using pimelate or pimelate semialdehyde as central precursors.

[0049] FIG. 6 is a schematic of an exemplary biochemical pathway leading to 1,7-heptanediol using 7-hydroxyheptanoate as a central precursor.

[0050] FIGS. 7A-7H contain the amino acid sequences of an Escherichia coli thioesterase encoded by tesB (see GenBank Accession No. AAA24665.1, SEQ ID NO: 1), a Mycobacterium marinum carboxylate reductase (see Genbank Accession No. ACC40567.1, SEQ ID NO: 2), a Mycobacterium smegmatis carboxylate reductase (see Genbank Accession No. ABK71854.1, SEQ ID NO: 3), a Segniliparus rugosus carboxylate reductase (see Genbank Accession No. EFV11917.1, SEQ ID NO: 4), a Mycobacterium smegmatis carboxylate reductase (see Genbank Accession No. ABK75684.1, SEQ ID NO: 5), a Mycobacterium massiliense carboxylate reductase (see Genbank Accession No. EIV11143.1, SEQ ID NO: 6), a Segniliparus rotundus carboxylate reductase (see Genbank Accession No. ADG98140.1, SEQ ID NO: 7), a Chromobacterium violaceum .omega.-transaminase (See Genbank Accession No. AAQ59697.1, SEQ ID NO: 8), a Pseudomonas aeruginosa .omega.-transaminase (see Genbank Accession No. AAG08191.1, SEQ ID NO: 9), a Pseudomonas syringae .omega.-transaminase (See Genbank Accession No. AAY39893.1, SEQ ID NO: 10), a Rhodobacter sphaeroides .omega.-transaminase (see Genbank Accession No. ABA81135.1, SEQ ID NO: 11), an Escherichia coli .omega.-transaminase (see Genbank Accession No. AAA57874.1, SEQ ID NO: 12), a Vibrio fluvialis .omega.-transaminase (see Genbank Accession No, AEA39183.1, SEQ ID NO: 13), a Bacillus subtilis phosphopantetheinyl transferase (see Genbank Accession No. CAA44858.1, SEQ ID NO:14), a Nocardia sp. NRRL 5646 phosphopantetheinyl transferase (see Genbank Accession No. ABI83656.1, SEQ ID NO:15), a Pseudomonas putida enoate reductase (Genbank Accession No, AAF02538.1, SEQ ID NO: 16), and a Lactobacillus casei enoate reductase (Genbank Accession No, ADK19581.1, SEQ ID NO: 17).

[0051] FIG. 8 is a bar graph of the relative absorbance at 412 nm after 20 minutes of released CoA as a measure of the activity of a thioesterase for converting pimeloyl-CoA to pimelate relative to the empty vector control.

[0052] FIG. 9 is a bar graph summarizing the change in absorbance at 340 nm after 20 minutes, which is a measure of the consumption of NADPH and activity of carboxylate reductases relative to the enzyme only controls (no substrate).

[0053] FIG. 10 is a bar graph of the change in absorbance at 340 nm after 20 minutes, which is a measure of the consumption of NADPH and the activity of carboxylate reductases for converting pimelate to pimelate semialdehyde relative to the empty vector control.

[0054] FIG. 11 is a bar graph of the change in absorbance at 340 nm after 20 minutes, which is a measure of the consumption of NADPH and the activity of carboxylate reductases for converting 7-hydroxyheptanoate to 7-hydroxyheptanal relative to the empty vector control.

[0055] FIG. 12 is a bar graph of the change in absorbance at 340 nm after 20 minutes, which is a measure of the consumption of NADPH and the activity of carboxylate reductases for converting N7-acetyl-7-aminoheptanoate to N7-acetyl-7-aminoheptanal relative to the empty vector control.

[0056] FIG. 13 is a bar graph of the change in absorbance at 340 nm after 20 minutes, which is a measure of the consumption of NADPH and activity of carboxylate reductases for converting pimelate semialdehyde to heptanedial relative to the empty vector control.

[0057] FIG. 14 is a bar graph summarizing the percent conversion after 4 hours of pyruvate to L-alanine mol/mol) as a measure of the .omega.-transaminase activity of the enzyme only controls (no substrate).

[0058] FIG. 15 is a bar graph of the percent conversion after 4 hours of pyruvate to L-alanine (mol/mol) as a measure of the .omega.-transaminase activity for converting 7-aminoheptanoate to pimelate semialdehyde relative to the empty vector control.

[0059] FIG. 16 is a bar graph of the percent conversion after 4 hours of L-alanine to pyruvate mol/mol) as a measure of the .omega.-transaminase activity for converting pimelate semialdehyde to 7-aminoheptanoate relative to the empty vector control.

[0060] FIG. 17 is a bar graph of the percent conversion after 4 hours of pyruvate to L-alanine (mol/mol) as a measure of the .omega.-transaminase activity for converting heptamethylenediamine to 7-aminoheptanal relative to the empty vector control.

[0061] FIG. 18 is a bar graph of the percent conversion after 4 hours of pyruvate to L-alanine (mol/mol) as a measure of the .omega.-transaminase activity for converting N7-acetyl-1,7-diaminoheptane to N7-acetyl-7-aminoheptanal relative to the empty vector control.

[0062] FIG. 19 is a bar graph of the percent conversion after 4 hours of pyruvate to L-alanine (mol/mol) as a measure of the .omega.-transaminase activity for converting 7-aminoheptanol to 7-oxoheptanol relative to the empty vector control.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0063] This document provides enzymes, non-natural pathways, cultivation strategies, feedstocks, host microorganisms and attenuations to the host's biochemical network, which generates a seven carbon chain aliphatic backbone from central metabolites in which one or two terminal functional groups may be formed leading to the synthesis of one or more of pimelic acid, 7-aminoheptanoate, 7-hydroxyhepatanoate, heptamethylenediamine or 1,7-heptanediol (referred to as "C7 building blocks" herein). As used herein, the term "central precursor" is used to denote any metabolite in any metabolic pathway shown herein leading to the synthesis of a C7 building block. The term "central metabolite" is used herein to denote a metabolite that is produced in all microorganisms to support growth.

[0064] Host microorganisms described herein can include endogenous pathways that can be manipulated such that one or more C7 building blocks 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.

[0065] The term "exogenous" as used herein with reference to a nucleic acid (or a protein) and a host refers to a nucleic acid that does not occur in (and cannot be obtained from) a cell of that particular type as it is found in nature or a protein encoded by such a nucleic acid. Thus, a non-naturally-occurring nucleic acid is considered to be exogenous to a host once in the host. It is important to note that non-naturally-occurring nucleic acids can contain nucleic acid subsequences or fragments of nucleic acid sequences that are found in nature provided the nucleic acid as a whole does not exist in nature. For example, a nucleic acid molecule containing a genomic DNA sequence within an expression vector is non-naturally-occurring nucleic acid, and thus is exogenous to a host cell once introduced into the host, since that nucleic acid molecule as a whole (genomic DNA plus vector DNA) does not exist in nature. Thus, any vector, autonomously replicating plasmid, or virus (e.g., retrovirus, adenovirus, or herpes virus) that as a whole does not exist in nature is considered to be non-naturally-occurring nucleic acid. It follows that genomic DNA fragments produced by PCR or restriction endonuclease treatment as well as cDNAs are considered to be non-naturally-occurring nucleic acid since they exist as separate molecules not found in nature. It also follows that any nucleic acid containing a promoter sequence and polypeptide-encoding sequence (e.g., cDNA or genomic DNA) in an arrangement not found in nature is non-naturally-occurring nucleic acid. A nucleic acid that is naturally-occurring can be exogenous to a particular host microorganism. For example, an entire chromosome isolated from a cell of yeast x is an exogenous nucleic acid with respect to a cell of yeast y once that chromosome is introduced into a cell of yeast y.

[0066] In contrast, the term "endogenous" as used herein with reference to a nucleic acid (e.g., a gene) (or a protein) and a host refers to a nucleic acid (or protein) that does occur in (and can be obtained from) that particular host as it is found in nature. Moreover, a cell "endogenously expressing" a nucleic acid (or protein) expresses that nucleic acid (or protein) as does a host of the same particular type as it is found in nature. Moreover, a host "endogenously producing" or that "endogenously produces" a nucleic acid, protein, or other compound produces that nucleic acid, protein, or compound as does a host of the same particular type as it is found in nature.

[0067] For example, depending on the host and the compounds produced by the host, one or more of the following enzymes may be expressed in the host in addition to a nucleic acid encoding a 4-hydroxy-2-ketopimelate aldolase: a 2-hydroxyhepta-2,4-dienedioate hydratase, an enoate reductase, a 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase, a glutaconate CoA-transferase, a 2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase, an enoyl-CoA reductase, an enoyl-[acp] reductase, a carboxylate reductase, a .omega.-transaminase, an N-acetyl transferase, an alcohol dehydrogenase, a deacetylase, a 6-hydroxyhexanoate dehydrogenase, a 5-hydroxypentanoate dehydrogenase, or a 4-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase. In recombinant hosts expressing a carboxylate reductase, a phosphopantetheinyl transferase also can be expressed as it enhances activity of the carboxylate reductase.

[0068] For example, a recombinant host can include at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding an aldolase (e.g., a 4-hydroxy-2-ketopimelate aldolase), a 2-hydroxyhepta-2,4-dienedioate hydratase, an enoate reductase, a 2-hydroxygluarate dehydrogenase, a glutaconate CoA-transferase, a 2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase, and an enoyl-CoA reductase or an enoyl-[acp] reductase, and produce pimeloyl-CoA. Such a recombinant can include at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding one or more of an aldehyde dehydrogenase, a 7-oxoheptanoate dehydrogenase, a 6-oxohexanoate dehydrogenase, a CoA-transferase, a reversible CoA-ligase, an acetylating aldehyde dehydrogenase, or a carboxylate reductase (e.g., in combination with a phosphopantetheinyl trans/erase), the host producing pimelic acid or pimelate semialdehyde.

[0069] For example, a recombinant host can include at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding an aldolase (e.g., a 4-hydroxy-2-ketopimelate aldolase), a 2-hydroxyhepta-2,4-dienedioate hydratase, an enoate reductase, a 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase, a glutaconate CoA-transferase, a 2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase, an enoyl-CoA reductase or an enoyl-[acp] reductase, and a carboxylate reductase (e.g., in combination with a phosphopantetheinyl transferase), and produce pimelate semialdehyde.

[0070] A recombinant hosts producing pimelic acid or pimelate semialdehyde further can include at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a .omega.-transaminase and produce 7-aminoheptanoate.

[0071] A recombinant host producing pimelate or pimelate semialdehyde further can include at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a 6-hydroxyhexanoate dehydrogenase, a 5-hydroxypentanoate dehydrogenase or a 4-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase, and produce 7-hydroxyheptanoic acid.

[0072] A recombinant hosts producing 7-aminoheptanoate, 7-hydroxyheptanoate or pimelate semialdehyde further can include at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a .omega.-transaminase, a deacetylase, a N-acetyl trans/erase, or an alcohol dehydrogenase, and produce heptamethylenediamine. For example, a recombinant host can include a carboxylate reductase with a phosphopantetheine transferase enhancer, a .omega.-transaminase and an alcohol dehydrogenase.

[0073] A recombinant host producing 7-hydroxyheptanoic acid further can include one or more of a carboxylate reductase (e.g., in combination with a phosphopantetheinyl transferase) and an alcohol dehydrogenase, and produce 1,7-heptanediol.

[0074] Within an engineered pathway, the enzymes can be from a single source, i.e., from one species or genus, or can be from multiple sources, i.e., different species or genera. 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.

[0075] Any of the enzymes described herein that can be used for production of one or more C7 building blocks 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. It will be appreciated that the sequence identity can be determined on the basis of the mature enzyme (e.g., with any signal sequence removed).

[0076] For example, a 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 an Escherichia roll thioesterase encoded by tesla' (see GenBank Accession No. AAA24665.1, SEQ ID NO: 1). See FIG. 7A.

[0077] For example, a carboxylate reductase 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 a Mycobacterium Mari/111M (see Genbank Accession No, ACC40567.1, SEQ ID NO: 2), a Mycobacterium smegmatis (see Genbank Accession No. ABK71854.1, SEQ ID NO: 3), a Segniliparus rugosus (see Genbank Accession No. EFV11917.1, SEQ ID NO: 4), a Mycobacterium smegmatis (see Genbank Accession No. ABK75684.1, SEQ ID NO: 5), a Mycobacterium massiliense (see Genbank Accession No. EIV11143.1, SEQ ID NO: 6), or a Segniliparus rotundus (see Genbank Accession No. ADG98140.1, SEQ ID NO: 7) carboxylate reductase. See, FIGS. 7A-7F.

[0078] For example, a .omega.-transaminase 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 a Chromobacterium violaceum (see Genbank Accession No. AAQ59697.1, SEQ ID NO: 8), a Pseudomonas aeruginosa (see Genbank Accession No. AAG08191.1, SEQ ID NO: 9), a Pseudomonas syringae (see Genbank Accession No, AAY39893.1, SEQ ID NO: 10), a Rhodobacter sphaeroides (see Genbank Accession No. ABA81135.1, SEQ ID NO: 11), an Escherichia coli (see Genbank Accession No. AAA57874.1, SEQ ID NO: 12), or a Vibrio fluvialis (see Genbank Accession No. AEA39183.1, SEQ ID NO: 13) .omega.-transaminase. Some of these .omega.-transaminase s are diamine .omega.-transaminases.

[0079] For example, a phosphopantetheinyl transferase 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 a Bacillus subtilis phosphopantetheinyl transferase (see Genbank Accession No. CAA44858.1, SEQ ID NO:14) or a Nocardia sp. NRRL 5646 phosphopantetheinyl transferase (see Genbank Accession No. ABI83656.1, SEQ ID NO:15). See FIGS. 7G-7H.

[0080] For example, an enoate reductase 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 a Pseudomonas putida enoate reductase (Genbank Accession No. AAF02538.1, SEQ ID NO: 16) or a Lactobacillus casei enoate reductase (Genbank Accession No. ADK19581.1, SEQ ID NO: 17). See FIG. 7H.

[0081] 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 (Bl2seq) 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 Bl2seq program can be found in the readme file accompanying BLASTZ. Bl2seq performs a comparison between two amino acid sequences using the BLASTP algorithm. To compare two amino acid sequences, the options of Bl2seq are set as follows: --i is set to a file containing the first amino acid sequence to be compared (e.g., C:\seq1.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:\Bl2seq --i c:\seq1.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.

[0082] 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.

[0083] 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.

[0084] 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.

[0085] 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.

[0086] 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 hexahistidine), hemagglutinin (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.

[0087] Engineered 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. Thus, a pathway within an engineered host can include all exogenous enzymes, or can include both endogenous and exogenous enzymes. Endogenous genes of the engineered 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. Engineered hosts can be referred to as recombinant hosts or recombinant host cells. As described herein recombinant hosts can include nucleic acids encoding one or more of a synthase, a dehydratase, a hydratase, a dehydrogenase, a thioesterase, a reversible CoA-ligase, a CoA-transferase, a reductase, deacetylase, N-acetyl transferase or a .omega.-transaminase as described in more detail below.

[0088] In addition, the production of one or more C7 building blocks 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.

Enzymes Generating the C7 Aliphatic Backbones Pimeloyl-CoA or Pimelate Semialdehyde for Conversion to C7 Building Blocks

[0089] As depicted in FIG. 1, the C7 aliphatic backbone pimeloyl-CoA or pimelate semialdehyde for conversion to one or more C7 building blocks can be formed from the central metabolites succinate semialdehyde and pyruvate via aldol condensation, wherein the aldol condensation comprises an aldol reaction and a dehydration, catalysed by an aldolase. The product of the aldol reaction is 2,4-dihydroxyhept-2-enedioate, which can convert to its tautomer 4-hydroxy-2-oxopimelate. In some embodiments, the aldolase is a 4-hydroxy-2-oxopimelate aldolase such as the gene product of hpaI classified, for example, under EC 4.1.2.52 (see, for example, Rea et al., 2007, J. Mol. Biol., 373, 866-876).

[0090] Succinate semialdehyde can be formed from the central metabolite succinate by succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase classified, for example, under EC 1.2.1.16, EC 1.2.1.24 or EC 1.2.1.79.

[0091] In some embodiments, 2-oxopimelate is formed from 2,4-dihydroxyhept-2-enedioate or its tautomer 4-hydroxy-2-oxo-pimelate (4-hydroxy-2-oxo-pimelate/2,4-dihydroxyhept-2-enedioate) by using a 2-hydroxyhepta-2,4-dienedioate hydratase such as the gene product of HpaH (see, for example, Izumi et al., 2007, J. Mol. Biol., 370, 899-911) and an enoate reductase classified, for example, under EC 1.3.1.31 such as the gene product of XenA (Genbank Accession No. AAF02538.1, SEQ ID NO: 16) or LacER (Genbank Accession No. ADK19581.1, SEQ ID NO: 17) (see; for example, Yanto et al., 2010, Chem. Commun., 46, 8809-8811; Ciao et al., 2012, Enzyme and Microbial Technology, 51, 26-34).

[0092] In some embodiments, 2(E)-heptenedioate or 2(E)-heptenedioyl-CoA can be formed from 2-oxopimelate by using a 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase, a glutaconate CoA-transferase and a 2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase (see, for example, Parthasarathy et al., 2011, Biochemistry, 50, 3540-3550).

[0093] In some embodiments, pimeloyl-CoA is formed from 2(E)-heptenedioyl-CoA by an enoyl-CoA reductase or an enoyl-[acp] reductase classified, for example, under EC 1.3.1.9 or EC 1.3.1.10.

[0094] In some embodiments, pimelate semialdehyde is formed from 2(E)-heptenedioate by a carboxylate reductase in combination with a phosphopantetheine transferase and an enoate reductase classified under, for example, EC 1.3.1.31 such as the gene product of XenA (Genbank Accession No. AAF02538.1, SEQ ID NO: 16) or LacER (Genbank Accession No. ADK19581.1, SEQ ID NO: 17).

Enzymes Generating the Terminal Carboxyl Groups in the Biosynthesis of C7 Building Blocks

[0095] As depicted in FIG. 2, a terminal carboxyl group can be enzymatically formed using a thioesterase, an aldehyde dehydrogenase, a 7-oxoheptanoate dehydrogenase, a 6-oxohexanoate dehydrogenase, a CoA-transferase or a reversible CoA-ligase.

[0096] In some embodiments, the second terminal carboxyl group leading to the synthesis of pimelic acid is enzymatically formed by an aldehyde dehydrogenase classified, for example, under EC 1.2.1.3 (see, for example, Guerrillot & Vandecasteele, Eur. J. Biochem., 1977, 81, 185).

[0097] In some embodiments, the second terminal carboxyl group leading to the synthesis of pimelic acid is enzymatically formed by a 6-oxohexanoate dehydrogenase or a 7-oxoheptanoate dehydrogenase classified under EC 1.2.1.-, such as the gene product of ChnE from Acinetobacter sp. or ThnG from Sphingomonas macrogolitabida (see, for example, Iwaki et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 1999, 65(11), 5158-5162; or Lopez-Sanchez et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 2010, 76(1), 110-118). For example, a 6-oxohexanoate dehydrogenase can be classified under EC 1.2.1.63. For example, a 7-oxoheptanoate dehydrogenase can be classified under EC 1.2.1.-.

[0098] In some embodiments, the second terminal carboxyl group leading to the synthesis of a C7 building block is enzymatically formed by a thioesterase classified under EC 3.1.2.-, such as the gene product of YciA, tesB (Genbank Accession No. AAA24665.1, SEQ ID NO: 1) or Acot13 (see, for example, Cantu et al., Protein Science, 2010, 19, 1281-1295; Zhuang et al., Biochemistry, 2008, 47 (9), 2789-2796; or Naggert et al., J. Biol. Chem., 1991, 266(17), 11044-11050).

[0099] In some embodiments, the second terminal carboxyl group leading to the synthesis of pimelic acid is enzymatically formed by a CoA-transferase such as a glutaconate CoA-transferase classified, for example, under EC 2.8.3.12 such as from Acidaminococcus fermentans. See, for example, Buckel et al., 1981, Eur. J. Biochem., 118:315-321.

[0100] In some embodiments, the second terminal carboxyl group leading to the synthesis of pimelic acid is enzymatically formed by a reversible CoA-ligase such as a succinate-CoA ligase classified, for example, under EC 6.2.1.5 such as from Thermococcus kodakaraensis. See, for example, Shikata et al., 2007, J. Biol. Chem., 282(37):26963-26970.

Enzymes Generating the Terminal Amine Groups in the Biosynthesis of C7 Building Blocks

[0101] As depicted in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the terminal amine groups can be enzymatically formed using a .omega.-transaminase or a deacetylase.

[0102] In some embodiments, the first or second terminal amine group leading to the synthesis of 7-aminoheptanoic acid is enzymatically formed by a .omega.-transaminase classified, for example, under EC 2.6.1.18, EC 2.6.1.19, EC 2.6.1.29, EC 2.6.1.48, or EC 2.6.1.82 such as that obtained from Chromobacterium violaceum (Genbank Accession No. AAQ59697.1, SEQ ID NO: 8), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Genbank Accession No. AAG08191.1, SEQ ID NO: 9), Pseudomonas syringae (Genbank Accession No. AAY39893.1, SEQ ID NO: 10), Rhodobacter sphaeroides (Genbank Accession No, ABA81135.1, SEQ ID NO: 11), Escherichia coli (Genbank Accession No. AAA57874.1, SEQ ID NO: 12), Vibrio Fluvialis (Genbank Accession No. AAA57874.1, SEQ ID NO: 13), Streptomyces griseus, or Clostridium viride. Some of these .omega.-transaminases are diamine .omega.-transaminases (e.g., SEQ ID NO:12). For example, the .omega.-transaminases classified, for example, under EC 2.6.1.29 or EC 2.6.1.82 may be diamine .omega.-transaminase s.

[0103] The reversible .omega.-transaminase from Chromobacterium violaceum (Genbank Accession No. AAQ59697.1, SEQ ID NO: 8) has demonstrated analogous activity accepting 6-aminohexanoic acid as amino donor, thus forming the first terminal amine group in adipate semialdehyde (Kaufmann et al., Enzyme and Microbial Technology, 2007, 41, 628-637).

[0104] The reversible 4-aminobubyrate:2-oxoglutarate transaminase from Streptomyces griseus has demonstrated analogous activity for the conversion of 6-aminohexanoate to adipate semialdehyde (Yonaha et al., Eur. J. Biochem., 1985, 146:101-106).

[0105] The reversible 5-aminovalerate transaminase from Clostridium viride has demonstrated analogous activity for the conversion of 6-aminohexanoate to adipate semialdehyde (Barker et al., J. Biol. Chem., 1987, 262(19), 8994-9003).

[0106] In some embodiments, a terminal amine group leading to the synthesis of 7-aminoheptanoate or heptamethylenediamine is enzymatically formed by a diamine .omega.-transaminase. For example, the second terminal amino group can be enzymatically formed by a diamine .omega.-transaminase classified, for example, under EC 2.6.1.29 or classified, for example, under EC 2.6.1.82, such as the gene product of YgjG from E. coli (Genbank Accession No. AAA57874.1, SEQ ID NO: 12).

[0107] The gene product of ygjG accepts a broad range of diamine carbon chain length substrates, such as putrescine, cadaverine and spermidine (see, for example, Samsonova et al., BMC Microbiology, 2003, 3:2).

[0108] The diamine .omega.-transaminase from E. coli strain B has demonstrated activity for 1,7 diaminoheptane (Kim, The Journal of Chemistry, 1964, 239(3), 783-786).

[0109] In some embodiments, the second terminal amine group leading to the synthesis of heptamethylenediamine is enzymatically formed by a deacetylase such as acetylputrescine deacetylase classified, for example, under EC 3.5.1.62. The acetylputrescine deacetylase from Micrococcus luteus K-11 accepts a broad range of carbon chain length substrates, such as acetylputrescine, acetylcadaverine and N.sup.8-acetylspermidine (see, for example, Suzuki et al., 1986, BBA--General Subjects, 882(1):140-142).

Enzymes Generating the Terminal Hydroxyl Groups in the Biosynthesis of C7 Building Blocks

[0110] As depicted in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, a terminal hydroxyl group can be enzymatically formed using an alcohol dehydrogenase.

[0111] In some embodiments, a terminal hydroxyl group leading to the synthesis of 1,7 heptanediol can be enzymatically formed by an alcohol dehydrogenase classified under EC 1.1.1.--(e.g., 1, 2, 21, or 184). See, FIG. 6.

[0112] In some embodiments, a terminal hydroxyl group leading to the synthesis of 7-hydroxyhexanoic acid can be enzymatically formed by a dehydrogenase classified, for example, under EC 1.1.1.--such as a 6-hydroxyhexanoate dehydrogenase classified, for example, under EC 1.1.1.258 (e.g., the gene product of ChnD), a 5-hydroxypentanoate dehydrogenase such as the gene product of CpnD (see, for example, IWaki et al., 2002, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68(11). 5671-5684) or a 4-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase such as gabD (see, for example, Lutke-Eversloh & Steinbuchel, 1999, FEMS Microbiology Letters, 181(1):63-71).

Biochemical Pathways

[0113] Pathways Forming the C7 Aliphatic Backbone, 4-hydroxy-2-oxopimelate/2,4-dihydroxyhept-2-enedioate as Central Precursor to C7 Building Blocks

[0114] In some embodiments, 4-hydroxy-2-oxopimelate/2,4-dihydroxyhept-2-enedioate is synthesized from the central metabolites succinate semialdehyde and pyruvate by conversion of succinate semialdehyde and pyruvate by a 4-hydroxy-2-oxopimelate aldolase such as the gene product of hpaI. See, e.g., FIG. 1.

[0115] In some embodiments, pimeloyl-CoA is synthesized from the central precursor, 4-hydroxy-2-oxopimelate/2,4-dihydroxyhept-2-enedioate, by conversion of 4-hydroxy-2-oxopimelate/2,4-dihydroxyhept-2-enedioate to 2-oxohept-3-enedioate by a 2-hydroxyhepta-2,4-dienedioate hydratase such as the gene product of HpaH; followed by conversion to 2-oxopimelate by an enoate reductase classified, for example, under EC 1.3.1.31 such as the gene product of XenA (Genbank Accession No. AAF02538.1, SEQ ID NO: 16) or LacER (Genbank Accession No, ADK19581.1, SEQ ID NO: 17); followed by conversion to 2-hydroxypimelate by a 2-hydroxygluarate dehydrogenase classified, for example, under EC 1.1.1.--such as the gene product of HgdH; followed by conversion to 2-hydroxypimeloyl-CoA by a glutaconate CoA-transferase classified, for example, under EC 2.8.3.12 such as the gene product of GctAB; followed by conversion to 2(E)-heptenedioyl-CoA by a 2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase such as the gene products of HgdC and HgdAB; followed by conversion to pimeloyl-CoA by an enoyl-[acp] reductase or an enoyl-CoA reductase classified, for example, under EC. 1.3.1.--(e.g., EC 1.3.1.9 or EC 1.3.1.10) such as that obtained, for example, from Syntrophus aciditrophicus. See FIG. 1.

[0116] In some embodiments, 2(E)-heptenedioyl-CoA formed as described above is converted to 2(E)-heptenedioate by a glutaconate CoA-transferase classified, for example, under EC 2.8.3.12 such as the gene product of GctAB; followed by conversion to 7-oxo-5-heptenenoic acid by a carboxylate reductase classified, for example, under EC 1.2.99.6 such as the gene product of car in combination with a phosphopantetheine transferase enhancer (e.g., encoded by a (Genbank Accession No. CAA44858.1, SEQ ID NO:14) gene from Bacillus subtilis or npt (Genbank Accession No. ABI83656.1, SEQ ID NO:15) gene from Nocardia) or the gene products of GriC and GriD from Streptomyces griseus; followed by conversion to pimelate semialdehyde by an enoate reductase classified, for example, under EC 1.3.1.31. The carboxylate reductase can be obtained, for example, from Mycobacterium marinum (Genbank Accession No. ACC40567.1, SEQ ID NO: 2) Mycobacterium smegmatis (Genbank Accession No. ABK71854.1, SEQ ID NO: 3), Segniliparus rugosus (Genbank Accession No. EFV11917.1, SEQ ID NO: 4), Mycobacterium smegmatis (Genbank Accession No. ABK75684.1, SEQ ID NO: 5), Mycobacterium massiliense (Genbank Accession No. EIV11143.1, SEQ ID NO: 6), or Segniliparus rotundus (Genbank Accession No. ADG98140.1, SEQ ID NO: 7). See FIG. 1.

Pathways Using Pimeloyl-CoA as Central Precursor to Pimelic Acid or Pimelate Semialdehyde

[0117] In some embodiments, pimelic acid is synthesized from the central precursor, pimeloyl-CoA, by conversion of pimeloyl-CoA to pimelate by a thioesterase classified, for example, under EC 3.1.2.--such as the gene products of tesB (Genbank Accession No. AAA24665.1, SEQ ID NO: 1) or Acot13. See FIG. 2.

[0118] In some embodiments, pimelate is synthesized from the central precursor, pimeloyl-CoA, by conversion of pimeloyl-CoA to pimelate by a reversible CoA-ligase such as a reversible succinate CoA-ligase classified, for example, under EC 6.2.1.5. See FIG. 2.

[0119] In some embodiments, pimelic acid is synthesized from the central precursor, pimeloyl-CoA, by conversion of pimeloyl-CoA to pimelate by a CoA-transferase such as a glutaconate CoA-transferase classified, for example, under EC 2.8.3.12. See FIG. 2.

[0120] In some embodiments, pimelic acid is synthesized from the central precursor, pimeloyl-CoA, by conversion of pimeloyl-CoA to pimelate semialdehyde by an acetylating aldehyde dehydrogenase classified, for example, under EC 1.2.1.10 such as the gene product of PduB or PduP (see, for example, Lan et al., 2013, Energy Environ. Sci., 6:2672-2681); followed by conversion to pimelic acid by a 7-oxoheptanoate dehydrogenase classified, for example, under EC 1.2.1.--such as the gene product of ThnG, a 6-oxohexanoate dehydrogenase classified, for example, under EC 1.2.1.--such as the gene product of ChnE, or an aldehyde dehydrogenase (classified, for example, under EC 1.2.1.3). See FIG. 2.

Pathway Using Pimeloyl-CoA, Pimelate or Pimelate Semialdehyde as Central Precursors to 7-Aminoheptanoate

[0121] In some embodiments, 7-aminoheptanoate is synthesized from the central precursor, pimeloyl-CoA, by conversion of pimeloyl-CoA to pimelate semialdehyde by an acetylating aldehyde dehydrogenase classified, for example, EC 1.2.1.10, such as the gene product of PduB or PdaP; followed by conversion of pimelate semialdehyde to 7-aminoheptanoate by a .omega.-transaminase classified, for example, under EC 2.6.1.18, EC 2.6.1.19, EC 2.6.1.29, EC 2.6.1.48 or EC 2.6.1.82. See FIG. 3.

[0122] In some embodiments, 7-aminoheptanoate is synthesized from the central precursor, pimelate semialdehyde, by conversion of pimelate semialdehyde to 7-aminoheptanoate by a .omega.-transaminase classified, for example, under EC 2.6.1.--(e.g., EC 2.6.1.18, EC 2.6.1.19, or EC 2.6.1.48). See FIG. 3.

[0123] In some embodiments, 7-aminoheptanoate is synthesized from the central precursor, pimelate, by conversion of pimelate to pimelate semialdehyde by a carboxylate reductase classified, for example, under EC 1.2.99.6 such as the gene product of car (see above) in combination with a phosphopantetheine transferase enhancer (e.g., encoded by a sfp (Genbank Accession No. CAA44858.1, SEQ ID NO: 14) gene from Bacillus subtilis or npt (Genbank Accession No. ABI83656.1, SEQ ID NO:15) gene from Nocardia) or the gene products of GriC and GriD from Streptomyces griseus; followed by conversion to 7-aminoheptanoate by a .omega.-transaminase (classified, for example, under EC 2.6.1.--such as EC 2.6.1.18, EC 2.6.1.19, or EC 2.6.1.48). See FIG. 3.

Pathway Using 7-Aminoheptanoate, 7-Hydroxyheptanoate, or Pimelate Semialdehyde as Central Precursor to Heptamethylenediamine

[0124] In some embodiments, heptamethylenediamine is synthesized from the central precursor, 7-aminoheptanoate, by conversion of 7-aminoheptanoate to 7-aminoheptanal by a carboxylate reductase classified, for example, under EC 1.2.99.6 such as the gene product of car (see above) in combination with a phosphopantetheine transferase enhancer (e.g., encoded by a sfp (Genbank Accession No. CAA44858.1, SEQ ID NO:14) gene from Bacillus subtilis or npt (Genbank Accession No, ABI83656.1, SEQ ID NO:15) gene from Nocardia) or the gene product of GriC & GriD (Suzuki et al., J. Antibiot., 2007, 60(6), 380-387); followed by conversion of 7-aminoheptanal to heptamethylenediamine by a .omega.-transaminase (e.g., classified, for example, under EC 2.6.1.18, EC 2.6.1.19, EC 2.6.1.29, EC 2.6.1.48, or EC 2.6.1.82 such as SEQ ID NOs: 8-13, see above). See FIG. 4.

[0125] The carboxylate reductase encoded by the gene product of car and the phosphopantetheine transferase enhancer sfp from Bacillus subtilis has broad substrate specificity, including terminal difunctional C4 and C5 carboxylic acids (Venkitasubramanian et al., Enzyme and Microbial Technology, 2008, 42, 130-137).

[0126] In some embodiments, heptamethylenediamine is synthesized from the central precursor, 7-hydroxyheptanoate (which can be produced as described in FIG. 5), by conversion of 7-hydroxyheptanoate to 7-hydroxyheptanal by a carboxylate reductase classified, for example, under EC 1.2.99.6 such as the gene product of car (see above) in combination with a phosphopantetheine transferase enhancer (e.g., encoded by sfp gene from Bacillus subtilis or npt gene from Nocardia) or the gene product of GriC & GriD (Suzuki et al. J. Antibiot., 2007, 60(6), 380-387); followed by conversion of 7-aminoheptanal to 7-aminoheptanol by a .omega.-transaminase classified, for example, under EC 2.6.1.18, EC 2.6.1.19, EC 2.6.1.29, EC 2.6.1.48, or EC 2.6.1.82 such as SEQ ID NOs: 8-13, see above; followed by conversion to 7-aminoheptanal by an alcohol dehydrogenase classified, for example, under EC 1.1.1.--(e.g., EC 1.1.1.1, EC 1.1.1.2, EC 1.1.1.21, or EC 1.1.1.184) such as the gene product of YMR318C (classified; for example, under EC 1.1.1.2, see Genbank Accession No. CAA90836.1) or YqhD (from E. coli, GenBank Accession No. AAA69178.1) (Liu et al., Microbiology, 2009, 155, 2078-2085; Larroy et al., 2002, Biochem J., 361(Pt 1), 163-172; Jarboe, 2011, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 89(2), 249-257) or the protein having GenBank Accession No. CAA81612.1 (from Geobacillus stearothermophilus); followed by conversion to heptamethylenediamine by a .omega.-transaminase classified, for example, under EC 2.6.1.18, EC 2.6.1.19, EC 2.6.1.29, EC 2.6.1.48, or EC 2.6.1.82 such as SEQ ID NOs:8-13, see above. See FIG. 4.

[0127] In some embodiments, heptamethylenediamine is synthesized from the central precursor, 7-aminoheptanoate, by conversion of 7-aminoheptanoate to N7-acetyl-7-aminoheptanoate by a N-acetyltransferase such as a lysine N-acetyltransferase classified, for example, under EC 2.3.1.32; followed by conversion to N7-acetyl-7-aminoheptanal by a carboxylate reductase classified, for example, under EC 1.2.99.6 such as the gene product of car (see above) in combination with a phosphopantetheine transferase enhancer (e.g., encoded by a sfp gene from Bacillus subtilis or npt gene from Nocardia) or the gene product of GriC & GriD; followed by conversion to N7-acetyl-1,7-diaminoheptane by a .omega.-transaminase classified, for example, under EC 2.6.1.18, EC 2.6.1.19, EC 2.6.1.29, EC 2.6.1.48, EC 2.6.1.46, or EC 2.6.1.82 such as SEC) ID NOs:8-13, see above; followed by conversion to heptamethylenediamine by an acetylputrescine deacylase classified, for example, under EC 3.5.1.62. See, FIG. 4.

[0128] In some embodiments, heptamethylenediamine is synthesized from the central precursor, pimelate semialdehyde, by conversion of pimelate semialdehyde to heptanedial by a carboxylate reductase classified, for example, under EC 1.2.99.6 such as the gene product of car (see above) in combination with a phosphopantetheine transferase enhancer (e.g., encoded by a sfp gene from Bacillus subtilis or npt gene from Nocardia) or the gene product of GriC & GriD; followed by conversion to 7-aminoheptanal by a .omega.-transaminase classified, for example, under EC 2.6.1.18, EC 2.6.1.19, or EC 2.6.1.48; followed by conversion to heptamethylenediamine by a .omega.-transaminase classified, for example, under EC 2.6.1.18, EC 2.6.1.19, EC 2.6.1.29, EC 2.6.1.48, EC 2.6.1.46, or EC 2.6.1.82 such as SEQ ID NOs:8-13, see above. See FIG. 4.

Pathways Using Pimelate, Pimeloyl-CoA or Pimelate Semialdehyde as Central Precursor to 1,7-Heptanediol

[0129] In some embodiments, 7-hydroxyheptanoate is synthesized from the central precursor, pimelate, by conversion of pimelate to pimelate semialdehyde by a carboxylate reductase classified, for example, under EC 1.2.99.6 such as the gene product of car (see above) in combination with a phosphopantetheine trans/erase enhancer (e.g., encoded by a sfp gene from Bacillus subtilis or npt gene from Nocardia) or the gene product of GriC & GriD; followed by conversion to 7-hydroxyheptanoate by a dehydrogenase classified, for example, under EC 1.1.1.--such as a 6-hydroxyhexanoate dehydrogenase classified, for example, under EC 111.258 such as the gene from of ChnD or a 5-hydroxypentanoate dehydrogenase classified, for example, under EC 1.1.1.--such as the gene product of CpnD (see, for example, Iwaki et al., 2002, Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 68(11):5671-5684) or a 4-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase such as gabD (see, for example, Lutke-Eversloh & Steinbuchel, 1999, FEMS Microbiology Letters, 181(1):63-71). See FIG. 5. Pimelate semialdehyde also can be produced from pimeloyl-CoA using an acetylating aldehyde dehydrogenase as described above. See, also FIG. 5.

[0130] In some embodiments, 1,7 heptanediol is synthesized from the central precursor, 7-hydroxyheptanoate, by conversion of 7-hydroxyheptanoate to 7-hydroxyheptanal by a carboxylate reductase classified, for example, under EC 1.2.99.6 such as the gene product of car (see above) in combination with a phosphopantetheine transferase enhancer (e.g., encoded by a sfp gene from Bacillus subtilis or npt gene from Nocardia) or the gene product of GriC & GriD; followed by conversion of 7-hydroxyheptanal to 1,7 heptanediol by an alcohol dehydrogenase classified, for example, under EC 1.1.1.--such as EC 1.1.1.1, EC 1.1.1.2, EC 1.1.1.21, or EC 1.1.1.184) such as the gene product of YMR318C or YqhD (see, e.g., Liu et al., Microbiology, 2009, 155, 2078-2085; Larroy et al., 2002, Biochem J., 361(Pt 1), 163-172; or Jarboe, 2011, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 89(2), 249-257) or the protein having GenBank Accession No. CAA81612.1 (from Geobacillus stearothermophilus). See, FIG. 6.

Cultivation Strategy

[0131] In some embodiments, the cultivation strategy entails achieving an anaerobic, micro-aerobic, or mixed oxygen/denitrification cultivation condition. Enzymes characterized in vitro as being oxygen sensitive require a micro-aerobic cultivation strategy maintaining a very low dissolved oxygen concentration (See, for example, Chayabatra & Lu-Kwang, Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 2000, 66(2), 493 0 498; Wilson and Bouwer, 1997, Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, 18(2-3), 116-130).

[0132] In some embodiments, the cultivation strategy entails nutrient limitation such as nitrogen, phosphate or oxygen limitation.

[0133] In some embodiments, a final electron acceptor other than oxygen such as nitrates can be utilized.

[0134] In some embodiments, a cell retention strategy using, for example, ceramic hollow fiber membranes can be employed to achieve and maintain a high cell density during either fed-batch or continuous fermentation.

[0135] In some embodiments, the principal carbon source fed to the fermentation in the synthesis of one or more C7 building blocks can derive from biological or non-biological feedstocks.

[0136] In some embodiments, the biological feedstock can be, can include, or can derive from, monosaccharides, disaccharides, lignocellulose, hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin, levulinic acid and formic acid, triglycerides, glycerol, fatty acids, agricultural waste, condensed distillers' solubles, or municipal waste.

[0137] The efficient catabolism of crude glycerol stemming from the production of biodiesel has been demonstrated in several microorganisms such as Escherichia coli, Cupriavidus necator, Pseudomonas oleavorans, Pseudomonas putida and Yarrowia lipolytica (Lee et al., Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol., 2012, 166, 1801-1813; Yang et al., Biotechnology for Biofuels, 2012, 5:13; Meijnen et al., Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 2011, 90, 885-893).

[0138] The efficient catabolism of lignocellulosic-derived levulinic acid has been demonstrated in several organisms such as Cupriavidus necator and Pseudomonas putida in the synthesis of 3-hydroxyvalerate via the precursor propanoyl-CoA (Jaremko and Yu, Journal of Biotechnology, 2011, 155, 2011, 293-298; Martin and Prather, Journal of Biotechnology, 2009, 139, 61-67).

[0139] The efficient catabolism of lignin-derived aromatic compounds such as benzoate analogues has been demonstrated in several microorganisms such as Pseudomonas putida, Cupriavidus necator (Bugg et al., Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 2011, 22, 394-400; Perez-Pantoja et al., FEMS Microbiol Rev., 2008, 32, 736-794).

[0140] The efficient utilization of agricultural waste, such as olive mill waste water has been demonstrated in several microorganisms, including Yarrowia lipolytica (Papanikolaou et al., Bioresour. Technol., 2008, 99(7), 2419-2428).

[0141] The efficient utilization of fermentable sugars such as monosaccharides and disaccharides derived from cellulosic, hemicellulosic, cane and beet molasses, cassava, corn and other agricultural sources has been demonstrated for several microorganism such as Escherichia coli, Corynebacterium glutamicum and Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Lactococcus lactis (see, e.g., Hermann et al, Journal of Biotechnology, 2003, 104, 155-172; Wee et al., Food Technol. Biotechnol., 2006, 44(2), 163-172; Ohashi et al., Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, 1999, 87(5), 647-654).

[0142] The efficient utilization of furfural, derived from a variety of agricultural lignocellulosic sources, has been demonstrated for Cupriavidus necator (Li et al., Biodegradation, 2011, 22, 1215-1225).

[0143] In some embodiments, the non-biological feedstock can be or can derive from natural gas, syngas, CO.sub.2/H.sub.2, methanol, ethanol, benzoic acid, non-volatile residue (NVR), a caustic wash waste stream from cyclohexane oxidation processes, or terephthalic acid/isophthalic acid mixture waste streams.

[0144] The efficient catabolism of methanol has been demonstrated for the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris.

[0145] The efficient catabolism of ethanol has been demonstrated for Clostridium kluyveri (Seedorf et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 2008, 105(6) 2128-2133).

[0146] The efficient catabolism of CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2, which may be derived from natural gas and other chemical and petrochemical sources, has been demonstrated for Cupriavidus necator (Prybylski et al., Energy, Sustainability and Society, 2012, 2:11).

[0147] The efficient catabolism of syngas has been demonstrated for numerous microorganisms, such as Clostridium ljungdahlii and Clostridium autoethanogenum (Kopke et al., Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2011, 77(15), 5467-5475).

[0148] The efficient catabolism of the non-volatile residue waste stream from cyclohexane processes has been demonstrated for numerous microorganisms, such as Delftia acidovorans and Cupriavidus necator (Ramsay et al., Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 1986, 52(1), 152-156). In some embodiments, the host microorganism is a prokaryote. For example, the prokaryote can be a bacterium 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, Pseudomonas putida or Pseudomonas oleavorans; from the genus Delftia such as Delftia acidovorans; from the genus Bacillus such as Bacillus subtillis; from the genus Lactobacillus such as Lactobacillus delbrueckii; or from the genus Lactococcus such as Lactococcus lactis. Such prokaryotes also can be a source of genes to construct recombinant host cells described herein that are capable of producing one or more C7 building blocks.

[0149] In some embodiments, the host microorganism is a eukaryote. For example, the eukaryote can be a filamentous fungus, e.g., one from the genus Aspergillus such as Aspergillus niger. Alternatively, the eukaryote can be a yeast, e.g., one from the genus Saccharomyces such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae; from the genus Pichia such as Pichia pastoris; or 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 Such eukaryotes also can be a source of genes to construct recombinant host cells described herein that are capable of producing one or more C7 building blocks.

Metabolic Engineering

[0150] The present document provides methods involving less than all the steps described for all the above pathways. Such methods can involve, for example, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve or more of such steps. Where less than all the steps are included in such a method, the first, and in some embodiments the only, step can be any one of the steps listed.

[0151] Furthermore, recombinant hosts described herein can include any combination of the above enzymes such that one or more of the steps, e.g., one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or more of such steps, can be performed within a recombinant host. This document provides host cells of any of the genera and species listed and genetically engineered to express one or more (e.g., two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12 or more) recombinant forms of any of the enzymes recited in the document. Thus, for example, the host cells can contain exogenous nucleic acids encoding enzymes catalyzing one or more of the steps of any of the pathways described herein.

[0152] In addition, this document recognizes that where enzymes have been described as accepting CoA-activated substrates, analogous enzyme activities associated with [acp]-bound substrates exist that are not necessarily in the same enzyme class.

[0153] Also, this document recognizes that where enzymes have been described accepting (R)-enantiomers of substrate, analogous enzyme activities associated with (S)-enantiomer substrates exist that are not necessarily in the same enzyme class.

[0154] This document also recognizes that where an enzyme is shown to accept a particular co-factor, such as NADPH, or a co-substrate, such as acetyl-CoA, many enzymes are promiscuous in terms of accepting a number of different co-factors or co-substrates in catalyzing a particular enzyme activity. Also, this document recognizes that where enzymes have high specificity for e.g., a particular co-factor such as NADH, an enzyme with similar or identical activity that has high specificity for the co-factor NADPH may be in a different enzyme class.

[0155] In some embodiments, the enzymes in the pathways outlined herein are the result of enzyme engineering via non-direct or rational enzyme design approaches with aims of improving activity, improving specificity, reducing feedback inhibition, reducing repression, improving enzyme solubility, changing stereo-specificity, or changing co-factor specificity.

[0156] In some embodiments, the enzymes in the pathways outlined herein can be gene dosed (i.e., overexpressed by having a plurality of copies of the gene in the host organism), into the resulting genetically modified organism via episomal or chromosomal integration approaches.

[0157] In some embodiments, genome-scale system biology techniques such as Flux Balance Analysis can be utilized to devise genome scale attenuation or knockout strategies for directing carbon flux to a C7 building block.

[0158] Attenuation strategies include, but are not limited to; the use of transposons, homologous recombination (double cross-over approach), mutagenesis, enzyme inhibitors and RNA interference (RNAi).

[0159] In some embodiments, fluxomic, metabolomic and transcriptomal data can be utilized to inform or support genome-scale system biology techniques, thereby devising genome scale attenuation or knockout strategies in directing carbon flux to a C7 building block.

[0160] In some embodiments, the host microorganism's tolerance to high concentrations of a C7 building block can be improved through continuous cultivation in a selective environment.

[0161] In some embodiments, the host microorganism's endogenous biochemical network can be attenuated or augmented to ensure the intracellular availability of 2-oxoglutarate (2) create an NADH imbalance that may only be balanced via the formation of a C7 building block, (3) prevent degradation of central metabolites or central precursors leading to and including C7 building blocks and (4) ensure efficient efflux from the cell.

[0162] In some embodiments requiting the intracellular availability of succinate, a PEP carboxykinase or PEP carboxylase can be overexpressed in the host to generate anaplerotic carbon flux into the Krebs cycle towards succinate (Schwartz et al., 2009, Proteomics, 9, 5132-5142).

[0163] In some embodiments requiring the intracellular availability of succinate, a pyruvate carboxylase can be overexpressed in the host to generated anaplerotic carbon flux into the Krebs cycle towards succinate (Schwartz et al., 2009, supra).

[0164] In some embodiments requiring the intracellular availability of succinate, a PEP synthase can be overexpressed in the host to enhance the flux from pyruvate to PEP, thus increasing the carbon flux into the Krebs cycle via PEP carboxykinase or PEP carboxylase (Schwartz et al., 2009, supra).

[0165] In some embodiments requiring the intracellular availability of NADH for synthesis of C7 building blocks, an endogenous gene encoding an enzyme, such as lactate dehydrogenase, that catalyzes the degradation of pyruvate to lactate such as ldhA is attenuated (Shen et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 2011, 77(9), 2905-2915).

[0166] In some embodiments requiring the intracellular availability of NADH for synthesis of C7 building blocks, an endogenous gene encoding an enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of phophoenolpyruvate to succinate such as menaquinol-fumarate oxidoreductase encoded by frdBC is attenuated (see, e.g., Shen et al., 2011, supra).

[0167] In some embodiments requiring the intracellular availability of NADH for synthesis of C7 building blocks, an endogenous gene encoding an enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of acetyl-CoA to ethanol such as the alcohol dehydrogenase encoded by adhE is attenuated (Shen et al., 2011, supra).

[0168] In some embodiments, an endogenous gene encoding an enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of pyruvate to ethanol such as pyruvate decarboxylase is attenuated.

[0169] In some embodiments, an endogenous gene encoding an enzyme that catalyzes the generation of isobutanol such as a 2-oxoacid decarboxylase can be attenuated.

[0170] In some embodiments, where pathways require excess NADH co-factor for C7 building block synthesis, a recombinant gene encoding a formate dehydrogenase is overexpressed in the host organism (Shen et al., 2011, supra).

[0171] In some embodiments, endogenous enzymes facilitating the conversion of NADPH to NADH are attenuated, such as a NADPH-specific glutamate dehydrogenases such as classified, for example, under EC 1.4.1.4.

[0172] In some embodiments, transhydrogenases classified, for example, under EC 1.6.1.1, EC 1.6.1.2 or EC 1.6.1.3, may be attenuated.

[0173] In some embodiments, an endogenous gene encoding a glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.3) that utilizes both NADH and NADPH as co-factors is attenuated.

[0174] In some embodiments using hosts that naturally accumulate polyhydroxyalkanoates, an endogenous gene encoding a polymer synthase enzyme can be attenuated in the host strain.

[0175] In some embodiments, an L-alanine dehydrogenase can be overexpressed in the host to regenerate L-alanine from pyruvate as amino donor for .omega.-transaminase reactions.

[0176] In some embodiments, a NADH-specific dehydrogenase can be overexpressed in the host to regenerate L-glutamate from 2-oxoglutarate as amino donor for .omega.-transaminase reactions.

[0177] In some embodiments, enzymes such as pimeloyl-CoA dehydrogenase classified under, for example, EC 1.3.1.62; am acyl-CoA dehydrogenase classified under, for example, EC 1.3.8.7 or EC 1.3.8.1; and/or a glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase classified under, for example, EC 1.3.8.6 that degrade central metabolites and central precursors leading to and including C7 building blocks can be attenuated.

[0178] In some embodiments, endogenous enzymes activating C7 building blocks via Coenzyme A esterification such as CoA-ligases such as pimeloyl-CoA synthetase classified under, for example, EC 6.2.1.14 can be attenuated.

[0179] In some embodiments, an enoyl-CoA reductase can be solubilized via expression as a fusion protein with, for example, the maltose binding protein (Gloerich et al., FEBS Letters, 2006, 580, 2092-2096).

[0180] In some embodiments, the 4-hydroxy-2-oxopimelate aldolase and the 2-hydroxyhepta-2,4-dienedioate hydratase are covalently bonded to form a fusion protein.

[0181] In some embodiments, the efflux of a C7 building block across the cell membrane to the extracellular media can be enhanced or amplified by genetically engineering structural modifications to the cell membrane or increasing any associated transporter activity for a C7 building block.

[0182] The efflux of heptamethylenediamine can be enhanced or amplified by overexpressing broad substrate range multidrug transporters such as Blt from Bacillus subtilis (Woolridge et al., 1997, J. Biol. Chem., 272(14):8864-8866); AcrB and AcrD from Escherichia coli (Elkins & Nikaido, 2002, J. Bacteriol., 184(23), 6490-6499); NorA from Staphylococcus aereus (Ng et al., 1994, Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 38(6), 1345-1355); or Bmr from Bacillus subtilis (Neyfakh, 1992, Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 36(2), 484-485).

[0183] The efflux of 7-aminoheptanoate and heptamethylenediamine can be enhanced or amplified by overexpressing the solute transporters such as the lysE transporter from Corynebacterium glutamicum (Bellmann et al., 2001, Microbiology, 147, 1765-1774).

[0184] The efflux of pimelic acid can be enhanced or amplified by overexpressing a dicarboxylate transporter such as the SucE transporter from Corynebacterium glutamicum (Huhn et al., Appl. Microbiol. & Biotech., 89(2), 327-335).

Producing C7 Building Blocks Using a Recombinant Host

[0185] Typically, one or more C7 building blocks can be produced by providing a host microorganism and culturing the provided microorganism with a culture medium containing a suitable carbon source as described above. In general, the culture media and/or culture conditions can be such that the microorganisms grow to an adequate density and produce a C7 building block efficiently. For large-scale production processes, any method can be used such as those described elsewhere (Manual of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2.sup.nd Edition, Editors: A. L. Demain and J. E. Davies, ASM Press; and Principles of Fermentation Technology, P. F. Stanbury and A. Whitaker, Pergamon). Briefly, a large tank (e.g., a 100 gallon, 200 gallon, 500 gallon, or more tank) containing an appropriate culture medium is inoculated with a particular microorganism. After inoculation, the microorganism is incubated to allow biomass to be produced. Once a desired biomass is reached, the broth containing the microorganisms can be transferred to a second tank. This second tank can be any size. For example, the second tank can be larger, smaller, or the same size as the first tank. Typically, the second tank is larger than the first such that additional culture medium can be added to the broth from the first tank. In addition, the culture medium within this second tank can be the same as, or different from, that used in the first tank.

[0186] Once transferred, the microorganisms can be incubated to allow for the production of a C7 building block. Once produced, any method can be used to isolate C7 building blocks. For example, C7 building blocks can be recovered selectively from the fermentation broth via adsorption processes. In the case of pimelic acid and 7-aminoheptanoic acid, the resulting eluate can be further concentrated via evaporation, crystallized via evaporative and/or cooling crystallization, and the crystals recovered via centrifugation. In the case of heptamethylenediamine and 1,7-heptanediol, distillation may be employed to achieve the desired product purity.

[0187] The invention is further described in the following example, which does not limit the scope of the invention described in the claims.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

Enzyme Activity of Thioesterases Using Pimeloyl-CoA as a Substrate and Forming Pimelic Acid

[0188] A sequence encoding an N-terminal His tag was added to the tesB gene from Escherichia coli that encodes a thioesterase (SEQ ID NO 1, see FIG. 7A), such that an N-terminal HIS tagged thioesterase could be produced. The modified tesB gene was cloned into a pET15b expression vector under control of the T7 promoter. The expression vector was transformed into a BL21[DE3] E. coli host. The resulting recombinant E. coli strain was cultivated at 37.degree. C. in a 500 mL shake flask culture containing 50 mL Luria Broth (LB) media and antibiotic selection pressure, with shaking at 230 rpm. The culture was induced overnight at 17.degree. C. using 0.5 mM IPTG.

[0189] The pellet from the induced shake flask culture was harvested via centrifugation. The pellet was resuspended and lysed in Y-per.TM. solution (ThermoScientific, Rockford, Ill.). The cell debris was separated from the supernatant via centrifugation. The thioesterase was purified from the supernatant using Ni-affinity chromatography and the eluate was buffer exchanged and concentrated via ultrafiltration.

[0190] The enzyme activity assay was performed in triplicate in a buffer composed of 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH=7.4), 0.1 mM Elliman's reagent, and 667 .mu.M of pimeloyl-CoA (as substrate). The enzyme activity assay reaction was initiated by adding 0.8 .mu.M of the tesB gene product to the assay buffer containing the pimeloyl-CoA and incubating at 37.degree. C. for 20 min. The release of Coenzyme A was monitored by absorbance at 412 nm. The absorbance associated with the substrate only control, which contained boiled enzyme, was subtracted from the active enzyme assay absorbance and compared to the empty vector control. The gene product of tesB accepted pimeloyl-CoA as substrate as confirmed via relative spectrophotometry (see FIG. 8) and synthesized pimelate as a reaction product.

Example 2

Enzyme Activity of .omega.-Transaminase Using Pimelate Semialdehyde as Substrate and Forming 7-Aminoheptanoate

[0191] A sequence encoding an N-terminal His-tag was added to the genes from Chromobacterium violaceum, Pseudomonas syringae, Rhodobacter sphaeroides, and Vibrio Fluvialis encoding the .omega.-transaminases of SEQ ID NOs: 8, 10, 11 and 13, respectively (see FIGs. 7F-7G) such that N-terminal HIS tagged .omega.-transaminases could be produced. Each of the resulting modified genes was cloned into a pET21a expression vector under control of the T7 promoter and each expression vector was transformed into a BL21[DE3] E. coli host. The resulting recombinant E. coli strains were cultivated at 37.degree. C. in a 250 mL shake flask culture containing 50 mL LB media and antibiotic selection pressure, with shaking at 230 rpm. Each culture was induced overnight at 16.degree. C. using 1 mM IPTG.

[0192] The pellet from each induced shake flask culture was harvested via centrifugation. Each pellet was resuspended and lysed via sonication. The cell debris was separated from the supernatant via centrifugation and the cell free extract was used immediately in enzyme activity assays.

[0193] Enzyme activity assays in the reverse direction (i.e., 7-aminoheptanoate to pimelate semialdehyde) were performed in a buffer composed of a final concentration of 50 mM HEPES buffer (pH=7.5), 10 mM 7-aminoheptanoate, 10 mM pyruvate and 100 .mu.M pyridoxyl 5' phosphate. Each enzyme activity assay reaction was initiated by adding cell free extract of the .omega.-transaminase gene product or the empty vector control to the assay buffer containing the 7-aminoheptanoate and incubated at 25.degree. C. for 4 h, with shaking at 250 rpm. The formation of L-alanine from pyruvate was quantified via RP-HPLC.

[0194] Each enzyme only control without 7-aminoheptanoate demonstrated low base line conversion of pyruvate to L-alanine. See FIG. 14. The gene product of SEQ ID NO 8, SEQ ID NO 10, SEQ ID NO 11 and SEQ ID NO 13 accepted 7-aminoheptanoate as substrate as confirmed against the empty vector control. See FIG. 15.

[0195] Enzyme activity in the forward direction (i.e., pimelate semialdehyde to 7-aminoheptanoate) was confirmed for the transaminases of SEQ ID NO 10, SEQ ID NO 11 and SEQ ID NO 13. Enzyme activity assays were performed in a buffer composed of a final concentration of 50 mM HEPES buffer (pH=7.5), 10 mM pimelate semialdehyde, 10 mM L-alanine and 100 .mu.M pyridoxyl 5' phosphate. Each enzyme activity assay reaction was initiated by adding a cell free extract of the .omega.-transaminase gene product or the empty vector control to the assay buffer containing the pimelate semialdehyde and incubated at 25.degree. C. for 4 h, with shaking at 250 rpm. The formation of pyruvate was quantified via RP-HPLC.

[0196] The gene product of SEQ ID NO 10, SEQ ID NO 11 and SEQ. ID NO 13 accepted pimelate semialdehyde as substrate as confirmed against the empty vector control. See FIG. 16. The reversibility of the .omega.-transaminase activity was confirmed, demonstrating that the .omega.-transaminases of SEQ ID NO 8, SEQ ID NO 10, SEQ ID NO 11, and SEQ ID NO 13 accepted pimelate semialdehyde as substrate and synthesized 7-aminoheptanoate as a reaction product.

Example 3

Enzyme Activity of Carboxylate Reductase Using Pimelate as Substrate and Forming Pimelate Semialdehyde

[0197] A sequence encoding a HIS-tag was added to the genes from Segniliparus rugosus and Segniliparus rotundus that encode the carboxylate reductases of SEQ ID NOs: 4 and 7, respectively (see FIGS. 7C and 7F), such that N-terminal HIS tagged carboxylate reductases could be produced. Each of the modified genes was cloned into a pET Duet expression vector along with a sfP gene encoding a HIS-tagged phosphopantetheine transferase from Bacillus subtilis, both under the T7 promoter. Each expression vector was transformed into a BL21[DE3] E. coli host and the resulting recombinant E. coli strains were cultivated at 37.degree. C. in a 250 mL shake flask culture containing 50 mL LB media and antibiotic selection pressure, with shaking at 230 rpm. Each culture was induced overnight at 37.degree. C. using an auto-induction media.

[0198] The pellet from each induced shake flask culture was harvested via centrifugation. Each pellet was resuspended and lysed via sonication, and the cell debris was separated from the supernatant via centrifugation. The carboxylate reductases and phosphopantetheine transferases were purified from the supernatant using Ni-affinity chromatography, diluted 10-fold into 50 mM HEPES buffer (pH=7.5), and concentrated via ultrafiltration.

[0199] Enzyme activity assays (i.e., from pimelate to pimelate semialdehyde) were performed in triplicate in a buffer composed of a final concentration of 50 mM HEPES buffer (pH=7.5), 2 mM pimelate, 10 mM MgCl.sub.2. 1 mM ATP and 1 mM NADPH. Each enzyme activity assay reaction was initiated by adding purified carboxylate reductase and phosphopantetheine transferase gene products or the empty vector control to the assay buffer containing the pimelate and then incubated at room temperature for 20 min. The consumption of NADPH was monitored by absorbance at 340 nm. Each enzyme only control without pimelate demonstrated low base line consumption of NADPH. See FIG. 9.

[0200] The gene products of SEQ ID NO 4 and SEQ ID NO 7, enhanced by the gene product of sfp, accepted pimelate as substrate, as confirmed against the empty vector control (see FIG. 10), and synthesized pimelate semialdehyde.

Example 4

Enzyme Activity of Carboxylate Reductase Using 7-Hydroxyheptanoate as Substrate and Forming 7-Hydroxyheptanal

[0201] A sequence encoding a His-tag was added to the genes from Mycobacterium marinum, Mycobacterium smegmatis, Segniliparus rugosus, Mycobacterium smegmatis, Mycobacterium massiliense, and Segniliparus rotundas that encode the carboxylate reductases of SEQ ID NOs: 2-7 respectively (see FIGS. 7A-7F) such that N-terminal HIS tagged carboxylate reductases could be produced. Each of the modified genes was cloned into a pET Duet expression vector alongside a sfp gene encoding a His-tagged phosphopantetheine transferase from Bacillus subtilis, both under control of the T7 promoter.

[0202] Each expression vector was transformed into a BL21[DE3] E. coli host and the resulting recombinant E. coli strains were cultivated at 37.degree. C. in a 250 mL shake flask culture containing 50 mL LB media and antibiotic selection pressure, with shaking at 230 rpm. Each culture was induced overnight at 37.degree. C. using an auto-induction media.

[0203] The pellet from each induced shake flask culture was harvested via centrifugation. Each pellet was resuspended and lysed via sonication. The cell debris was separated from the supernatant via centrifugation. The carboxylate reductases and phosphopantetheine transferase were purified from the supernatant using Ni-affinity chromatography, diluted 10-fold into 50 mM HEPES buffer (pH=7.5) and concentrated via ultrafiltration.

[0204] Enzyme activity (i.e., 7-hydroxyheptanoate to 7-hydroxyheptanal) assays were performed in triplicate in a buffer composed of a final concentration of 50 mM HEPES buffer (pH=7.5), 2 mM 7-hydroxyheptanal, 10 mM MgCl.sub.2, 1 mM ATP, and 1 mM NADPH. Each enzyme activity assay reaction was initiated by adding purified carboxylate reductase and phosphopantetheine transferase or the empty vector control to the assay buffer containing the 7-hydroxyheptanoate and then incubated at room temperature for 20 min. The consumption of NADPH was monitored by absorbance at 340 nm. Each enzyme only control without 7-hydroxyheptanoate demonstrated low base line consumption of NADPH. See FIG. 9.

[0205] The gene products of SEQ ID NO 2-7, enhanced by the gene product of sfp, accepted 7-hydroxyheptanoate as substrate as confirmed against the empty vector control (see FIG. 11), and synthesized 7-hydroxyheptanal.

Example 5

Enzyme Activity of .omega.-Transaminase for 7-Aminoheptanol, Forming 7-Oxoheptanol

[0206] A nucleotide sequence encoding an N-terminal His-tag was added to the Chromobacterium violaceum, Pseudomonas syringae and Rhodobacter sphaeroides genes encoding the .omega.-transaminases of SEQ ID NOs: 8, 10 and 11, respectively (see FIGS. 7F and 7G) such that N-terminal HIS tagged .omega.-transaminases could be produced. The modified genes were cloned into a pET21a expression vector under the T7 promoter. Each expression vector was transformed into a BL21[DE3] E. coli host. Each resulting recombinant E. coli strain were cultivated at 37.degree. C. in a 250 mL shake flask culture containing 50 mL LB media and antibiotic selection pressure, with shaking at 230 rpm. Each culture was induced overnight at 16.degree. C. using 1 mM IPTG.

[0207] The pellet from each induced shake flask culture was harvested via centrifugation. Each pellet was resuspended and lysed via sonication. The cell debris was separated from the supernatant via centrifugation and the cell free extract was used immediately in enzyme activity assays.

[0208] Enzyme activity assays in the reverse direction (i.e., 7-aminoheptanol to 7-oxoheptanol) were performed in a buffer composed of a final concentration of 50 mM HEPES buffer (pH=7.5), 10 mM 7-aminoheptanol, 10 mM pyruvate, and 100 .mu.M pyridoxyl 5' phosphate. Each enzyme activity assay reaction was initiated by adding cell free extract of the .omega.-transaminase gene product or the empty vector control to the assay buffer containing the 7-aminoheptanol and then incubated at 25.degree. C. for 4 h, with shaking at 250 rpm. The formation of L-alanine was quantified via RP-HPLC.

[0209] Each enzyme only control without 7-aminoheptanol had low base line conversion of pyruvate to L-alanine. See FIG. 14.

[0210] The gene products of SEQ ID NO 8, 10 & 11 accepted 7-aminoheptanol as substrate as confirmed against the empty vector control (see FIG. 19) and synthesized 7-oxoheptanol as reaction product. Given the reversibility of the .omega.-transaminase activity (see Example 2), it can be concluded that the gene products of SEQ ID 8, 10 & 11 accept 7-oxoheptanol as substrate and form 7-aminoheptanol.

Example 6

Enzyme Activity of .omega.-Transaminase Using Heptamethylenediamine as Substrate and Forming 7-Aminoheptanal

[0211] A nucleotide sequence encoding an N-terminal His-tag was added to the Chromobacterium violaceum, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas syringae, Rhodobacter sphaeroides, Escherichia coli, and Vibrio fluvialis genes encoding the .omega.-transaminase s of SEQ ID NOs: 8-13, respectively (see FIGs. 7F and 7G) such that N-terminal HIS tagged .omega.-transaminases could be produced. The modified genes were cloned into a pET21a expression vector under the T7 promoter. Each expression vector was transformed into a BL21[DE3] E. coli host. Each resulting recombinant E. coli strain were cultivated at 37.degree. C. in a 250 mL shake flask culture containing 50 mL LB media and antibiotic selection pressure, with shaking at 230 rpm. Each culture was induced overnight at 16.degree. C. using 1 mM IPTG.

[0212] The pellet from each induced shake flask culture was harvested via centrifugation. Each pellet was resuspended and lysed via sonication. The cell debris was separated from the supernatant via centrifugation and the cell free extract was used immediately in enzyme activity assays.

[0213] Enzyme activity assays in the reverse direction (i.e., heptamethylenediamine to 7-aminoheptanal) were performed in a buffer composed of a final concentration of 50 mM HEPES buffer (pH=7.5), 10 mM heptamethylenediamine, 10 mM pyruvate, and 100 OA pyridoxyl 5' phosphate. Each enzyme activity assay reaction was initiated by adding cell free extract of the .omega.-transaminase gene product or the empty vector control to the assay buffer containing the heptamethylenediamine and then incubated at 25.degree. C. for 4 h, with shaking at 250 rpm. The formation of L-alanine was quantified via RP-HPLC.

[0214] Each enzyme only control without heptamethylenediamine had low base line conversion of pyruvate to L-alanine. See FIG. 14.

[0215] The gene products of SEQ ID NO 8-13 accepted heptamethylenediamine as substrate as confirmed against the empty vector control (see FIG. 17) and synthesized 7-aminoheptanal as reaction product. Given the reversibility of the .omega.-transaminase activity (see Example 2), it can be concluded that the gene products of SEQ ID 8-13 accept 7-aminoheptanal as substrate and form heptamethylenediamine.

Example 7

Enzyme Activity of Carboxylate Reductase for N7-Acetyl-7-Aminoheptanoate, Forming N7-Acetyl-7-Aminoheptanal

[0216] The activity of each of the N-terminal His-tagged carboxylate reductases of SEQ ID NOs: 3, 6, and 7 (see Examples 4, and FIGS. 7B, 7E, and 7F) for converting N7-acetyl-7-aminoheptanoate to N7-acetyl-7-aminoheptanal was assayed in triplicate in a buffer composed of a final concentration of 50 mM HEPES buffer (pH=7.5), 2 mM N7-acetyl-7-aminoheptanoate, 10 mM MgCl.sub.2, 1 mM ATP, and 1 mM NADPH. The assays were initiated by adding purified carboxylate reductase and phosphopantetheine transferase or the empty vector control to the assay buffer containing the N7-acetyl-7-aminoheptanoate then incubated at room temperature for 20 min. The consumption of NADPH was monitored by absorbance at 340 nm. Each enzyme only control without N7-acetyl-7-aminoheptanoate demonstrated low base line consumption of NADPH. See FIG. 9.

[0217] The gene products of SEQ ID NO 3, 6, and 7, enhanced by the gene product of sfp, accepted N7-acetyl-7-aminoheptanoate as substrate as confirmed against the empty vector control (see FIG. 12), and synthesized N7-acetyl-7-aminoheptanal.

Example 8

Enzyme Activity of .omega.-Transaminase Using N7-Acetyl-1,7-Diaminoheptane, and Forming N7-Acetyl-7-Aminoheptanal

[0218] The activity of the N-terminal His-tagged .omega.-transaminases of SEQ ID NOs: 8-13 (see Example 6, and FIGS. 7F and 7G) for converting N7-acetyl-1,7-diaminoheptane to N7-acetyl-7-aminoheptanal was assayed using a buffer composed of a final concentration of 50 mM HEPES buffer (pH=7.5), 10 mM N7-acetyl-1,7-diaminoheptane, 10 mM pyruvate and 100 .mu.M pyridoxyl 5' phosphate. Each enzyme activity assay reaction was initiated by adding a cell free extract of the .omega.-transaminase or the empty vector control to the assay buffer containing the N7-acetyl-1,7-diaminoheptane then incubated at 25.degree. C. for 4 h, with shaking at 250 rpm. The formation of L-alanine was quantified via RP-HPLC.

[0219] Each enzyme only control without N7-acetyl-1,7-diaminoheptane demonstrated low base line conversion of pyruvate to See FIG. 14.

[0220] The gene product of SEQ ID NO 8-13 accepted N7-acetyl-1,7-diaminoheptane as substrate as confirmed against the empty vector control (see FIG. 18) and synthesized N7-acetyl-7-aminoheptanal as reaction product.

[0221] Given the reversibility of the .omega.-transaminase activity (see example 2), the gene products of SEQ ID 8-13 accept N7-acetyl-7-aminoheptanal as substrate forming N7-acetyl-1,7-diaminoheptane.

Example 9

Enzyme Activity of Carboxylate Reductase Using Pimelate Semialdehyde as Substrate and Forming Heptanedial

[0222] The N-terminal His-tagged carboxylate reductase of SEQ ID NO 7 (see Example 4 and FIG. 7F) was assayed using pimelate semialdehyde as substrate. The enzyme activity assay was performed in triplicate in a buffer composed of a final concentration of 50 mM HEPES buffer (pH=7.5), 2 mM pimelate semialdehyde, 10 mM MgCl.sub.2, 1 mM ATP and 1 mM NADPH. The enzyme activity assay reaction was initiated by adding purified carboxylate reductase and phosphopantetheine transferase or the empty vector control to the assay buffer containing the pimelate semialdehyde and then incubated at room temperature for 20 min. The consumption of NADPH was monitored by absorbance at 340 nm. The enzyme only control without pimelate semialdehyde demonstrated low base line consumption of NADPH. See FIG. 9.

[0223] The gene product of SEQ ID NO 7, enhanced by the gene product of sfp, accepted pimelate semialdehyde as substrate as confirmed against the empty vector control (see FIG. 13) and synthesized heptanedial.

OTHER EMBODIMENTS

[0224] 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.

Sequence CWU 1

1

171286PRTEscherichia coli 1Met Ser Gln Ala Leu Lys Asn Leu Leu Thr Leu Leu Asn Leu Glu Lys 1 5 10 15 Ile Glu Glu Gly Leu Phe Arg Gly Gln Ser Glu Asp Leu Gly Leu Arg 20 25 30 Gln Val Phe Gly Gly Gln Val Val Gly Gln Ala Leu Tyr Ala Ala Lys 35 40 45 Glu Thr Val Pro Glu Glu Arg Leu Val His Ser Phe His Ser Tyr Phe 50 55 60 Leu Arg Pro Gly Asp Ser Lys Lys Pro Ile Ile Tyr Asp Val Glu Thr65 70 75 80 Leu Arg Asp Gly Asn Ser Phe Ser Ala Arg Arg Val Ala Ala Ile Gln 85 90 95 Asn Gly Lys Pro Ile Phe Tyr Met Thr Ala Ser Phe Gln Ala Pro Glu 100 105 110 Ala Gly Phe Glu His Gln Lys Thr Met Pro Ser Ala Pro Ala Pro Asp 115 120 125 Gly Leu Pro Ser Glu Thr Gln Ile Ala Gln Ser Leu Ala His Leu Leu 130 135 140 Pro Pro Val Leu Lys Asp Lys Phe Ile Cys Asp Arg Pro Leu Glu Val145 150 155 160 Arg Pro Val Glu Phe His Asn Pro Leu Lys Gly His Val Ala Glu Pro 165 170 175 His Arg Gln Val Trp Ile Arg Ala Asn Gly Ser Val Pro Asp Asp Leu 180 185 190 Arg Val His Gln Tyr Leu Leu Gly Tyr Ala Ser Asp Leu Asn Phe Leu 195 200 205 Pro Val Ala Leu Gln Pro His Gly Ile Gly Phe Leu Glu Pro Gly Ile 210 215 220 Gln Ile Ala Thr Ile Asp His Ser Met Trp Phe His Arg Pro Phe Asn225 230 235 240 Leu Asn Glu Trp Leu Leu Tyr Ser Val Glu Ser Thr Ser Ala Ser Ser 245 250 255 Ala Arg Gly Phe Val Arg Gly Glu Phe Tyr Thr Gln Asp Gly Val Leu 260 265 270 Val Ala Ser Thr Val Gln Glu Gly Val Met Arg Asn His Asn 275 280 285 21174PRTMycobacterium marinum 2Met Ser Pro Ile Thr Arg Glu Glu Arg Leu Glu Arg Arg Ile Gln Asp 1 5 10 15 Leu Tyr Ala Asn Asp Pro Gln Phe Ala Ala Ala Lys Pro Ala Thr Ala 20 25 30 Ile Thr Ala Ala Ile Glu Arg Pro Gly Leu Pro Leu Pro Gln Ile Ile 35 40 45 Glu Thr Val Met Thr Gly Tyr Ala Asp Arg Pro Ala Leu Ala Gln Arg 50 55 60 Ser Val Glu Phe Val Thr Asp Ala Gly Thr Gly His Thr Thr Leu Arg65 70 75 80 Leu Leu Pro His Phe Glu Thr Ile Ser Tyr Gly Glu Leu Trp Asp Arg 85 90 95 Ile Ser Ala Leu Ala Asp Val Leu Ser Thr Glu Gln Thr Val Lys Pro 100 105 110 Gly Asp Arg Val Cys Leu Leu Gly Phe Asn Ser Val Asp Tyr Ala Thr 115 120 125 Ile Asp Met Thr Leu Ala Arg Leu Gly Ala Val Ala Val Pro Leu Gln 130 135 140 Thr Ser Ala Ala Ile Thr Gln Leu Gln Pro Ile Val Ala Glu Thr Gln145 150 155 160 Pro Thr Met Ile Ala Ala Ser Val Asp Ala Leu Ala Asp Ala Thr Glu 165 170 175 Leu Ala Leu Ser Gly Gln Thr Ala Thr Arg Val Leu Val Phe Asp His 180 185 190 His Arg Gln Val Asp Ala His Arg Ala Ala Val Glu Ser Ala Arg Glu 195 200 205 Arg Leu Ala Gly Ser Ala Val Val Glu Thr Leu Ala Glu Ala Ile Ala 210 215 220 Arg Gly Asp Val Pro Arg Gly Ala Ser Ala Gly Ser Ala Pro Gly Thr225 230 235 240 Asp Val Ser Asp Asp Ser Leu Ala Leu Leu Ile Tyr Thr Ser Gly Ser 245 250 255 Thr Gly Ala Pro Lys Gly Ala Met Tyr Pro Arg Arg Asn Val Ala Thr 260 265 270 Phe Trp Arg Lys Arg Thr Trp Phe Glu Gly Gly Tyr Glu Pro Ser Ile 275 280 285 Thr Leu Asn Phe Met Pro Met Ser His Val Met Gly Arg Gln Ile Leu 290 295 300 Tyr Gly Thr Leu Cys Asn Gly Gly Thr Ala Tyr Phe Val Ala Lys Ser305 310 315 320 Asp Leu Ser Thr Leu Phe Glu Asp Leu Ala Leu Val Arg Pro Thr Glu 325 330 335 Leu Thr Phe Val Pro Arg Val Trp Asp Met Val Phe Asp Glu Phe Gln 340 345 350 Ser Glu Val Asp Arg Arg Leu Val Asp Gly Ala Asp Arg Val Ala Leu 355 360 365 Glu Ala Gln Val Lys Ala Glu Ile Arg Asn Asp Val Leu Gly Gly Arg 370 375 380 Tyr Thr Ser Ala Leu Thr Gly Ser Ala Pro Ile Ser Asp Glu Met Lys385 390 395 400 Ala Trp Val Glu Glu Leu Leu Asp Met His Leu Val Glu Gly Tyr Gly 405 410 415 Ser Thr Glu Ala Gly Met Ile Leu Ile Asp Gly Ala Ile Arg Arg Pro 420 425 430 Ala Val Leu Asp Tyr Lys Leu Val Asp Val Pro Asp Leu Gly Tyr Phe 435 440 445 Leu Thr Asp Arg Pro His Pro Arg Gly Glu Leu Leu Val Lys Thr Asp 450 455 460 Ser Leu Phe Pro Gly Tyr Tyr Gln Arg Ala Glu Val Thr Ala Asp Val465 470 475 480 Phe Asp Ala Asp Gly Phe Tyr Arg Thr Gly Asp Ile Met Ala Glu Val 485 490 495 Gly Pro Glu Gln Phe Val Tyr Leu Asp Arg Arg Asn Asn Val Leu Lys 500 505 510 Leu Ser Gln Gly Glu Phe Val Thr Val Ser Lys Leu Glu Ala Val Phe 515 520 525 Gly Asp Ser Pro Leu Val Arg Gln Ile Tyr Ile Tyr Gly Asn Ser Ala 530 535 540 Arg Ala Tyr Leu Leu Ala Val Ile Val Pro Thr Gln Glu Ala Leu Asp545 550 555 560 Ala Val Pro Val Glu Glu Leu Lys Ala Arg Leu Gly Asp Ser Leu Gln 565 570 575 Glu Val Ala Lys Ala Ala Gly Leu Gln Ser Tyr Glu Ile Pro Arg Asp 580 585 590 Phe Ile Ile Glu Thr Thr Pro Trp Thr Leu Glu Asn Gly Leu Leu Thr 595 600 605 Gly Ile Arg Lys Leu Ala Arg Pro Gln Leu Lys Lys His Tyr Gly Glu 610 615 620 Leu Leu Glu Gln Ile Tyr Thr Asp Leu Ala His Gly Gln Ala Asp Glu625 630 635 640 Leu Arg Ser Leu Arg Gln Ser Gly Ala Asp Ala Pro Val Leu Val Thr 645 650 655 Val Cys Arg Ala Ala Ala Ala Leu Leu Gly Gly Ser Ala Ser Asp Val 660 665 670 Gln Pro Asp Ala His Phe Thr Asp Leu Gly Gly Asp Ser Leu Ser Ala 675 680 685 Leu Ser Phe Thr Asn Leu Leu His Glu Ile Phe Asp Ile Glu Val Pro 690 695 700 Val Gly Val Ile Val Ser Pro Ala Asn Asp Leu Gln Ala Leu Ala Asp705 710 715 720 Tyr Val Glu Ala Ala Arg Lys Pro Gly Ser Ser Arg Pro Thr Phe Ala 725 730 735 Ser Val His Gly Ala Ser Asn Gly Gln Val Thr Glu Val His Ala Gly 740 745 750 Asp Leu Ser Leu Asp Lys Phe Ile Asp Ala Ala Thr Leu Ala Glu Ala 755 760 765 Pro Arg Leu Pro Ala Ala Asn Thr Gln Val Arg Thr Val Leu Leu Thr 770 775 780 Gly Ala Thr Gly Phe Leu Gly Arg Tyr Leu Ala Leu Glu Trp Leu Glu785 790 795 800 Arg Met Asp Leu Val Asp Gly Lys Leu Ile Cys Leu Val Arg Ala Lys 805 810 815 Ser Asp Thr Glu Ala Arg Ala Arg Leu Asp Lys Thr Phe Asp Ser Gly 820 825 830 Asp Pro Glu Leu Leu Ala His Tyr Arg Ala Leu Ala Gly Asp His Leu 835 840 845 Glu Val Leu Ala Gly Asp Lys Gly Glu Ala Asp Leu Gly Leu Asp Arg 850 855 860 Gln Thr Trp Gln Arg Leu Ala Asp Thr Val Asp Leu Ile Val Asp Pro865 870 875 880 Ala Ala Leu Val Asn His Val Leu Pro Tyr Ser Gln Leu Phe Gly Pro 885 890 895 Asn Ala Leu Gly Thr Ala Glu Leu Leu Arg Leu Ala Leu Thr Ser Lys 900 905 910 Ile Lys Pro Tyr Ser Tyr Thr Ser Thr Ile Gly Val Ala Asp Gln Ile 915 920 925 Pro Pro Ser Ala Phe Thr Glu Asp Ala Asp Ile Arg Val Ile Ser Ala 930 935 940 Thr Arg Ala Val Asp Asp Ser Tyr Ala Asn Gly Tyr Ser Asn Ser Lys945 950 955 960 Trp Ala Gly Glu Val Leu Leu Arg Glu Ala His Asp Leu Cys Gly Leu 965 970 975 Pro Val Ala Val Phe Arg Cys Asp Met Ile Leu Ala Asp Thr Thr Trp 980 985 990 Ala Gly Gln Leu Asn Val Pro Asp Met Phe Thr Arg Met Ile Leu Ser 995 1000 1005 Leu Ala Ala Thr Gly Ile Ala Pro Gly Ser Phe Tyr Glu Leu Ala Ala 1010 1015 1020 Asp Gly Ala Arg Gln Arg Ala His Tyr Asp Gly Leu Pro Val Glu Phe1025 1030 1035 1040 Ile Ala Glu Ala Ile Ser Thr Leu Gly Ala Gln Ser Gln Asp Gly Phe 1045 1050 1055 His Thr Tyr His Val Met Asn Pro Tyr Asp Asp Gly Ile Gly Leu Asp 1060 1065 1070 Glu Phe Val Asp Trp Leu Asn Glu Ser Gly Cys Pro Ile Gln Arg Ile 1075 1080 1085 Ala Asp Tyr Gly Asp Trp Leu Gln Arg Phe Glu Thr Ala Leu Arg Ala 1090 1095 1100 Leu Pro Asp Arg Gln Arg His Ser Ser Leu Leu Pro Leu Leu His Asn1105 1110 1115 1120 Tyr Arg Gln Pro Glu Arg Pro Val Arg Gly Ser Ile Ala Pro Thr Asp 1125 1130 1135 Arg Phe Arg Ala Ala Val Gln Glu Ala Lys Ile Gly Pro Asp Lys Asp 1140 1145 1150 Ile Pro His Val Gly Ala Pro Ile Ile Val Lys Tyr Val Ser Asp Leu 1155 1160 1165 Arg Leu Leu Gly Leu Leu 1170 31173PRTMycobacterium smegmatis 3Met Thr Ser Asp Val His Asp Ala Thr Asp Gly Val Thr Glu Thr Ala 1 5 10 15 Leu Asp Asp Glu Gln Ser Thr Arg Arg Ile Ala Glu Leu Tyr Ala Thr 20 25 30 Asp Pro Glu Phe Ala Ala Ala Ala Pro Leu Pro Ala Val Val Asp Ala 35 40 45 Ala His Lys Pro Gly Leu Arg Leu Ala Glu Ile Leu Gln Thr Leu Phe 50 55 60 Thr Gly Tyr Gly Asp Arg Pro Ala Leu Gly Tyr Arg Ala Arg Glu Leu65 70 75 80 Ala Thr Asp Glu Gly Gly Arg Thr Val Thr Arg Leu Leu Pro Arg Phe 85 90 95 Asp Thr Leu Thr Tyr Ala Gln Val Trp Ser Arg Val Gln Ala Val Ala 100 105 110 Ala Ala Leu Arg His Asn Phe Ala Gln Pro Ile Tyr Pro Gly Asp Ala 115 120 125 Val Ala Thr Ile Gly Phe Ala Ser Pro Asp Tyr Leu Thr Leu Asp Leu 130 135 140 Val Cys Ala Tyr Leu Gly Leu Val Ser Val Pro Leu Gln His Asn Ala145 150 155 160 Pro Val Ser Arg Leu Ala Pro Ile Leu Ala Glu Val Glu Pro Arg Ile 165 170 175 Leu Thr Val Ser Ala Glu Tyr Leu Asp Leu Ala Val Glu Ser Val Arg 180 185 190 Asp Val Asn Ser Val Ser Gln Leu Val Val Phe Asp His His Pro Glu 195 200 205 Val Asp Asp His Arg Asp Ala Leu Ala Arg Ala Arg Glu Gln Leu Ala 210 215 220 Gly Lys Gly Ile Ala Val Thr Thr Leu Asp Ala Ile Ala Asp Glu Gly225 230 235 240 Ala Gly Leu Pro Ala Glu Pro Ile Tyr Thr Ala Asp His Asp Gln Arg 245 250 255 Leu Ala Met Ile Leu Tyr Thr Ser Gly Ser Thr Gly Ala Pro Lys Gly 260 265 270 Ala Met Tyr Thr Glu Ala Met Val Ala Arg Leu Trp Thr Met Ser Phe 275 280 285 Ile Thr Gly Asp Pro Thr Pro Val Ile Asn Val Asn Phe Met Pro Leu 290 295 300 Asn His Leu Gly Gly Arg Ile Pro Ile Ser Thr Ala Val Gln Asn Gly305 310 315 320 Gly Thr Ser Tyr Phe Val Pro Glu Ser Asp Met Ser Thr Leu Phe Glu 325 330 335 Asp Leu Ala Leu Val Arg Pro Thr Glu Leu Gly Leu Val Pro Arg Val 340 345 350 Ala Asp Met Leu Tyr Gln His His Leu Ala Thr Val Asp Arg Leu Val 355 360 365 Thr Gln Gly Ala Asp Glu Leu Thr Ala Glu Lys Gln Ala Gly Ala Glu 370 375 380 Leu Arg Glu Gln Val Leu Gly Gly Arg Val Ile Thr Gly Phe Val Ser385 390 395 400 Thr Ala Pro Leu Ala Ala Glu Met Arg Ala Phe Leu Asp Ile Thr Leu 405 410 415 Gly Ala His Ile Val Asp Gly Tyr Gly Leu Thr Glu Thr Gly Ala Val 420 425 430 Thr Arg Asp Gly Val Ile Val Arg Pro Pro Val Ile Asp Tyr Lys Leu 435 440 445 Ile Asp Val Pro Glu Leu Gly Tyr Phe Ser Thr Asp Lys Pro Tyr Pro 450 455 460 Arg Gly Glu Leu Leu Val Arg Ser Gln Thr Leu Thr Pro Gly Tyr Tyr465 470 475 480 Lys Arg Pro Glu Val Thr Ala Ser Val Phe Asp Arg Asp Gly Tyr Tyr 485 490 495 His Thr Gly Asp Val Met Ala Glu Thr Ala Pro Asp His Leu Val Tyr 500 505 510 Val Asp Arg Arg Asn Asn Val Leu Lys Leu Ala Gln Gly Glu Phe Val 515 520 525 Ala Val Ala Asn Leu Glu Ala Val Phe Ser Gly Ala Ala Leu Val Arg 530 535 540 Gln Ile Phe Val Tyr Gly Asn Ser Glu Arg Ser Phe Leu Leu Ala Val545 550 555 560 Val Val Pro Thr Pro Glu Ala Leu Glu Gln Tyr Asp Pro Ala Ala Leu 565 570 575 Lys Ala Ala Leu Ala Asp Ser Leu Gln Arg Thr Ala Arg Asp Ala Glu 580 585 590 Leu Gln Ser Tyr Glu Val Pro Ala Asp Phe Ile Val Glu Thr Glu Pro 595 600 605 Phe Ser Ala Ala Asn Gly Leu Leu Ser Gly Val Gly Lys Leu Leu Arg 610 615 620 Pro Asn Leu Lys Asp Arg Tyr Gly Gln Arg Leu Glu Gln Met Tyr Ala625 630 635 640 Asp Ile Ala Ala Thr Gln Ala Asn Gln Leu Arg Glu Leu Arg Arg Ala 645 650 655 Ala Ala Thr Gln Pro Val Ile Asp Thr Leu Thr Gln Ala Ala Ala Thr 660 665 670 Ile Leu Gly Thr Gly Ser Glu Val Ala Ser Asp Ala His Phe Thr Asp 675 680 685 Leu Gly Gly Asp Ser Leu Ser Ala Leu Thr Leu Ser Asn Leu Leu Ser 690 695 700 Asp Phe Phe Gly Phe Glu Val Pro Val Gly Thr Ile Val Asn Pro Ala705 710 715 720 Thr Asn Leu Ala Gln Leu Ala Gln His Ile Glu Ala Gln Arg Thr Ala 725 730 735 Gly Asp Arg Arg Pro Ser Phe Thr Thr Val His Gly Ala Asp Ala Thr 740 745 750 Glu Ile Arg Ala Ser Glu Leu Thr Leu Asp Lys Phe Ile Asp Ala Glu 755 760 765 Thr Leu Arg Ala Ala Pro Gly Leu Pro Lys Val Thr Thr Glu Pro Arg 770 775 780 Thr Val Leu Leu Ser Gly Ala Asn Gly Trp Leu Gly Arg Phe Leu Thr785 790 795 800 Leu Gln Trp Leu Glu Arg Leu Ala Pro Val Gly Gly Thr Leu Ile Thr 805 810 815 Ile Val Arg Gly Arg Asp Asp Ala Ala Ala Arg Ala Arg Leu Thr Gln 820 825 830 Ala Tyr Asp Thr Asp Pro Glu Leu Ser Arg Arg Phe Ala Glu Leu Ala 835 840

845 Asp Arg His Leu Arg Val Val Ala Gly Asp Ile Gly Asp Pro Asn Leu 850 855 860 Gly Leu Thr Pro Glu Ile Trp His Arg Leu Ala Ala Glu Val Asp Leu865 870 875 880 Val Val His Pro Ala Ala Leu Val Asn His Val Leu Pro Tyr Arg Gln 885 890 895 Leu Phe Gly Pro Asn Val Val Gly Thr Ala Glu Val Ile Lys Leu Ala 900 905 910 Leu Thr Glu Arg Ile Lys Pro Val Thr Tyr Leu Ser Thr Val Ser Val 915 920 925 Ala Met Gly Ile Pro Asp Phe Glu Glu Asp Gly Asp Ile Arg Thr Val 930 935 940 Ser Pro Val Arg Pro Leu Asp Gly Gly Tyr Ala Asn Gly Tyr Gly Asn945 950 955 960 Ser Lys Trp Ala Gly Glu Val Leu Leu Arg Glu Ala His Asp Leu Cys 965 970 975 Gly Leu Pro Val Ala Thr Phe Arg Ser Asp Met Ile Leu Ala His Pro 980 985 990 Arg Tyr Arg Gly Gln Val Asn Val Pro Asp Met Phe Thr Arg Leu Leu 995 1000 1005 Leu Ser Leu Leu Ile Thr Gly Val Ala Pro Arg Ser Phe Tyr Ile Gly 1010 1015 1020 Asp Gly Glu Arg Pro Arg Ala His Tyr Pro Gly Leu Thr Val Asp Phe1025 1030 1035 1040 Val Ala Glu Ala Val Thr Thr Leu Gly Ala Gln Gln Arg Glu Gly Tyr 1045 1050 1055 Val Ser Tyr Asp Val Met Asn Pro His Asp Asp Gly Ile Ser Leu Asp 1060 1065 1070 Val Phe Val Asp Trp Leu Ile Arg Ala Gly His Pro Ile Asp Arg Val 1075 1080 1085 Asp Asp Tyr Asp Asp Trp Val Arg Arg Phe Glu Thr Ala Leu Thr Ala 1090 1095 1100 Leu Pro Glu Lys Arg Arg Ala Gln Thr Val Leu Pro Leu Leu His Ala1105 1110 1115 1120 Phe Arg Ala Pro Gln Ala Pro Leu Arg Gly Ala Pro Glu Pro Thr Glu 1125 1130 1135 Val Phe His Ala Ala Val Arg Thr Ala Lys Val Gly Pro Gly Asp Ile 1140 1145 1150 Pro His Leu Asp Glu Ala Leu Ile Asp Lys Tyr Ile Arg Asp Leu Arg 1155 1160 1165 Glu Phe Gly Leu Ile 1170 41148PRTSegniliparus rugosus 4Met Gly Asp Gly Glu Glu Arg Ala Lys Arg Phe Phe Gln Arg Ile Gly 1 5 10 15 Glu Leu Ser Ala Thr Asp Pro Gln Phe Ala Ala Ala Ala Pro Asp Pro 20 25 30 Ala Val Val Glu Ala Val Ser Asp Pro Ser Leu Ser Phe Thr Arg Tyr 35 40 45 Leu Asp Thr Leu Met Arg Gly Tyr Ala Glu Arg Pro Ala Leu Ala His 50 55 60 Arg Val Gly Ala Gly Tyr Glu Thr Ile Ser Tyr Gly Glu Leu Trp Ala65 70 75 80 Arg Val Gly Ala Ile Ala Ala Ala Trp Gln Ala Asp Gly Leu Ala Pro 85 90 95 Gly Asp Phe Val Ala Thr Val Gly Phe Thr Ser Pro Asp Tyr Val Ala 100 105 110 Val Asp Leu Ala Ala Ala Arg Ser Gly Leu Val Ser Val Pro Leu Gln 115 120 125 Ala Gly Ala Ser Leu Ala Gln Leu Val Gly Ile Leu Glu Glu Thr Glu 130 135 140 Pro Lys Val Leu Ala Ala Ser Ala Ser Ser Leu Glu Gly Ala Val Ala145 150 155 160 Cys Ala Leu Ala Ala Pro Ser Val Gln Arg Leu Val Val Phe Asp Leu 165 170 175 Arg Gly Pro Asp Ala Ser Glu Ser Ala Ala Asp Glu Arg Arg Gly Ala 180 185 190 Leu Ala Asp Ala Glu Glu Gln Leu Ala Arg Ala Gly Arg Ala Val Val 195 200 205 Val Glu Thr Leu Ala Asp Leu Ala Ala Arg Gly Glu Ala Leu Pro Glu 210 215 220 Ala Pro Leu Phe Glu Pro Ala Glu Gly Glu Asp Pro Leu Ala Leu Leu225 230 235 240 Ile Tyr Thr Ser Gly Ser Thr Gly Ala Pro Lys Gly Ala Met Tyr Ser 245 250 255 Gln Arg Leu Val Ser Gln Leu Trp Gly Arg Thr Pro Val Val Pro Gly 260 265 270 Met Pro Asn Ile Ser Leu His Tyr Met Pro Leu Ser His Ser Tyr Gly 275 280 285 Arg Ala Val Leu Ala Gly Ala Leu Ser Ala Gly Gly Thr Ala His Phe 290 295 300 Thr Ala Asn Ser Asp Leu Ser Thr Leu Phe Glu Asp Ile Ala Leu Ala305 310 315 320 Arg Pro Thr Phe Leu Ala Leu Val Pro Arg Val Cys Glu Met Leu Phe 325 330 335 Gln Glu Ser Gln Arg Gly Gln Asp Val Ala Glu Leu Arg Glu Arg Val 340 345 350 Leu Gly Gly Arg Leu Leu Val Ala Val Cys Gly Ser Ala Pro Leu Ser 355 360 365 Pro Glu Met Arg Ala Phe Met Glu Glu Val Leu Gly Phe Pro Leu Leu 370 375 380 Asp Gly Tyr Gly Ser Thr Glu Ala Leu Gly Val Met Arg Asn Gly Ile385 390 395 400 Ile Gln Arg Pro Pro Val Ile Asp Tyr Lys Leu Val Asp Val Pro Glu 405 410 415 Leu Gly Tyr Arg Thr Thr Asp Lys Pro Tyr Pro Arg Gly Glu Leu Cys 420 425 430 Ile Arg Ser Thr Ser Leu Ile Ser Gly Tyr Tyr Lys Arg Pro Glu Ile 435 440 445 Thr Ala Glu Val Phe Asp Ala Gln Gly Tyr Tyr Lys Thr Gly Asp Val 450 455 460 Met Ala Glu Ile Ala Pro Asp His Leu Val Tyr Val Asp Arg Ser Lys465 470 475 480 Asn Val Leu Lys Leu Ser Gln Gly Glu Phe Val Ala Val Ala Lys Leu 485 490 495 Glu Ala Ala Tyr Gly Thr Ser Pro Tyr Val Lys Gln Ile Phe Val Tyr 500 505 510 Gly Asn Ser Glu Arg Ser Phe Leu Leu Ala Val Val Val Pro Asn Ala 515 520 525 Glu Val Leu Gly Ala Arg Asp Gln Glu Glu Ala Lys Pro Leu Ile Ala 530 535 540 Ala Ser Leu Gln Lys Ile Ala Lys Glu Ala Gly Leu Gln Ser Tyr Glu545 550 555 560 Val Pro Arg Asp Phe Leu Ile Glu Thr Glu Pro Phe Thr Thr Gln Asn 565 570 575 Gly Leu Leu Ser Glu Val Gly Lys Leu Leu Arg Pro Lys Leu Lys Ala 580 585 590 Arg Tyr Gly Glu Ala Leu Glu Ala Arg Tyr Asp Glu Ile Ala His Gly 595 600 605 Gln Ala Asp Glu Leu Arg Ala Leu Arg Asp Gly Ala Gly Gln Arg Pro 610 615 620 Val Val Glu Thr Val Val Arg Ala Ala Val Ala Ile Ser Gly Ser Glu625 630 635 640 Gly Ala Glu Val Gly Pro Glu Ala Asn Phe Ala Asp Leu Gly Gly Asp 645 650 655 Ser Leu Ser Ala Leu Ser Leu Ala Asn Leu Leu His Asp Val Phe Glu 660 665 670 Val Glu Val Pro Val Arg Ile Ile Ile Gly Pro Thr Ala Ser Leu Ala 675 680 685 Gly Ile Ala Lys His Ile Glu Ala Glu Arg Ala Gly Ala Ser Ala Pro 690 695 700 Thr Ala Ala Ser Val His Gly Ala Gly Ala Thr Arg Ile Arg Ala Ser705 710 715 720 Glu Leu Thr Leu Glu Lys Phe Leu Pro Glu Asp Leu Leu Ala Ala Ala 725 730 735 Lys Gly Leu Pro Ala Ala Asp Gln Val Arg Thr Val Leu Leu Thr Gly 740 745 750 Ala Asn Gly Trp Leu Gly Arg Phe Leu Ala Leu Glu Gln Leu Glu Arg 755 760 765 Leu Ala Arg Ser Gly Gln Asp Gly Gly Lys Leu Ile Cys Leu Val Arg 770 775 780 Gly Lys Asp Ala Ala Ala Ala Arg Arg Arg Ile Glu Glu Thr Leu Gly785 790 795 800 Thr Asp Pro Ala Leu Ala Ala Arg Phe Ala Glu Leu Ala Glu Gly Arg 805 810 815 Leu Glu Val Val Pro Gly Asp Val Gly Glu Pro Lys Phe Gly Leu Asp 820 825 830 Asp Ala Ala Trp Asp Arg Leu Ala Glu Glu Val Asp Val Ile Val His 835 840 845 Pro Ala Ala Leu Val Asn His Val Leu Pro Tyr His Gln Leu Phe Gly 850 855 860 Pro Asn Val Val Gly Thr Ala Glu Ile Ile Arg Leu Ala Ile Thr Ala865 870 875 880 Lys Arg Lys Pro Val Thr Tyr Leu Ser Thr Val Ala Val Ala Ala Gly 885 890 895 Val Glu Pro Ser Ser Phe Glu Glu Asp Gly Asp Ile Arg Ala Val Val 900 905 910 Pro Glu Arg Pro Leu Gly Asp Gly Tyr Ala Asn Gly Tyr Gly Asn Ser 915 920 925 Lys Trp Ala Gly Glu Val Leu Leu Arg Glu Ala His Glu Leu Val Gly 930 935 940 Leu Pro Val Ala Val Phe Arg Ser Asp Met Ile Leu Ala His Thr Arg945 950 955 960 Tyr Thr Gly Gln Leu Asn Val Pro Asp Gln Phe Thr Arg Leu Val Leu 965 970 975 Ser Leu Leu Ala Thr Gly Ile Ala Pro Lys Ser Phe Tyr Gln Gln Gly 980 985 990 Ala Ala Gly Glu Arg Gln Arg Ala His Tyr Asp Gly Ile Pro Val Asp 995 1000 1005 Phe Thr Ala Glu Ala Ile Thr Thr Leu Gly Ala Glu Pro Ser Trp Phe 1010 1015 1020 Asp Gly Gly Ala Gly Phe Arg Ser Phe Asp Val Phe Asn Pro His His1025 1030 1035 1040 Asp Gly Val Gly Leu Asp Glu Phe Val Asp Trp Leu Ile Glu Ala Gly 1045 1050 1055 His Pro Ile Ser Arg Ile Asp Asp His Lys Glu Trp Phe Ala Arg Phe 1060 1065 1070 Glu Thr Ala Val Arg Gly Leu Pro Glu Ala Gln Arg Gln His Ser Leu 1075 1080 1085 Leu Pro Leu Leu Arg Ala Tyr Ser Phe Pro His Pro Pro Val Asp Gly 1090 1095 1100 Ser Val Tyr Pro Thr Gly Lys Phe Gln Gly Ala Val Lys Ala Ala Gln1105 1110 1115 1120 Val Gly Ser Asp His Asp Val Pro His Leu Gly Lys Ala Leu Ile Val 1125 1130 1135 Lys Tyr Ala Asp Asp Leu Lys Ala Leu Gly Leu Leu 1140 1145 51168PRTMycobacterium smegmatis 5Met Thr Ile Glu Thr Arg Glu Asp Arg Phe Asn Arg Arg Ile Asp His 1 5 10 15 Leu Phe Glu Thr Asp Pro Gln Phe Ala Ala Ala Arg Pro Asp Glu Ala 20 25 30 Ile Ser Ala Ala Ala Ala Asp Pro Glu Leu Arg Leu Pro Ala Ala Val 35 40 45 Lys Gln Ile Leu Ala Gly Tyr Ala Asp Arg Pro Ala Leu Gly Lys Arg 50 55 60 Ala Val Glu Phe Val Thr Asp Glu Glu Gly Arg Thr Thr Ala Lys Leu65 70 75 80 Leu Pro Arg Phe Asp Thr Ile Thr Tyr Arg Gln Leu Ala Gly Arg Ile 85 90 95 Gln Ala Val Thr Asn Ala Trp His Asn His Pro Val Asn Ala Gly Asp 100 105 110 Arg Val Ala Ile Leu Gly Phe Thr Ser Val Asp Tyr Thr Thr Ile Asp 115 120 125 Ile Ala Leu Leu Glu Leu Gly Ala Val Ser Val Pro Leu Gln Thr Ser 130 135 140 Ala Pro Val Ala Gln Leu Gln Pro Ile Val Ala Glu Thr Glu Pro Lys145 150 155 160 Val Ile Ala Ser Ser Val Asp Phe Leu Ala Asp Ala Val Ala Leu Val 165 170 175 Glu Ser Gly Pro Ala Pro Ser Arg Leu Val Val Phe Asp Tyr Ser His 180 185 190 Glu Val Asp Asp Gln Arg Glu Ala Phe Glu Ala Ala Lys Gly Lys Leu 195 200 205 Ala Gly Thr Gly Val Val Val Glu Thr Ile Thr Asp Ala Leu Asp Arg 210 215 220 Gly Arg Ser Leu Ala Asp Ala Pro Leu Tyr Val Pro Asp Glu Ala Asp225 230 235 240 Pro Leu Thr Leu Leu Ile Tyr Thr Ser Gly Ser Thr Gly Thr Pro Lys 245 250 255 Gly Ala Met Tyr Pro Glu Ser Lys Thr Ala Thr Met Trp Gln Ala Gly 260 265 270 Ser Lys Ala Arg Trp Asp Glu Thr Leu Gly Val Met Pro Ser Ile Thr 275 280 285 Leu Asn Phe Met Pro Met Ser His Val Met Gly Arg Gly Ile Leu Cys 290 295 300 Ser Thr Leu Ala Ser Gly Gly Thr Ala Tyr Phe Ala Ala Arg Ser Asp305 310 315 320 Leu Ser Thr Phe Leu Glu Asp Leu Ala Leu Val Arg Pro Thr Gln Leu 325 330 335 Asn Phe Val Pro Arg Ile Trp Asp Met Leu Phe Gln Glu Tyr Gln Ser 340 345 350 Arg Leu Asp Asn Arg Arg Ala Glu Gly Ser Glu Asp Arg Ala Glu Ala 355 360 365 Ala Val Leu Glu Glu Val Arg Thr Gln Leu Leu Gly Gly Arg Phe Val 370 375 380 Ser Ala Leu Thr Gly Ser Ala Pro Ile Ser Ala Glu Met Lys Ser Trp385 390 395 400 Val Glu Asp Leu Leu Asp Met His Leu Leu Glu Gly Tyr Gly Ser Thr 405 410 415 Glu Ala Gly Ala Val Phe Ile Asp Gly Gln Ile Gln Arg Pro Pro Val 420 425 430 Ile Asp Tyr Lys Leu Val Asp Val Pro Asp Leu Gly Tyr Phe Ala Thr 435 440 445 Asp Arg Pro Tyr Pro Arg Gly Glu Leu Leu Val Lys Ser Glu Gln Met 450 455 460 Phe Pro Gly Tyr Tyr Lys Arg Pro Glu Ile Thr Ala Glu Met Phe Asp465 470 475 480 Glu Asp Gly Tyr Tyr Arg Thr Gly Asp Ile Val Ala Glu Leu Gly Pro 485 490 495 Asp His Leu Glu Tyr Leu Asp Arg Arg Asn Asn Val Leu Lys Leu Ser 500 505 510 Gln Gly Glu Phe Val Thr Val Ser Lys Leu Glu Ala Val Phe Gly Asp 515 520 525 Ser Pro Leu Val Arg Gln Ile Tyr Val Tyr Gly Asn Ser Ala Arg Ser 530 535 540 Tyr Leu Leu Ala Val Val Val Pro Thr Glu Glu Ala Leu Ser Arg Trp545 550 555 560 Asp Gly Asp Glu Leu Lys Ser Arg Ile Ser Asp Ser Leu Gln Asp Ala 565 570 575 Ala Arg Ala Ala Gly Leu Gln Ser Tyr Glu Ile Pro Arg Asp Phe Leu 580 585 590 Val Glu Thr Thr Pro Phe Thr Leu Glu Asn Gly Leu Leu Thr Gly Ile 595 600 605 Arg Lys Leu Ala Arg Pro Lys Leu Lys Ala His Tyr Gly Glu Arg Leu 610 615 620 Glu Gln Leu Tyr Thr Asp Leu Ala Glu Gly Gln Ala Asn Glu Leu Arg625 630 635 640 Glu Leu Arg Arg Asn Gly Ala Asp Arg Pro Val Val Glu Thr Val Ser 645 650 655 Arg Ala Ala Val Ala Leu Leu Gly Ala Ser Val Thr Asp Leu Arg Ser 660 665 670 Asp Ala His Phe Thr Asp Leu Gly Gly Asp Ser Leu Ser Ala Leu Ser 675 680 685 Phe Ser Asn Leu Leu His Glu Ile Phe Asp Val Asp Val Pro Val Gly 690 695 700 Val Ile Val Ser Pro Ala Thr Asp Leu Ala Gly Val Ala Ala Tyr Ile705 710 715 720 Glu Gly Glu Leu Arg Gly Ser Lys Arg Pro Thr Tyr Ala Ser Val His 725 730 735 Gly Arg Asp Ala Thr Glu Val Arg Ala Arg Asp Leu Ala Leu Gly Lys 740 745 750 Phe Ile Asp Ala Lys Thr Leu Ser Ala Ala Pro Gly Leu Pro Arg Ser 755 760 765 Gly Thr Glu Ile Arg Thr Val Leu Leu Thr Gly Ala Thr Gly Phe Leu 770 775 780 Gly Arg Tyr Leu Ala Leu Glu Trp Leu Glu Arg Met Asp Leu Val Asp785 790 795 800 Gly Lys Val Ile Cys Leu Val Arg Ala Arg Ser Asp Asp Glu Ala Arg 805 810 815 Ala Arg Leu Asp Ala Thr Phe Asp Thr Gly Asp Ala Thr Leu Leu Glu 820 825

830 His Tyr Arg Ala Leu Ala Ala Asp His Leu Glu Val Ile Ala Gly Asp 835 840 845 Lys Gly Glu Ala Asp Leu Gly Leu Asp His Asp Thr Trp Gln Arg Leu 850 855 860 Ala Asp Thr Val Asp Leu Ile Val Asp Pro Ala Ala Leu Val Asn His865 870 875 880 Val Leu Pro Tyr Ser Gln Met Phe Gly Pro Asn Ala Leu Gly Thr Ala 885 890 895 Glu Leu Ile Arg Ile Ala Leu Thr Thr Thr Ile Lys Pro Tyr Val Tyr 900 905 910 Val Ser Thr Ile Gly Val Gly Gln Gly Ile Ser Pro Glu Ala Phe Val 915 920 925 Glu Asp Ala Asp Ile Arg Glu Ile Ser Ala Thr Arg Arg Val Asp Asp 930 935 940 Ser Tyr Ala Asn Gly Tyr Gly Asn Ser Lys Trp Ala Gly Glu Val Leu945 950 955 960 Leu Arg Glu Ala His Asp Trp Cys Gly Leu Pro Val Ser Val Phe Arg 965 970 975 Cys Asp Met Ile Leu Ala Asp Thr Thr Tyr Ser Gly Gln Leu Asn Leu 980 985 990 Pro Asp Met Phe Thr Arg Leu Met Leu Ser Leu Val Ala Thr Gly Ile 995 1000 1005 Ala Pro Gly Ser Phe Tyr Glu Leu Asp Ala Asp Gly Asn Arg Gln Arg 1010 1015 1020 Ala His Tyr Asp Gly Leu Pro Val Glu Phe Ile Ala Glu Ala Ile Ser1025 1030 1035 1040 Thr Ile Gly Ser Gln Val Thr Asp Gly Phe Glu Thr Phe His Val Met 1045 1050 1055 Asn Pro Tyr Asp Asp Gly Ile Gly Leu Asp Glu Tyr Val Asp Trp Leu 1060 1065 1070 Ile Glu Ala Gly Tyr Pro Val His Arg Val Asp Asp Tyr Ala Thr Trp 1075 1080 1085 Leu Ser Arg Phe Glu Thr Ala Leu Arg Ala Leu Pro Glu Arg Gln Arg 1090 1095 1100 Gln Ala Ser Leu Leu Pro Leu Leu His Asn Tyr Gln Gln Pro Ser Pro1105 1110 1115 1120 Pro Val Cys Gly Ala Met Ala Pro Thr Asp Arg Phe Arg Ala Ala Val 1125 1130 1135 Gln Asp Ala Lys Ile Gly Pro Asp Lys Asp Ile Pro His Val Thr Ala 1140 1145 1150 Asp Val Ile Val Lys Tyr Ile Ser Asn Leu Gln Met Leu Gly Leu Leu 1155 1160 1165 61185PRTMycobacterium massiliense 6Met Thr Asn Glu Thr Asn Pro Gln Gln Glu Gln Leu Ser Arg Arg Ile 1 5 10 15 Glu Ser Leu Arg Glu Ser Asp Pro Gln Phe Arg Ala Ala Gln Pro Asp 20 25 30 Pro Ala Val Ala Glu Gln Val Leu Arg Pro Gly Leu His Leu Ser Glu 35 40 45 Ala Ile Ala Ala Leu Met Thr Gly Tyr Ala Glu Arg Pro Ala Leu Gly 50 55 60 Glu Arg Ala Arg Glu Leu Val Ile Asp Gln Asp Gly Arg Thr Thr Leu65 70 75 80 Arg Leu Leu Pro Arg Phe Asp Thr Thr Thr Tyr Gly Glu Leu Trp Ser 85 90 95 Arg Thr Thr Ser Val Ala Ala Ala Trp His His Asp Ala Thr His Pro 100 105 110 Val Lys Ala Gly Asp Leu Val Ala Thr Leu Gly Phe Thr Ser Ile Asp 115 120 125 Tyr Thr Val Leu Asp Leu Ala Ile Met Ile Leu Gly Gly Val Ala Val 130 135 140 Pro Leu Gln Thr Ser Ala Pro Ala Ser Gln Trp Thr Thr Ile Leu Ala145 150 155 160 Glu Ala Glu Pro Asn Thr Leu Ala Val Ser Ile Glu Leu Ile Gly Ala 165 170 175 Ala Met Glu Ser Val Arg Ala Thr Pro Ser Ile Lys Gln Val Val Val 180 185 190 Phe Asp Tyr Thr Pro Glu Val Asp Asp Gln Arg Glu Ala Phe Glu Ala 195 200 205 Ala Ser Thr Gln Leu Ala Gly Thr Gly Ile Ala Leu Glu Thr Leu Asp 210 215 220 Ala Val Ile Ala Arg Gly Ala Ala Leu Pro Ala Ala Pro Leu Tyr Ala225 230 235 240 Pro Ser Ala Gly Asp Asp Pro Leu Ala Leu Leu Ile Tyr Thr Ser Gly 245 250 255 Ser Thr Gly Ala Pro Lys Gly Ala Met His Ser Glu Asn Ile Val Arg 260 265 270 Arg Trp Trp Ile Arg Glu Asp Val Met Ala Gly Thr Glu Asn Leu Pro 275 280 285 Met Ile Gly Leu Asn Phe Met Pro Met Ser His Ile Met Gly Arg Gly 290 295 300 Thr Leu Thr Ser Thr Leu Ser Thr Gly Gly Thr Gly Tyr Phe Ala Ala305 310 315 320 Ser Ser Asp Met Ser Thr Leu Phe Glu Asp Met Glu Leu Ile Arg Pro 325 330 335 Thr Ala Leu Ala Leu Val Pro Arg Val Cys Asp Met Val Phe Gln Arg 340 345 350 Phe Gln Thr Glu Val Asp Arg Arg Leu Ala Ser Gly Asp Thr Ala Ser 355 360 365 Ala Glu Ala Val Ala Ala Glu Val Lys Ala Asp Ile Arg Asp Asn Leu 370 375 380 Phe Gly Gly Arg Val Ser Ala Val Met Val Gly Ser Ala Pro Leu Ser385 390 395 400 Glu Glu Leu Gly Glu Phe Ile Glu Ser Cys Phe Glu Leu Asn Leu Thr 405 410 415 Asp Gly Tyr Gly Ser Thr Glu Ala Gly Met Val Phe Arg Asp Gly Ile 420 425 430 Val Gln Arg Pro Pro Val Ile Asp Tyr Lys Leu Val Asp Val Pro Glu 435 440 445 Leu Gly Tyr Phe Ser Thr Asp Lys Pro His Pro Arg Gly Glu Leu Leu 450 455 460 Leu Lys Thr Asp Gly Met Phe Leu Gly Tyr Tyr Lys Arg Pro Glu Val465 470 475 480 Thr Ala Ser Val Phe Asp Ala Asp Gly Phe Tyr Met Thr Gly Asp Ile 485 490 495 Val Ala Glu Leu Ala His Asp Asn Ile Glu Ile Ile Asp Arg Arg Asn 500 505 510 Asn Val Leu Lys Leu Ser Gln Gly Glu Phe Val Ala Val Ala Thr Leu 515 520 525 Glu Ala Glu Tyr Ala Asn Ser Pro Val Val His Gln Ile Tyr Val Tyr 530 535 540 Gly Ser Ser Glu Arg Ser Tyr Leu Leu Ala Val Val Val Pro Thr Pro545 550 555 560 Glu Ala Val Ala Ala Ala Lys Gly Asp Ala Ala Ala Leu Lys Thr Thr 565 570 575 Ile Ala Asp Ser Leu Gln Asp Ile Ala Lys Glu Ile Gln Leu Gln Ser 580 585 590 Tyr Glu Val Pro Arg Asp Phe Ile Ile Glu Pro Gln Pro Phe Thr Gln 595 600 605 Gly Asn Gly Leu Leu Thr Gly Ile Ala Lys Leu Ala Arg Pro Asn Leu 610 615 620 Lys Ala His Tyr Gly Pro Arg Leu Glu Gln Met Tyr Ala Glu Ile Ala625 630 635 640 Glu Gln Gln Ala Ala Glu Leu Arg Ala Leu His Gly Val Asp Pro Asp 645 650 655 Lys Pro Ala Leu Glu Thr Val Leu Lys Ala Ala Gln Ala Leu Leu Gly 660 665 670 Val Ser Ser Ala Glu Leu Ala Ala Asp Ala His Phe Thr Asp Leu Gly 675 680 685 Gly Asp Ser Leu Ser Ala Leu Ser Phe Ser Asp Leu Leu Arg Asp Ile 690 695 700 Phe Ala Val Glu Val Pro Val Gly Val Ile Val Ser Ala Ala Asn Asp705 710 715 720 Leu Gly Gly Val Ala Lys Phe Val Asp Glu Gln Arg His Ser Gly Gly 725 730 735 Thr Arg Pro Thr Ala Glu Thr Val His Gly Ala Gly His Thr Glu Ile 740 745 750 Arg Ala Ala Asp Leu Thr Leu Asp Lys Phe Ile Asp Glu Ala Thr Leu 755 760 765 His Ala Ala Pro Ser Leu Pro Lys Ala Ala Gly Ile Pro His Thr Val 770 775 780 Leu Leu Thr Gly Ser Asn Gly Tyr Leu Gly His Tyr Leu Ala Leu Glu785 790 795 800 Trp Leu Glu Arg Leu Asp Lys Thr Asp Gly Lys Leu Ile Val Ile Val 805 810 815 Arg Gly Lys Asn Ala Glu Ala Ala Tyr Gly Arg Leu Glu Glu Ala Phe 820 825 830 Asp Thr Gly Asp Thr Glu Leu Leu Ala His Phe Arg Ser Leu Ala Asp 835 840 845 Lys His Leu Glu Val Leu Ala Gly Asp Ile Gly Asp Pro Asn Leu Gly 850 855 860 Leu Asp Ala Asp Thr Trp Gln Arg Leu Ala Asp Thr Val Asp Val Ile865 870 875 880 Val His Pro Ala Ala Leu Val Asn His Val Leu Pro Tyr Asn Gln Leu 885 890 895 Phe Gly Pro Asn Val Val Gly Thr Ala Glu Ile Ile Lys Leu Ala Ile 900 905 910 Thr Thr Lys Ile Lys Pro Val Thr Tyr Leu Ser Thr Val Ala Val Ala 915 920 925 Ala Tyr Val Asp Pro Thr Thr Phe Asp Glu Glu Ser Asp Ile Arg Leu 930 935 940 Ile Ser Ala Val Arg Pro Ile Asp Asp Gly Tyr Ala Asn Gly Tyr Gly945 950 955 960 Asn Ala Lys Trp Ala Gly Glu Val Leu Leu Arg Glu Ala His Asp Leu 965 970 975 Cys Gly Leu Pro Val Ala Val Phe Arg Ser Asp Met Ile Leu Ala His 980 985 990 Ser Arg Tyr Thr Gly Gln Leu Asn Val Pro Asp Gln Phe Thr Arg Leu 995 1000 1005 Ile Leu Ser Leu Ile Ala Thr Gly Ile Ala Pro Gly Ser Phe Tyr Gln 1010 1015 1020 Ala Gln Thr Thr Gly Glu Arg Pro Leu Ala His Tyr Asp Gly Leu Pro1025 1030 1035 1040 Gly Asp Phe Thr Ala Glu Ala Ile Thr Thr Leu Gly Thr Gln Val Pro 1045 1050 1055 Glu Gly Ser Glu Gly Phe Val Thr Tyr Asp Cys Val Asn Pro His Ala 1060 1065 1070 Asp Gly Ile Ser Leu Asp Asn Phe Val Asp Trp Leu Ile Glu Ala Gly 1075 1080 1085 Tyr Pro Ile Ala Arg Ile Asp Asn Tyr Thr Glu Trp Phe Thr Arg Phe 1090 1095 1100 Asp Thr Ala Ile Arg Gly Leu Ser Glu Lys Gln Lys Gln His Ser Leu1105 1110 1115 1120 Leu Pro Leu Leu His Ala Phe Glu Gln Pro Ser Ala Ala Glu Asn His 1125 1130 1135 Gly Val Val Pro Ala Lys Arg Phe Gln His Ala Val Gln Ala Ala Gly 1140 1145 1150 Ile Gly Pro Val Gly Gln Asp Gly Thr Thr Asp Ile Pro His Leu Ser 1155 1160 1165 Arg Arg Leu Ile Val Lys Tyr Ala Lys Asp Leu Glu Gln Leu Gly Leu 1170 1175 1180 Leu118571186PRTSegniliparus rotundus 7Met Thr Gln Ser His Thr Gln Gly Pro Gln Ala Ser Ala Ala His Ser 1 5 10 15 Arg Leu Ala Arg Arg Ala Ala Glu Leu Leu Ala Thr Asp Pro Gln Ala 20 25 30 Ala Ala Thr Leu Pro Asp Pro Glu Val Val Arg Gln Ala Thr Arg Pro 35 40 45 Gly Leu Arg Leu Ala Glu Arg Val Asp Ala Ile Leu Ser Gly Tyr Ala 50 55 60 Asp Arg Pro Ala Leu Gly Gln Arg Ser Phe Gln Thr Val Lys Asp Pro65 70 75 80 Ile Thr Gly Arg Ser Ser Val Glu Leu Leu Pro Thr Phe Asp Thr Ile 85 90 95 Thr Tyr Arg Glu Leu Arg Glu Arg Ala Thr Ala Ile Ala Ser Asp Leu 100 105 110 Ala His His Pro Gln Ala Pro Ala Lys Pro Gly Asp Phe Leu Ala Ser 115 120 125 Ile Gly Phe Ile Ser Val Asp Tyr Val Ala Ile Asp Ile Ala Gly Val 130 135 140 Phe Ala Gly Leu Thr Ala Val Pro Leu Gln Thr Gly Ala Thr Leu Ala145 150 155 160 Thr Leu Thr Ala Ile Thr Ala Glu Thr Ala Pro Thr Leu Phe Ala Ala 165 170 175 Ser Ile Glu His Leu Pro Thr Ala Val Asp Ala Val Leu Ala Thr Pro 180 185 190 Ser Val Arg Arg Leu Leu Val Phe Asp Tyr Arg Ala Gly Ser Asp Glu 195 200 205 Asp Arg Glu Ala Val Glu Ala Ala Lys Arg Lys Ile Ala Asp Ala Gly 210 215 220 Ser Ser Val Leu Val Asp Val Leu Asp Glu Val Ile Ala Arg Gly Lys225 230 235 240 Ser Ala Pro Lys Ala Pro Leu Pro Pro Ala Thr Asp Ala Gly Asp Asp 245 250 255 Ser Leu Ser Leu Leu Ile Tyr Thr Ser Gly Ser Thr Gly Thr Pro Lys 260 265 270 Gly Ala Met Tyr Pro Glu Arg Asn Val Ala His Phe Trp Gly Gly Val 275 280 285 Trp Ala Ala Ala Phe Asp Glu Asp Ala Ala Pro Pro Val Pro Ala Ile 290 295 300 Asn Ile Thr Phe Leu Pro Leu Ser His Val Ala Ser Arg Leu Ser Leu305 310 315 320 Met Pro Thr Leu Ala Arg Gly Gly Leu Met His Phe Val Ala Lys Ser 325 330 335 Asp Leu Ser Thr Leu Phe Glu Asp Leu Lys Leu Ala Arg Pro Thr Asn 340 345 350 Leu Phe Leu Val Pro Arg Val Val Glu Met Leu Tyr Gln His Tyr Gln 355 360 365 Ser Glu Leu Asp Arg Arg Gly Val Gln Asp Gly Thr Arg Glu Ala Glu 370 375 380 Ala Val Lys Asp Asp Leu Arg Thr Gly Leu Leu Gly Gly Arg Ile Leu385 390 395 400 Thr Ala Gly Phe Gly Ser Ala Pro Leu Ser Ala Glu Leu Ala Gly Phe 405 410 415 Ile Glu Ser Leu Leu Gln Ile His Leu Val Asp Gly Tyr Gly Ser Thr 420 425 430 Glu Ala Gly Pro Val Trp Arg Asp Gly Tyr Leu Val Lys Pro Pro Val 435 440 445 Thr Asp Tyr Lys Leu Ile Asp Val Pro Glu Leu Gly Tyr Phe Ser Thr 450 455 460 Asp Ser Pro His Pro Arg Gly Glu Leu Ala Ile Lys Thr Gln Thr Ile465 470 475 480 Leu Pro Gly Tyr Tyr Lys Arg Pro Glu Thr Thr Ala Glu Val Phe Asp 485 490 495 Glu Asp Gly Phe Tyr Leu Thr Gly Asp Val Val Ala Gln Ile Gly Pro 500 505 510 Glu Gln Phe Ala Tyr Val Asp Arg Arg Lys Asn Val Leu Lys Leu Ser 515 520 525 Gln Gly Glu Phe Val Thr Leu Ala Lys Leu Glu Ala Ala Tyr Ser Ser 530 535 540 Ser Pro Leu Val Arg Gln Leu Phe Val Tyr Gly Ser Ser Glu Arg Ser545 550 555 560 Tyr Leu Leu Ala Val Ile Val Pro Thr Pro Asp Ala Leu Lys Lys Phe 565 570 575 Gly Val Gly Glu Ala Ala Lys Ala Ala Leu Gly Glu Ser Leu Gln Lys 580 585 590 Ile Ala Arg Asp Glu Gly Leu Gln Ser Tyr Glu Val Pro Arg Asp Phe 595 600 605 Ile Ile Glu Thr Asp Pro Phe Thr Val Glu Asn Gly Leu Leu Ser Asp 610 615 620 Ala Arg Lys Ser Leu Arg Pro Lys Leu Lys Glu His Tyr Gly Glu Arg625 630 635 640 Leu Glu Ala Met Tyr Lys Glu Leu Ala Asp Gly Gln Ala Asn Glu Leu 645 650 655 Arg Asp Ile Arg Arg Gly Val Gln Gln Arg Pro Thr Leu Glu Thr Val 660 665 670 Arg Arg Ala Ala Ala Ala Met Leu Gly Ala Ser Ala Ala Glu Ile Lys 675 680 685 Pro Asp Ala His Phe Thr Asp Leu Gly Gly Asp Ser Leu Ser Ala Leu 690 695 700 Thr Phe Ser Asn Phe Leu His Asp Leu Phe Glu Val Asp Val Pro Val705 710 715 720 Gly Val Ile Val Ser Ala Ala Asn Thr Leu Gly Ser Val Ala Glu His 725 730 735 Ile Asp Ala Gln Leu Ala Gly Gly Arg Ala Arg Pro Thr Phe Ala Thr 740 745 750 Val His Gly Lys Gly Ser Thr Thr Ile Lys Ala Ser Asp Leu Thr Leu 755 760 765 Asp Lys Phe Ile Asp Glu Gln Thr Leu Glu Ala Ala Lys His Leu Pro 770

775 780 Lys Pro Ala Asp Pro Pro Arg Thr Val Leu Leu Thr Gly Ala Asn Gly785 790 795 800 Trp Leu Gly Arg Phe Leu Ala Leu Glu Trp Leu Glu Arg Leu Ala Pro 805 810 815 Ala Gly Gly Lys Leu Ile Thr Ile Val Arg Gly Lys Asp Ala Ala Gln 820 825 830 Ala Lys Ala Arg Leu Asp Ala Ala Tyr Glu Ser Gly Asp Pro Lys Leu 835 840 845 Ala Gly His Tyr Gln Asp Leu Ala Ala Thr Thr Leu Glu Val Leu Ala 850 855 860 Gly Asp Phe Ser Glu Pro Arg Leu Gly Leu Asp Glu Ala Thr Trp Asn865 870 875 880 Arg Leu Ala Asp Glu Val Asp Phe Ile Ser His Pro Gly Ala Leu Val 885 890 895 Asn His Val Leu Pro Tyr Asn Gln Leu Phe Gly Pro Asn Val Ala Gly 900 905 910 Val Ala Glu Ile Ile Lys Leu Ala Ile Thr Thr Arg Ile Lys Pro Val 915 920 925 Thr Tyr Leu Ser Thr Val Ala Val Ala Ala Gly Val Glu Pro Ser Ala 930 935 940 Leu Asp Glu Asp Gly Asp Ile Arg Thr Val Ser Ala Glu Arg Ser Val945 950 955 960 Asp Glu Gly Tyr Ala Asn Gly Tyr Gly Asn Ser Lys Trp Gly Gly Glu 965 970 975 Val Leu Leu Arg Glu Ala His Asp Arg Thr Gly Leu Pro Val Arg Val 980 985 990 Phe Arg Ser Asp Met Ile Leu Ala His Gln Lys Tyr Thr Gly Gln Val 995 1000 1005 Asn Ala Thr Asp Gln Phe Thr Arg Leu Val Gln Ser Leu Leu Ala Thr 1010 1015 1020 Gly Leu Ala Pro Lys Ser Phe Tyr Glu Leu Asp Ala Gln Gly Asn Arg1025 1030 1035 1040 Gln Arg Ala His Tyr Asp Gly Ile Pro Val Asp Phe Thr Ala Glu Ser 1045 1050 1055 Ile Thr Thr Leu Gly Gly Asp Gly Leu Glu Gly Tyr Arg Ser Tyr Asn 1060 1065 1070 Val Phe Asn Pro His Arg Asp Gly Val Gly Leu Asp Glu Phe Val Asp 1075 1080 1085 Trp Leu Ile Glu Ala Gly His Pro Ile Thr Arg Ile Asp Asp Tyr Asp 1090 1095 1100 Gln Trp Leu Ser Arg Phe Glu Thr Ser Leu Arg Gly Leu Pro Glu Ser1105 1110 1115 1120 Lys Arg Gln Ala Ser Val Leu Pro Leu Leu His Ala Phe Ala Arg Pro 1125 1130 1135 Gly Pro Ala Val Asp Gly Ser Pro Phe Arg Asn Thr Val Phe Arg Thr 1140 1145 1150 Asp Val Gln Lys Ala Lys Ile Gly Ala Glu His Asp Ile Pro His Leu 1155 1160 1165 Gly Lys Ala Leu Val Leu Lys Tyr Ala Asp Asp Ile Lys Gln Leu Gly 1170 1175 1180 Leu Leu1185 8459PRTChromobacterium violaceum 8Met Gln Lys Gln Arg Thr Thr Ser Gln Trp Arg Glu Leu Asp Ala Ala 1 5 10 15 His His Leu His Pro Phe Thr Asp Thr Ala Ser Leu Asn Gln Ala Gly 20 25 30 Ala Arg Val Met Thr Arg Gly Glu Gly Val Tyr Leu Trp Asp Ser Glu 35 40 45 Gly Asn Lys Ile Ile Asp Gly Met Ala Gly Leu Trp Cys Val Asn Val 50 55 60 Gly Tyr Gly Arg Lys Asp Phe Ala Glu Ala Ala Arg Arg Gln Met Glu65 70 75 80 Glu Leu Pro Phe Tyr Asn Thr Phe Phe Lys Thr Thr His Pro Ala Val 85 90 95 Val Glu Leu Ser Ser Leu Leu Ala Glu Val Thr Pro Ala Gly Phe Asp 100 105 110 Arg Val Phe Tyr Thr Asn Ser Gly Ser Glu Ser Val Asp Thr Met Ile 115 120 125 Arg Met Val Arg Arg Tyr Trp Asp Val Gln Gly Lys Pro Glu Lys Lys 130 135 140 Thr Leu Ile Gly Arg Trp Asn Gly Tyr His Gly Ser Thr Ile Gly Gly145 150 155 160 Ala Ser Leu Gly Gly Met Lys Tyr Met His Glu Gln Gly Asp Leu Pro 165 170 175 Ile Pro Gly Met Ala His Ile Glu Gln Pro Trp Trp Tyr Lys His Gly 180 185 190 Lys Asp Met Thr Pro Asp Glu Phe Gly Val Val Ala Ala Arg Trp Leu 195 200 205 Glu Glu Lys Ile Leu Glu Ile Gly Ala Asp Lys Val Ala Ala Phe Val 210 215 220 Gly Glu Pro Ile Gln Gly Ala Gly Gly Val Ile Val Pro Pro Ala Thr225 230 235 240 Tyr Trp Pro Glu Ile Glu Arg Ile Cys Arg Lys Tyr Asp Val Leu Leu 245 250 255 Val Ala Asp Glu Val Ile Cys Gly Phe Gly Arg Thr Gly Glu Trp Phe 260 265 270 Gly His Gln His Phe Gly Phe Gln Pro Asp Leu Phe Thr Ala Ala Lys 275 280 285 Gly Leu Ser Ser Gly Tyr Leu Pro Ile Gly Ala Val Phe Val Gly Lys 290 295 300 Arg Val Ala Glu Gly Leu Ile Ala Gly Gly Asp Phe Asn His Gly Phe305 310 315 320 Thr Tyr Ser Gly His Pro Val Cys Ala Ala Val Ala His Ala Asn Val 325 330 335 Ala Ala Leu Arg Asp Glu Gly Ile Val Gln Arg Val Lys Asp Asp Ile 340 345 350 Gly Pro Tyr Met Gln Lys Arg Trp Arg Glu Thr Phe Ser Arg Phe Glu 355 360 365 His Val Asp Asp Val Arg Gly Val Gly Met Val Gln Ala Phe Thr Leu 370 375 380 Val Lys Asn Lys Ala Lys Arg Glu Leu Phe Pro Asp Phe Gly Glu Ile385 390 395 400 Gly Thr Leu Cys Arg Asp Ile Phe Phe Arg Asn Asn Leu Ile Met Arg 405 410 415 Ala Cys Gly Asp His Ile Val Ser Ala Pro Pro Leu Val Met Thr Arg 420 425 430 Ala Glu Val Asp Glu Met Leu Ala Val Ala Glu Arg Cys Leu Glu Glu 435 440 445 Phe Glu Gln Thr Leu Lys Ala Arg Gly Leu Ala 450 455 9468PRTPseudomonas aeruginosa 9Met Asn Ala Arg Leu His Ala Thr Ser Pro Leu Gly Asp Ala Asp Leu 1 5 10 15 Val Arg Ala Asp Gln Ala His Tyr Met His Gly Tyr His Val Phe Asp 20 25 30 Asp His Arg Val Asn Gly Ser Leu Asn Ile Ala Ala Gly Asp Gly Ala 35 40 45 Tyr Ile Tyr Asp Thr Ala Gly Asn Arg Tyr Leu Asp Ala Val Gly Gly 50 55 60 Met Trp Cys Thr Asn Ile Gly Leu Gly Arg Glu Glu Met Ala Arg Thr65 70 75 80 Val Ala Glu Gln Thr Arg Leu Leu Ala Tyr Ser Asn Pro Phe Cys Asp 85 90 95 Met Ala Asn Pro Arg Ala Ile Glu Leu Cys Arg Lys Leu Ala Glu Leu 100 105 110 Ala Pro Gly Asp Leu Asp His Val Phe Leu Thr Thr Gly Gly Ser Thr 115 120 125 Ala Val Asp Thr Ala Ile Arg Leu Met His Tyr Tyr Gln Asn Cys Arg 130 135 140 Gly Lys Arg Ala Lys Lys His Val Ile Thr Arg Ile Asn Ala Tyr His145 150 155 160 Gly Ser Thr Phe Leu Gly Met Ser Leu Gly Gly Lys Ser Ala Asp Arg 165 170 175 Pro Ala Glu Phe Asp Phe Leu Asp Glu Arg Ile His His Leu Ala Cys 180 185 190 Pro Tyr Tyr Tyr Arg Ala Pro Glu Gly Leu Gly Glu Ala Glu Phe Leu 195 200 205 Asp Gly Leu Val Asp Glu Phe Glu Arg Lys Ile Leu Glu Leu Gly Ala 210 215 220 Asp Arg Val Gly Ala Phe Ile Ser Glu Pro Val Phe Gly Ser Gly Gly225 230 235 240 Val Ile Val Pro Pro Ala Gly Tyr His Arg Arg Met Trp Glu Leu Cys 245 250 255 Gln Arg Tyr Asp Val Leu Tyr Ile Ser Asp Glu Val Val Thr Ser Phe 260 265 270 Gly Arg Leu Gly His Phe Phe Ala Ser Gln Ala Val Phe Gly Val Gln 275 280 285 Pro Asp Ile Ile Leu Thr Ala Lys Gly Leu Thr Ser Gly Tyr Gln Pro 290 295 300 Leu Gly Ala Cys Ile Phe Ser Arg Arg Ile Trp Glu Val Ile Ala Glu305 310 315 320 Pro Asp Lys Gly Arg Cys Phe Ser His Gly Phe Thr Tyr Ser Gly His 325 330 335 Pro Val Ala Cys Ala Ala Ala Leu Lys Asn Ile Glu Ile Ile Glu Arg 340 345 350 Glu Gly Leu Leu Ala His Ala Asp Glu Val Gly Arg Tyr Phe Glu Glu 355 360 365 Arg Leu Gln Ser Leu Arg Asp Leu Pro Ile Val Gly Asp Val Arg Gly 370 375 380 Met Arg Phe Met Ala Cys Val Glu Phe Val Ala Asp Lys Ala Ser Lys385 390 395 400 Ala Leu Phe Pro Glu Ser Leu Asn Ile Gly Glu Trp Val His Leu Arg 405 410 415 Ala Gln Lys Arg Gly Leu Leu Val Arg Pro Ile Val His Leu Asn Val 420 425 430 Met Ser Pro Pro Leu Ile Leu Thr Arg Glu Gln Val Asp Thr Val Val 435 440 445 Arg Val Leu Arg Glu Ser Ile Glu Glu Thr Val Glu Asp Leu Val Arg 450 455 460 Ala Gly His Arg465 10454PRTPseudomonas syringae 10Met Ser Ala Asn Asn Pro Gln Thr Leu Glu Trp Gln Ala Leu Ser Ser 1 5 10 15 Glu His His Leu Ala Pro Phe Ser Asp Tyr Lys Gln Leu Lys Glu Lys 20 25 30 Gly Pro Arg Ile Ile Thr Arg Ala Glu Gly Val Tyr Leu Trp Asp Ser 35 40 45 Glu Gly Asn Lys Ile Leu Asp Gly Met Ser Gly Leu Trp Cys Val Ala 50 55 60 Ile Gly Tyr Gly Arg Glu Glu Leu Ala Asp Ala Ala Ser Lys Gln Met65 70 75 80 Arg Glu Leu Pro Tyr Tyr Asn Leu Phe Phe Gln Thr Ala His Pro Pro 85 90 95 Val Leu Glu Leu Ala Lys Ala Ile Ser Asp Ile Ala Pro Glu Gly Met 100 105 110 Asn His Val Phe Phe Thr Gly Ser Gly Ser Glu Gly Asn Asp Thr Met 115 120 125 Leu Arg Met Val Arg His Tyr Trp Ala Leu Lys Gly Gln Pro Asn Lys 130 135 140 Lys Thr Ile Ile Ser Arg Val Asn Gly Tyr His Gly Ser Thr Val Ala145 150 155 160 Gly Ala Ser Leu Gly Gly Met Thr Tyr Met His Glu Gln Gly Asp Leu 165 170 175 Pro Ile Pro Gly Val Val His Ile Pro Gln Pro Tyr Trp Phe Gly Glu 180 185 190 Gly Gly Asp Met Thr Pro Asp Glu Phe Gly Ile Trp Ala Ala Glu Gln 195 200 205 Leu Glu Lys Lys Ile Leu Glu Leu Gly Val Glu Asn Val Gly Ala Phe 210 215 220 Ile Ala Glu Pro Ile Gln Gly Ala Gly Gly Val Ile Val Pro Pro Asp225 230 235 240 Ser Tyr Trp Pro Lys Ile Lys Glu Ile Leu Ser Arg Tyr Asp Ile Leu 245 250 255 Phe Ala Ala Asp Glu Val Ile Cys Gly Phe Gly Arg Thr Ser Glu Trp 260 265 270 Phe Gly Ser Asp Phe Tyr Gly Leu Arg Pro Asp Met Met Thr Ile Ala 275 280 285 Lys Gly Leu Thr Ser Gly Tyr Val Pro Met Gly Gly Leu Ile Val Arg 290 295 300 Asp Glu Ile Val Ala Val Leu Asn Glu Gly Gly Asp Phe Asn His Gly305 310 315 320 Phe Thr Tyr Ser Gly His Pro Val Ala Ala Ala Val Ala Leu Glu Asn 325 330 335 Ile Arg Ile Leu Arg Glu Glu Lys Ile Val Glu Arg Val Arg Ser Glu 340 345 350 Thr Ala Pro Tyr Leu Gln Lys Arg Leu Arg Glu Leu Ser Asp His Pro 355 360 365 Leu Val Gly Glu Val Arg Gly Val Gly Leu Leu Gly Ala Ile Glu Leu 370 375 380 Val Lys Asp Lys Thr Thr Arg Glu Arg Tyr Thr Asp Lys Gly Ala Gly385 390 395 400 Met Ile Cys Arg Thr Phe Cys Phe Asp Asn Gly Leu Ile Met Arg Ala 405 410 415 Val Gly Asp Thr Met Ile Ile Ala Pro Pro Leu Val Ile Ser Phe Ala 420 425 430 Gln Ile Asp Glu Leu Val Glu Lys Ala Arg Thr Cys Leu Asp Leu Thr 435 440 445 Leu Ala Val Leu Gln Gly 450 11467PRTRhodobacter sphaeroides 11 Met Thr Arg Asn Asp Ala Thr Asn Ala Ala Gly Ala Val Gly Ala Ala 1 5 10 15 Met Arg Asp His Ile Leu Leu Pro Ala Gln Glu Met Ala Lys Leu Gly 20 25 30 Lys Ser Ala Gln Pro Val Leu Thr His Ala Glu Gly Ile Tyr Val His 35 40 45 Thr Glu Asp Gly Arg Arg Leu Ile Asp Gly Pro Ala Gly Met Trp Cys 50 55 60 Ala Gln Val Gly Tyr Gly Arg Arg Glu Ile Val Asp Ala Met Ala His65 70 75 80 Gln Ala Met Val Leu Pro Tyr Ala Ser Pro Trp Tyr Met Ala Thr Ser 85 90 95 Pro Ala Ala Arg Leu Ala Glu Lys Ile Ala Thr Leu Thr Pro Gly Asp 100 105 110 Leu Asn Arg Ile Phe Phe Thr Thr Gly Gly Ser Thr Ala Val Asp Ser 115 120 125 Ala Leu Arg Phe Ser Glu Phe Tyr Asn Asn Val Leu Gly Arg Pro Gln 130 135 140 Lys Lys Arg Ile Ile Val Arg Tyr Asp Gly Tyr His Gly Ser Thr Ala145 150 155 160 Leu Thr Ala Ala Cys Thr Gly Arg Thr Gly Asn Trp Pro Asn Phe Asp 165 170 175 Ile Ala Gln Asp Arg Ile Ser Phe Leu Ser Ser Pro Asn Pro Arg His 180 185 190 Ala Gly Asn Arg Ser Gln Glu Ala Phe Leu Asp Asp Leu Val Gln Glu 195 200 205 Phe Glu Asp Arg Ile Glu Ser Leu Gly Pro Asp Thr Ile Ala Ala Phe 210 215 220 Leu Ala Glu Pro Ile Leu Ala Ser Gly Gly Val Ile Ile Pro Pro Ala225 230 235 240 Gly Tyr His Ala Arg Phe Lys Ala Ile Cys Glu Lys His Asp Ile Leu 245 250 255 Tyr Ile Ser Asp Glu Val Val Thr Gly Phe Gly Arg Cys Gly Glu Trp 260 265 270 Phe Ala Ser Glu Lys Val Phe Gly Val Val Pro Asp Ile Ile Thr Phe 275 280 285 Ala Lys Gly Val Thr Ser Gly Tyr Val Pro Leu Gly Gly Leu Ala Ile 290 295 300 Ser Glu Ala Val Leu Ala Arg Ile Ser Gly Glu Asn Ala Lys Gly Ser305 310 315 320 Trp Phe Thr Asn Gly Tyr Thr Tyr Ser Asn Gln Pro Val Ala Cys Ala 325 330 335 Ala Ala Leu Ala Asn Ile Glu Leu Met Glu Arg Glu Gly Ile Val Asp 340 345 350 Gln Ala Arg Glu Met Ala Asp Tyr Phe Ala Ala Ala Leu Ala Ser Leu 355 360 365 Arg Asp Leu Pro Gly Val Ala Glu Thr Arg Ser Val Gly Leu Val Gly 370 375 380 Cys Val Gln Cys Leu Leu Asp Pro Thr Arg Ala Asp Gly Thr Ala Glu385 390 395 400 Asp Lys Ala Phe Thr Leu Lys Ile Asp Glu Arg Cys Phe Glu Leu Gly 405 410 415 Leu Ile Val Arg Pro Leu Gly Asp Leu Cys Val Ile Ser Pro Pro Leu 420 425 430 Ile Ile Ser Arg Ala Gln Ile Asp Glu Met Val Ala Ile Met Arg Gln 435 440 445 Ala Ile Thr Glu Val Ser Ala Ala His Gly Leu Thr Ala Lys Glu Pro 450 455 460 Ala Ala Val465 12459PRTEscherichia coli 12Met Asn Arg Leu Pro Ser Ser Ala Ser Ala Leu Ala Cys Ser Ala His 1 5 10 15 Ala Leu Asn Leu Ile Glu Lys Arg Thr Leu Asp His Glu Glu Met Lys 20 25 30 Ala Leu Asn Arg Glu Val Ile Glu Tyr Phe Lys Glu His Val Asn Pro

35 40 45 Gly Phe Leu Glu Tyr Arg Lys Ser Val Thr Ala Gly Gly Asp Tyr Gly 50 55 60 Ala Val Glu Trp Gln Ala Gly Ser Leu Asn Thr Leu Val Asp Thr Gln65 70 75 80 Gly Gln Glu Phe Ile Asp Cys Leu Gly Gly Phe Gly Ile Phe Asn Val 85 90 95 Gly His Arg Asn Pro Val Val Val Ser Ala Val Gln Asn Gln Leu Ala 100 105 110 Lys Gln Pro Leu His Ser Gln Glu Leu Leu Asp Pro Leu Arg Ala Met 115 120 125 Leu Ala Lys Thr Leu Ala Ala Leu Thr Pro Gly Lys Leu Lys Tyr Ser 130 135 140 Phe Phe Cys Asn Ser Gly Thr Glu Ser Val Glu Ala Ala Leu Lys Leu145 150 155 160 Ala Lys Ala Tyr Gln Ser Pro Arg Gly Lys Phe Thr Phe Ile Ala Thr 165 170 175 Ser Gly Ala Phe His Gly Lys Ser Leu Gly Ala Leu Ser Ala Thr Ala 180 185 190 Lys Ser Thr Phe Arg Lys Pro Phe Met Pro Leu Leu Pro Gly Phe Arg 195 200 205 His Val Pro Phe Gly Asn Ile Glu Ala Met Arg Thr Ala Leu Asn Glu 210 215 220 Cys Lys Lys Thr Gly Asp Asp Val Ala Ala Val Ile Leu Glu Pro Ile225 230 235 240 Gln Gly Glu Gly Gly Val Ile Leu Pro Pro Pro Gly Tyr Leu Thr Ala 245 250 255 Val Arg Lys Leu Cys Asp Glu Phe Gly Ala Leu Met Ile Leu Asp Glu 260 265 270 Val Gln Thr Gly Met Gly Arg Thr Gly Lys Met Phe Ala Cys Glu His 275 280 285 Glu Asn Val Gln Pro Asp Ile Leu Cys Leu Ala Lys Ala Leu Gly Gly 290 295 300 Gly Val Met Pro Ile Gly Ala Thr Ile Ala Thr Glu Glu Val Phe Ser305 310 315 320 Val Leu Phe Asp Asn Pro Phe Leu His Thr Thr Thr Phe Gly Gly Asn 325 330 335 Pro Leu Ala Cys Ala Ala Ala Leu Ala Thr Ile Asn Val Leu Leu Glu 340 345 350 Gln Asn Leu Pro Ala Gln Ala Glu Gln Lys Gly Asp Met Leu Leu Asp 355 360 365 Gly Phe Arg Gln Leu Ala Arg Glu Tyr Pro Asp Leu Val Gln Glu Ala 370 375 380 Arg Gly Lys Gly Met Leu Met Ala Ile Glu Phe Val Asp Asn Glu Ile385 390 395 400 Gly Tyr Asn Phe Ala Ser Glu Met Phe Arg Gln Arg Val Leu Val Ala 405 410 415 Gly Thr Leu Asn Asn Ala Lys Thr Ile Arg Ile Glu Pro Pro Leu Thr 420 425 430 Leu Thr Ile Glu Gln Cys Glu Leu Val Ile Lys Ala Ala Arg Lys Ala 435 440 445 Leu Ala Ala Met Arg Val Ser Val Glu Glu Ala 450 455 13453PRTVibrio fluvialis 13Met Asn Lys Pro Gln Ser Trp Glu Ala Arg Ala Glu Thr Tyr Ser Leu 1 5 10 15 Tyr Gly Phe Thr Asp Met Pro Ser Leu His Gln Arg Gly Thr Val Val 20 25 30 Val Thr His Gly Glu Gly Pro Tyr Ile Val Asp Val Asn Gly Arg Arg 35 40 45 Tyr Leu Asp Ala Asn Ser Gly Leu Trp Asn Met Val Ala Gly Phe Asp 50 55 60 His Lys Gly Leu Ile Asp Ala Ala Lys Ala Gln Tyr Glu Arg Phe Pro65 70 75 80 Gly Tyr His Ala Phe Phe Gly Arg Met Ser Asp Gln Thr Val Met Leu 85 90 95 Ser Glu Lys Leu Val Glu Val Ser Pro Phe Asp Ser Gly Arg Val Phe 100 105 110 Tyr Thr Asn Ser Gly Ser Glu Ala Asn Asp Thr Met Val Lys Met Leu 115 120 125 Trp Phe Leu His Ala Ala Glu Gly Lys Pro Gln Lys Arg Lys Ile Leu 130 135 140 Thr Arg Trp Asn Ala Tyr His Gly Val Thr Ala Val Ser Ala Ser Met145 150 155 160 Thr Gly Lys Pro Tyr Asn Ser Val Phe Gly Leu Pro Leu Pro Gly Phe 165 170 175 Val His Leu Thr Cys Pro His Tyr Trp Arg Tyr Gly Glu Glu Gly Glu 180 185 190 Thr Glu Glu Gln Phe Val Ala Arg Leu Ala Arg Glu Leu Glu Glu Thr 195 200 205 Ile Gln Arg Glu Gly Ala Asp Thr Ile Ala Gly Phe Phe Ala Glu Pro 210 215 220 Val Met Gly Ala Gly Gly Val Ile Pro Pro Ala Lys Gly Tyr Phe Gln225 230 235 240 Ala Ile Leu Pro Ile Leu Arg Lys Tyr Asp Ile Pro Val Ile Ser Asp 245 250 255 Glu Val Ile Cys Gly Phe Gly Arg Thr Gly Asn Thr Trp Gly Cys Val 260 265 270 Thr Tyr Asp Phe Thr Pro Asp Ala Ile Ile Ser Ser Lys Asn Leu Thr 275 280 285 Ala Gly Phe Phe Pro Met Gly Ala Val Ile Leu Gly Pro Glu Leu Ser 290 295 300 Lys Arg Leu Glu Thr Ala Ile Glu Ala Ile Glu Glu Phe Pro His Gly305 310 315 320 Phe Thr Ala Ser Gly His Pro Val Gly Cys Ala Ile Ala Leu Lys Ala 325 330 335 Ile Asp Val Val Met Asn Glu Gly Leu Ala Glu Asn Val Arg Arg Leu 340 345 350 Ala Pro Arg Phe Glu Glu Arg Leu Lys His Ile Ala Glu Arg Pro Asn 355 360 365 Ile Gly Glu Tyr Arg Gly Ile Gly Phe Met Trp Ala Leu Glu Ala Val 370 375 380 Lys Asp Lys Ala Ser Lys Thr Pro Phe Asp Gly Asn Leu Ser Val Ser385 390 395 400 Glu Arg Ile Ala Asn Thr Cys Thr Asp Leu Gly Leu Ile Cys Arg Pro 405 410 415 Leu Gly Gln Ser Val Val Leu Cys Pro Pro Phe Ile Leu Thr Glu Ala 420 425 430 Gln Met Asp Glu Met Phe Asp Lys Leu Glu Lys Ala Leu Asp Lys Val 435 440 445 Phe Ala Glu Val Ala 450 14224PRTBacillus subtilis 14Met Lys Ile Tyr Gly Ile Tyr Met Asp Arg Pro Leu Ser Gln Glu Glu 1 5 10 15 Asn Glu Arg Phe Met Ser Phe Ile Ser Pro Glu Lys Arg Glu Lys Cys 20 25 30 Arg Arg Phe Tyr His Lys Glu Asp Ala His Arg Thr Leu Leu Gly Asp 35 40 45 Val Leu Val Arg Ser Val Ile Ser Arg Gln Tyr Gln Leu Asp Lys Ser 50 55 60 Asp Ile Arg Phe Ser Thr Gln Glu Tyr Gly Lys Pro Cys Ile Pro Asp65 70 75 80 Leu Pro Asp Ala His Phe Asn Ile Ser His Ser Gly Arg Trp Val Ile 85 90 95 Cys Ala Phe Asp Ser Gln Pro Ile Gly Ile Asp Ile Glu Lys Thr Lys 100 105 110 Pro Ile Ser Leu Glu Ile Ala Lys Arg Phe Phe Ser Lys Thr Glu Tyr 115 120 125 Ser Asp Leu Leu Ala Lys Asp Lys Asp Glu Gln Thr Asp Tyr Phe Tyr 130 135 140 His Leu Trp Ser Met Lys Glu Ser Phe Ile Lys Gln Glu Gly Lys Gly145 150 155 160 Leu Ser Leu Pro Leu Asp Ser Phe Ser Val Arg Leu His Gln Asp Gly 165 170 175 Gln Val Ser Ile Glu Leu Pro Asp Ser His Ser Pro Cys Tyr Ile Lys 180 185 190 Thr Tyr Glu Val Asp Pro Gly Tyr Lys Met Ala Val Cys Ala Ala His 195 200 205 Pro Asp Phe Pro Glu Asp Ile Thr Met Val Ser Tyr Glu Glu Leu Leu 210 215 220 15222PRTNocardia sp. NRRL 5646 15Met Ile Glu Thr Ile Leu Pro Ala Gly Val Glu Ser Ala Glu Leu Leu 1 5 10 15 Glu Tyr Pro Glu Asp Leu Lys Ala His Pro Ala Glu Glu His Leu Ile 20 25 30 Ala Lys Ser Val Glu Lys Arg Arg Arg Asp Phe Ile Gly Ala Arg His 35 40 45 Cys Ala Arg Leu Ala Leu Ala Glu Leu Gly Glu Pro Pro Val Ala Ile 50 55 60 Gly Lys Gly Glu Arg Gly Ala Pro Ile Trp Pro Arg Gly Val Val Gly65 70 75 80 Ser Leu Thr His Cys Asp Gly Tyr Arg Ala Ala Ala Val Ala His Lys 85 90 95 Met Arg Phe Arg Ser Ile Gly Ile Asp Ala Glu Pro His Ala Thr Leu 100 105 110 Pro Glu Gly Val Leu Asp Ser Val Ser Leu Pro Pro Glu Arg Glu Trp 115 120 125 Leu Lys Thr Thr Asp Ser Ala Leu His Leu Asp Arg Leu Leu Phe Cys 130 135 140 Ala Lys Glu Ala Thr Tyr Lys Ala Trp Trp Pro Leu Thr Ala Arg Trp145 150 155 160 Leu Gly Phe Glu Glu Ala His Ile Thr Phe Glu Ile Glu Asp Gly Ser 165 170 175 Ala Asp Ser Gly Asn Gly Thr Phe His Ser Glu Leu Leu Val Pro Gly 180 185 190 Gln Thr Asn Asp Gly Gly Thr Pro Leu Leu Ser Phe Asp Gly Arg Trp 195 200 205 Leu Ile Ala Asp Gly Phe Ile Leu Thr Ala Ile Ala Tyr Ala 210 215 220 16363PRTPseudomonas putida 16Met Ser Ala Leu Phe Glu Pro Tyr Thr Leu Lys Asp Val Thr Leu Arg 1 5 10 15 Asn Arg Ile Ala Ile Pro Pro Met Cys Gln Tyr Met Ala Glu Asp Gly 20 25 30 Leu Ile Asn Asp Trp His Gln Val His Tyr Ala Ser Met Ala Arg Gly 35 40 45 Gly Ala Gly Leu Leu Val Val Glu Ala Thr Ala Val Ala Pro Glu Gly 50 55 60 Arg Ile Thr Pro Gly Cys Ala Gly Ile Trp Ser Asp Ala His Ala Gln65 70 75 80 Ala Phe Val Pro Val Val Gln Ala Ile Lys Ala Ala Gly Ser Val Pro 85 90 95 Gly Ile Gln Ile Ala His Ala Gly Arg Lys Ala Ser Ala Asn Arg Pro 100 105 110 Trp Glu Gly Asp Asp His Ile Gly Ala Asp Asp Ala Arg Gly Trp Glu 115 120 125 Thr Ile Ala Pro Ser Ala Ile Ala Phe Gly Ala His Leu Pro Asn Val 130 135 140 Pro Arg Ala Met Thr Leu Asp Asp Ile Ala Arg Val Lys Gln Asp Phe145 150 155 160 Val Asp Ala Ala Arg Arg Ala Arg Asp Ala Gly Phe Glu Trp Ile Glu 165 170 175 Leu His Phe Ala His Gly Tyr Leu Gly Gln Ser Phe Phe Ser Glu His 180 185 190 Ser Asn Lys Arg Thr Asp Ala Tyr Gly Gly Ser Phe Asp Asn Arg Ser 195 200 205 Arg Phe Leu Leu Glu Thr Leu Ala Ala Val Arg Glu Val Trp Pro Glu 210 215 220 Asn Leu Pro Leu Thr Ala Arg Phe Gly Val Leu Glu Tyr Asp Gly Arg225 230 235 240 Asp Glu Gln Thr Leu Glu Glu Ser Ile Glu Leu Ala Arg Arg Phe Lys 245 250 255 Ala Gly Gly Leu Asp Leu Leu Ser Val Ser Val Gly Phe Thr Ile Pro 260 265 270 Glu Thr Asn Ile Pro Trp Gly Pro Ala Phe Met Gly Pro Ile Ala Glu 275 280 285 Arg Val Arg Arg Glu Ala Lys Leu Pro Val Thr Ser Ala Trp Gly Phe 290 295 300 Gly Thr Pro Gln Leu Ala Glu Ala Ala Leu Gln Ala Asn Gln Leu Asp305 310 315 320 Leu Val Ser Val Gly Arg Ala His Leu Ala Asp Pro His Trp Ala Tyr 325 330 335 Phe Ala Ala Lys Glu Leu Gly Val Glu Lys Ala Ser Trp Thr Leu Pro 340 345 350 Ala Pro Tyr Ala His Trp Leu Glu Arg Tyr Arg 355 360 17387PRTLactobacillus casei 17Met Ser Gly Tyr His Phe Leu Lys Pro Phe Thr Phe Lys His Gln Thr 1 5 10 15 Ile Thr Leu Lys Asn Arg Ile Val Ile Pro Pro Met Thr Thr Arg Leu 20 25 30 Ser Phe Glu Asp Gly Thr Val Thr Arg Asp Glu Ile Arg Tyr Tyr Gln 35 40 45 Gln Arg Ala Gly Gly Val Gly Met Phe Ile Thr Gly Thr Ala Asn Val 50 55 60 Asn Ala Leu Gly Lys Gly Phe Glu Gly Glu Leu Ser Val Ala Asp Asp65 70 75 80 Arg Phe Ile Pro Gly Leu Ser Lys Leu Ala Ala Ala Met Lys Thr Gly 85 90 95 Gly Thr Lys Ala Ile Leu Gln Ile Phe Ser Ala Gly Arg Met Ser Asn 100 105 110 Ser Lys Ile Leu Arg Gly Glu Gln Pro Val Ser Ala Ser Ala Val Ala 115 120 125 Ala Pro Arg Ala Gly Tyr Glu Thr Pro Arg Ala Leu Thr Ser Ala Glu 130 135 140 Ile Glu Ala Thr Ile His Asp Phe Gly Gln Ala Val Arg Arg Ala Ile145 150 155 160 Leu Ala Gly Phe Asp Gly Ile Glu Leu His Gly Ala Asn Thr Tyr Leu 165 170 175 Ile Gln Gln Phe Tyr Ser Pro Asn Ser Asn Arg Arg Thr Asp Glu Trp 180 185 190 Gly Gly Asp Arg Asp Lys Arg Met Arg Phe Pro Leu Ala Val Val His 195 200 205 Glu Ala Glu Lys Val Ile Ala Thr Ile Ala Asp Arg Pro Phe Leu Leu 210 215 220 Gly Tyr Arg Ile Ser Pro Glu Glu Leu Glu Gln Pro Gly Ile Thr Leu225 230 235 240 Asp Asp Thr Leu Ala Leu Ile Asp Ala Leu Lys Gln Thr Lys Ile Asp 245 250 255 Tyr Leu His Val Ser Gln Ser Asp Val Trp Arg Thr Ser Leu Arg Asn 260 265 270 Pro Glu Asp Thr Ala Ile Met Asn Glu Gln Ile Arg Asp His Val Ala 275 280 285 Gly Ala Phe Pro Val Ile Val Val Gly Gly Ile Lys Thr Pro Ala Asp 290 295 300 Ala Glu Lys Ala Ala Glu Ser Phe Asp Leu Val Ala Ile Gly His Glu305 310 315 320 Met Ile Arg Glu Pro His Trp Val Gln Lys Val Leu Asp His Asp Glu 325 330 335 Lys Ala Ile Arg Tyr Gln Ile Ala Pro Ala Asp Leu Glu Glu Leu Gly 340 345 350 Ile Ala Pro Thr Phe Leu Asp Phe Ile Glu Ser Ile Ser Gly Gly Ala 355 360 365 Lys Gly Val Pro Leu Thr Thr Ala Gln Ser Val Thr Ser Ser Asn Val 370 375 380 Thr Gln Asp385

Claims

1-40. (canceled)

41. A method for biosynthesizing at least one product chosen from pimelic acid, 7-hydroxyheptanoate, heptamethylenediamine, and 1,7-heptanediol, said method comprising: enzymatically synthesizing a seven carbon chain aliphatic backbone from succinate semialdehyde and pyruvate via aldol condensation, wherein the aldol condensation comprises an aldol reaction catalyzed by a 4-hydroxy-2-oxopimelate aldolase and a dehydration catalyzed by a 2-hydroxyhepta-2,4-dienedioate hydratase; and enzymatically forming two terminal functional groups chosen from carboxyl, amine, and hydroxyl groups in said seven carbon chain aliphatic backbone, thereby forming said at least one product.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said seven carbon chain aliphatic backbone is pimeloyl-CoA or pimelate semialdehyde.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the product of the aldol condensation, 2,4-dihydroxyhept-2-enedioate or its tautomer 4-hydroxy-2-oxo-pimelate, is converted to: pimeloyl-CoA using said 2-hydroxyhepta-2,4-dienedioate hydratase and at least one enzyme chosen from: an enoate reductase; a 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase; a glutaconate CoA-transferase; a 2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase; and an enoyl-CoA reductase or an enoyl-[acp] reductase; or pimelate semialdehyde using said 2-hydroxyhepta-2,4-dienedioate hydratase and at least one enzyme chosen from: an enoate reductase; a 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase; a glutaconate CoA-transferase; a 2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase; and a carboxylate reductase.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said enoate reductase has at least 70% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 16 or SEQ ID NO: 17.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein said at least one product comprises two terminal amine groups, two terminal carboxyl groups, two terminal hydroxyl groups, or a terminal hydroxyl group and a terminal carboxyl group.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein a 6-hydroxyhexanoate dehydrogenase, a 5-hydroxypentanoate dehydrogenase, a 4-hydroxybutyrate dehydratase, or an alcohol dehydrogenase enzymatically forms said two terminal hydroxyl groups.

47. The method of claim 41, wherein a thioesterase, an aldehyde dehydrogenase, a 7-oxoheptanoate dehydrogenase, a 6-oxohexanoate dehydrogenase, a CoA-transferase, or a reversible CoA-ligase enzymatically forms a terminal carboxyl group.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein said thioesterase has at least 70% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1.

49. The method of claim 41, wherein a .omega.-transaminase or a deacetylase enzymatically forms a terminal amine group.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein said .omega.-transaminase has at least 70% sequence identity to any one of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 8-13.

51. The method of claim 41, wherein a carboxylate reductase, enhanced by a phosphopantetheinyl transferase, forms a terminal aldehyde group as an intermediate in forming the product.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein said carboxylate reductase has at least 70% sequence identity to any one of the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 2-7.

53. The method of claim 41, wherein said method is performed in a recombinant host by fermentation.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the principal carbon source fed to said fermentation derives from a biological or non-biological feedstock.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein: said biological feedstock is, or derives from, monosaccharides, disaccharides, lignocellulose, hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin, levulinic acid, formic acid, triglycerides, glycerol, fatty acids, agricultural waste, condensed distillers' solubles, or municipal waste; or said non-biological feedstock is, or derives from, natural gas, syngas, CO.sub.2/H.sub.2, methanol, ethanol, benzoate, non-volatile residue (NVR) caustic wash waste stream from cyclohexane oxidation processes, or terephthalic acid/isophthalic acid mixture waste streams.

56. The method of claim 53, wherein said recombinant host is a prokaryote or a eukaryote.

57. The method of claim 53, wherein said recombinant host's tolerance to high concentrations of a C7 building block is improved through continuous cultivation in a selective environment.

58. The method of claim 53, wherein said recombinant host comprises at least one attenuated enzyme chosen from: a lactate dehydrogenase; a menaquinol-fumarate oxidoreductase; an alcohol dehydrogenase producing ethanol; a pyruvate decarboxylase; a 2-oxoacid decarboxylase generating isobutanol; a polymer synthase; a NADH-specific L-glutamate dehydrogenase; a NADH-consuming transhydrogenase; a pimeloyl-CoA dehydrogenase; an acyl-CoA dehydrogenase that degrades C7 building blocks and their precursors; a glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase; and a pimeloyl-CoA synthetase.

59. The method of claim 53, wherein said recombinant host overexpresses at least one gene encoding a gene product chosen from: a PEP carboxykinase; a PEP carboxylase; a pyruvate carboxylase; a PEP synthase; a formate dehydrogenase; a L-alanine dehydrogenase; a NADPH-specific L-glutamate dehydrogenase; a diamine transporter, a dicarboxylate transporter; and a multidrug transporter.

60. A recombinant host comprising at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a 4-hydroxy-2-oxopimelate aldolase, a 2-hydroxyhepta-2,4-dienedioate hydratase, an enoate reductase, a 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase, a glutaconate CoA-transferase, a 2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase, and an enoyl-CoA reductase or an enoyl-[acp] reductase, said host producing pimeloyl-CoA.

61. A recombinant host comprising at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a 4-hydroxy-2-oxopimelate aldolase, a 2-hydroxyhepta-2,4-dienedioate hydratase, an enoate reductase, a 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase, a glutaconate CoA-transferase, a 2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase, and a carboxylate reductase, said host producing pimelate semialdehyde.

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