Compositions and methods for producing chemicals and derivatives thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for producing a product of one or more enzymatic pathways. The pathways used in the methods of the invention involve one or more conversion steps such as, for example, an enzymatic conversion of guluronic acid into D-glucarate (Step 7); an enzymatic conversion of 5-ketogluconate (5-KGA) into L-Iduronic acid (Step 15); an enzymatic conversion of L-Iduronic acid into Idaric acid Step 7b); and an enzymatic conversion of 5-ketocluconate into 4,6-dihydroxy 2,5-diketo hexanoate (2,5-DDH) (Step 16). In some embodiments the methods of the invention produce 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) as a product. The methods include both enzymatic and chemical conversions as steps. Various pathways are also provided for converting glucose into 5-dehdyro-4-deoxy-glucarate (DDG), and for converting glucose into 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). Additional products that can be produce include metabolic products such as, but not limited to, guluronic acid, L-iduronic acid, idaric acid, glucaric acid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for producing a product of an enzymatic or chemical pathway from a starting substrate, the pathway comprising one or more conversion steps selected from the group consisting of:
 the conversion of DTHU to DDG (Step-5);   the conversion of gluconic acid to guluronic acid (Step-6);   the conversion of DEHU to DDH (Step 7A); and   the conversion of guluronic acid to DEHU (Step 17A).   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the substrate is glucose and the product is DDG, comprising the steps of:
 the conversion of D-glucose to 1,5-gluconolactone (Step 1); 
 the conversion of 1,5-gluconolactone to gluconic acid (Step 1a); 
 the conversion of gluconic acid to 3-dehydro-gluconic (DHG) (Step-2); 
 the conversion of 3-dehydro-gluconic (DHG) to 4,6-Dihydroxy 2,5-diketo hexanoate (2,5-DDH) (Step-3); 
 the conversion of 2,5 DDH to 4-deoxy-5-threo-hexosulose uronate (DTHU) (Step 4); and 
 the conversion of DTHU to DDG (Step-5). 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the substrate is glucose and the product is DDG, comprising the steps of:
 the conversion of D-glucose to 1,5-gluconolactone (Step 1); 
 the conversion of 1,5-gluconolactone to gluconic acid (Step 1a); 
 the conversion of gluconic acid to guluronic acid (Step-6); 
 the conversion of guluronic to glucarate (Step-7); and 
 the conversion of glucarate to DDG (Step-8). 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the substrate is glucose and the product is DDG, comprising the steps of:
 the conversion of D-glucose to 1,5-gluconolactone (Step 1); 
 the conversion of 1,5-gluconolactone to gluconic acid (Step 1a); 
 the conversion of gluconic acid to 5-ketogluconate (5-KGA) (Step 14); 
 the conversion of 5-ketogluconate (5-KGA) to 4,6-dihydroxy 2,5-diketo hexanoate (2,5-DDH) (Step 16); 
 the conversion of 4,6-dihydroxy 2,5-diketo hexanoate (2,5-DDH) to 4-deoxy-5-threo-hexosulose uronate (DTHU) (Step 4); and 
 the conversion of 4-deoxy-5-threo-hexosulose uronate (DTHU) to DDG (Step 5). 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the substrate is glucose and the product is DDG, comprising the steps of:
 the conversion of D-glucose to 1,5-gluconolactone (Step 1); 
 the conversion of 1,5-gluconolactone to gluconic acid (Step 1a); 
 the conversion of gluconic acid to 5-ketogluconate (5-KGA) (Step 14); 
 the conversion of 5-ketogluconate (5-KGA) to L-Iduronic acid (Step 15); 
 the conversion of L-Iduronic acid to 4-deoxy-5-threo-hexosulose uronate (DTHU) (Step 7B); and 
 the conversion of 4-deoxy-5-threo-hexosulose uronate (DTHU) to DDG (Step 5). 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the substrate is glucose and the product is DDH, comprising the steps of:
 the conversion of D-glucose to 1,5-gluconolactone (Step 1); 
 the conversion of 1,5-gluconolactone to guluronic acid lactone (Step 19); 
 the conversion of guluronic acid lactone to guluronic acid (Step 1B); 
 the conversion of guluronic acid to DEHU (Step 17A); 
 the conversion of DEHU to DDH (Step 7A). 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the substrate is glucose and the product is DDH, comprising the steps of:
 the conversion of D-glucose to 1,5-gluconolactone (Step 1); 
 the conversion of 1,5-gluconolactone to gluconic acid (Step 1a); 
 the conversion of gluconic acid to guluronic acid (Step 6); 
 the conversion of guluronic acid to DEHU (Step 17A); and 
 the conversion of DEHU to DDH (Step 7A). 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the one or more conversion steps is the conversion of DTHU to DDG (Step-5). 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the one or more conversion steps is the conversion of gluconic acid to guluronic acid (Step-6). 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the one or more conversion steps is the conversion of DEHU to DDH (Step 7A). 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the one or more conversion steps is the conversion of guluronic acid to DEHU (Step 17A).