A recombinant cell capable of increased carbon flux through the phosphoketolase pathway, wherein the recombinant cell comprises (i) a heterologous nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide having phosphoketolase activity, wherein the polypeptide comprises at least 65% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:8 and (ii) one or more nucleic acids encoding one or more polypeptides of the complete MVA pathway, wherein said recombinant cell comprising said polypeptide having phosphoketolase activity of (i) has a Performance Index value of greater than 1.0 in one or more of the following parameters: (a) cell growth on glucose, (b) cell growth on xylose, (c) production of intracellular acetyl-phosphate or (d) cell growth on glucose-6-phosphate; or (i) a heterologous nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide having phosphoketolase activity, wherein the polypeptide comprises at least 65% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:8 and (ii) one or more nucleic acids encoding one or more polypeptides of the complete MVA pathway, wherein said polypeptide having phosphoketolase activity of (i) has a Performance Index value of greater than 1.0 in the following parameter: fructose-6-phosphate (F6P) Specific Activity; wherein the Performance Index value is calculated activity per unit relative to the phosphoketolase of E. gallinarum of SEQ ID NO:93. (i) a heterologous nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide having phosphoketolase activity, wherein the polypeptide comprises at least 65% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:8 and (ii) one or more nucleic acids encoding one or more polypeptides of the complete MVA pathway, wherein said recombinant cell comprising said polypeptide having phosphoketolase activity of (i) has a Performance Index value of greater than 1.0 in one or more of the following parameters: (a) cell growth on glucose, (b) cell growth on xylose, (c) production of intracellular acetyl-phosphate or (d) cell growth on glucose-6-phosphate; or (i) a heterologous nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide having phosphoketolase activity, wherein the polypeptide comprises at least 65% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:8 and (ii) one or more nucleic acids encoding one or more polypeptides of the complete MVA pathway, wherein said recombinant cell comprising said polypeptide having phosphoketolase activity of (i) has a Performance Index value of greater than 1.0 in one or more of the following parameters: (a) cell growth on glucose, (b) cell growth on xylose, (c) production of intracellular acetyl-phosphate or (d) cell growth on glucose-6-phosphate; or (i) a heterologous nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide having phosphoketolase activity, wherein the polypeptide comprises at least 65% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:8 and (ii) one or more nucleic acids encoding one or more polypeptides of the complete MVA pathway, wherein said polypeptide having phosphoketolase activity of (i) has a Performance Index value of greater than 1.0 in the following parameter: fructose-6-phosphate (F6P) Specific Activity; wherein the Performance Index value is calculated activity per unit relative to the phosphoketolase of E. gallinarum of SEQ ID NO:93. (i) a heterologous nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide having phosphoketolase activity, wherein the polypeptide comprises at least 65% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:8 and (ii) one or more nucleic acids encoding one or more polypeptides of the complete MVA pathway, wherein said polypeptide having phosphoketolase activity of (i) has a Performance Index value of greater than 1.0 in the following parameter: fructose-6-phosphate (F6P) Specific Activity;