Patent ID: 8133704

Claim:
A method of producing a difunctional hexane comprising: a) providing a recombinant host cell expressing a recombinant alpha-ketoacid decarboxylase enzyme or a recombinant 2-amino transferase enzyme capable of using alpha-ketopimelic acid as a substrate; b) producing alpha-ketopimelic acid in the recombinant host cell; and 1) synthesizing adipic acid semialdehyde from alpha-ketopimelic acid, wherein the recombinant alpha-keto acid decarboxylase enzyme catalyses decarboxylation of alpha-ketopimelic acid to form adipic acid semialdehyde, or 2) synthesizing 2-amino pimelic acid from alpha-ketopimelic acid, wherein the recombinant 2-amino transferase enzyme catalyzes conversion of alpha-ketopimelic acid to form 2-amino pimelic acid.