Microorganisms and methods for the production of glycolic acid and glycine via reverse glyoxylate shunt

The present invention provides biochemical pathways, glyoxylate producing recombinant microorganisms, and methods for the production and yield improvement of glycolic acid and/or glycine via a reverse glyoxylate shunt. The reverse glyoxylate shunt comprises an enzyme that catalyzes the carboxylation of phosphoenol pyruvate (PEP) to oxaloacetate (OAA), or an enzyme that catalyzes the carboxylation of pyruvate to oxaloacetate (OAA) or an enzyme that catalyzes the carboxylation of pyruvate to malate or a combination of any of the previous reactions; an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of malate to malyl-CoA; an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of malyl-CoA to glyoxylate and acetyl-CoA; and optionally an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of oxaloacetate (OAA) to malate. Glyoxylate is reduced to produce glycolate. Alternatively, glyoxylate is converted to glycine. The reverse glyoxylate shunt pathway of the present invention can be utilized synergistically with other glycolic acid and/or glycine producing pathways to increase product yield.