Effect of acetate formation pathway and long chain fatty acid CoA-ligase on the free fatty acid production in E. coli expressing acy-ACP thioesterase from Ricinus communis

► Engineering of Escherichia coli cells expressing acyl-ACP thioesterase with glucose yield higher than 40% of theoretical yield. ► Deletion of metabolic pathways leading to acetate accumulation changes the fatty acid compositions but not the fatty acid production. ► Marked reduction in acetate accumulation for high fatty acid producing strains. ► Significant increase in extracellular fatty acids accumulation for strains bearing the long chain fatty acid CoA-ligase (fadD) mutation.