Alcohol acetyl transferases for ethyl acetate production

Summary

The present invention relates to a process for the production of ethyl acetate wherein a polypeptide having alcohol acetyl transferase activity converts ethanol and acetyl coenzyme A into ethyl acetate. The polypeptide has an alpha-beta hydrolase fold and an active site comprising a serine, histidine, and optionally aspartic acid in its three-dimensional structure. The polypeptides according to the invention are genes isolated from Kluyveromyces marxianus, Kluyveromyces lactis, Wickerhamomyces ciferrii, Cyberlindnera jadinii, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Eremothecium cymbalarie and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.