Abstract:
The invention provides compositions and methods for increasing the production of alcohol, e.g., ethanol, from a saccharide source and increasing the growth of ethanologenic cells by exposing ethanologenic cells to a compound. Preferred alcohologenic cells (cells capable of fermenting a carbon source into an alcohol) are selected from the family Enterobacteriaceae , such as, for example, Escherichia or Klebsiella . Furthermore, the methods and compositions of the invention are suitable for use in simultaneous saccharification and fermentation.