NOVELTY - Engineered microorganism (EM1) comprising an exogenous or overexpressed polyketide synthase or its active fragment and an exogenous or overexpressed long chain fatty acid adenosine monophosphate (AMP) ligase, is new. The recombinant microorganism comprises a multi-methyl branched fatty acid (MMBFA) synthesis pathway in which the exogenous or overexpressed polyketide synthase mycocerosic acid synthase (MAS) catalyzes the iterative conversion of methylmalonyl-coenzyme to MMBFA.    USE - The engineered microorganisms are useful for producing MMBFA and/or an MMBFA product, which are useful in a composition such as a base lubricant, biofuel, detergent, soap, cosmetic or emulsifier, where the MMBFA ester product is octyl 2,4,6,8-tetramethyltetracosanoate, (Z)-octyl 2,4,6,8-tetramethylhexacos-17-enoate, (Z)-octyl 2,4,6,8-tetramethyltetracos-17-enoate, octyl 2,4,6,8-tetramethyltnacontonoate, ethyl 2,4,6,8-tetramethyltetracosanoate, (Z)-ethyl 2,4,6,8-tetramethylhexacos-17-enoate, (Z)-ethyl 2,4,6,8-tetramethyltetracos-17-enoate, ethyl 2,4,6,8-tetramethyltriacontanoate, pentyl 2,4,6,8-tetramethyltetracosanoate, (Z)-pentyl 2,4,6,8-tetramethylhexacos-17-enoate, (Z)-pentyl 2,4,6,8-tetramethyltetracos-17-enoate, pentyl 2,4,6,8-tetramethyltriacontonoate, butyl 2,4,6,8-tetramethyltetracosanoate, (Z)-butyl 2,4,6,8-tetramethylhexacos-17-enoate, (Z)-butyl 2,4,6,8-tetramethyltetracos-17-enoate and/or butyl 2,4,6,8-tetramethyltriacontonoate (all claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The engineered microorganisms tolerate large amounts of MMBFA or MMBFA products in the growth medium, plasma membrane, or lipid droplets, and/or produce MMBFAs more economically by utilizing less expensive feedstock and requiring less fermentation time.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for: (1) an engineered microorganism (EM2) comprising a MAS polyketide synthase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (SEQ ID NO:3), a FADD28 long chain fatty acid AMP ligase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (SEQ ID NO: 72), a TESA thioesterase from Escherichia coli (SEQ ID NO: 89), and a propionyl-CoA carboxylase (PCC) complex comprising the ACCA1 (SEQ ID NO: 81), PCCB (SEQ ID NO: 83) and PCCE (SEQ ID NO: 84) subunits from PCC from Streptomyces coelicolor; (2) an engineered microorganism (EM3) comprising a PKS3/4 polyketide synthase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (SEQ ID NO: 26), a FADD21 long chain fatty acid AMP ligase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (SEQ ID NO: 73), the TESA thioesterase and the PCC complex; (3) an engineered microorganism (EM4) comprising a PKS2 polyketide synthase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (SEQ ID NO: 15), a FADD23 long chain fatty acid AMP ligase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (SEQ ID NO: 74), the TESA thioesterase and the PCC complex; (4) an engineered microorganism (EM5) comprising a PKS5 polyketide synthase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (SEQ ID NO: 37), FADD24 long chain fatty acid AMP ligase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (SEQ ID NO: 75), the TESA thioesterase and the PCC complex; (5) an engineered MMBFA synthesis pathway comprising an exogenous or overexpressed polyketide synthase, and an exogenous or overexpressed long chain fatty acid AMP ligase; (6) producing an MMBFA and/or an MMBFA product, comprising cultivating the engineered microorganism EM1, EM2, EM3, EM4 or EM5 in a culture medium containing a feedstock providing a carbon source for a period of time and under conditions to produce a recoverable amount of MMBFA and/or MMBFA product; (7) recovering MMBFA of MMBFA ester, comprising extracting the MMBFA, where the extraction yields a MMBFA-rich or MMBFA ester-rich phase, separating the MMBFA-rich or MMBFA ester-rich phase, and recovering the MMBFA or MMBFA ester from the MMBFA-rich or MMBFA ester-rich phase; and (8) an MMBFA or MMBFA ester produced by the method.