Abstract: The invention relates to the discovery that the rate of reaction of the desulfurization of fossil fuels is enhanced by the addition of a flavoprotein to the biocatalyst. The invention is drawn to a method for enhancing the rate of desulfurizing a fossil fuel containing organic sulfur compounds, comprising the steps of:a) contacting the fossil fuel with an aqueous phase containing a biocatalyst capable of cleaving carbon-sulfur bonds and a rate-enhancing amount of a flavoprotein, thereby forming a fossil fuel and aqueous phase mixture;b) maintaining the mixture of step (a) under conditions sufficient for cleavage of the carbon-sulfur bonds of the organic sulfur molecules by the biocatalyst, thereby resulting in a fossil fuel having a reduced organic sulfur content; andc) separating the fossil fuel having a reduced organic sulfur content from the resulting aqueous phase.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel recombinant pseudomonads which contain a heterologous nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding one or more desulfurization enzymes which are components of a biodesulfurization catalyst. The invention also provides a method of desulfurizing a carbonaceous material, such as a fossil fuel, which comprises organosulfur compounds. The method includes the steps of The method comprises the steps of (1) contacting the fossil fuel with an aqueous phase containing a recombinant biocatalyst which is capable of cleaving carbon-sulfur bonds and, optionally, a flavoprotein, thereby forming a fossil fuel and aqueous phase mixture; (2) maintaining the mixture under conditions sufficient for cleavage of the carbon-sulfur bonds of the organosulfur molecules by the biocatalyst, thereby resulting in a fossil fuel having a reduced organic sulfur content; and (3) separating the fossil fuel having a reduced organic sulfur content from the resulting aqueous phase.

Abstract: The invention provides a novel flavin reductase, which has been isolated from Rhodococcus strain sp. IGTS8 and purified to homogeneity. The flavin reductase is of use in the biocatalytic desulfurization of a fossil fuel containing organic sulfur compounds. The method comprises the steps of (1) contacting the fossil fuel with an aqueous phase containing a biocatalyst capable of cleaving carbon-sulfur bonds and a rate-enhancing amount of the flavin reductase of the present invention, thereby forming a fossil fuel and aqueous phase mixture; (2) maintaining the mixture under conditions sufficient for cleavage of the carbon-sulfur bonds of the organic sulfur molecules by the biocatalyst, thereby resulting in a fossil fuel having a reduced organic sulfur content; and (3) separating the fossil fuel having a reduced organic sulfur content from the resulting aqueous phase.

Abstract: The invention relates to the discovery that the rate of reaction of the desulfurization of fossil fuels is enhanced by the addition of an oxidoreductase to the biocatalyst. The invention is drawn to a method for enhancing the rate of desulfurizing a fossil fuel containing organic sulfur compounds, comprising the steps of:a) contacting the fossil fuel with an aqueous phase containing a biocatalyst capable of cleaving carbon-sulfur bonds and a rate-enhancing amount of an oxidoreductase, thereby forming a fossil fuel and aqueous phase mixture;b) maintaining the mixture of step (a) under conditions sufficient for cleavage of the carbon-sulfur bonds of the organic sulfur molecules by the biocatalyst, thereby resulting in a fossil fuel having a reduced organic sulfur content; andc) separating the fossil fuel having a reduced organic sulfur content from the resulting aqueous phase.

Abstract: The invention relates to the discovery that the rate of reaction of the desulfurization of fossil fuels is enhanced by the addition of an oxidoreductase to the biocatalyst. The invention is drawn to a method for enhancing the rate of desulfurizing a fossil fuel containing organic sulfur compounds, comprising the steps of:a) contacting the fossil fuel with an aqueous phase containing a biocatalyst capable of cleaving carbon-sulfur bonds and a rate-enhancing amount of an oxidoreductase, thereby forming a fossil fuel and aqueous phase mixture;b) maintaining the mixture of step (a) under conditions sufficient for cleavage of the carbon-sulfur bonds of the organic sulfur molecules by the biocatalyst, thereby resulting in a fossil fuel having a reduced organic sulfur content; andc) separating the fossil fuel having a reduced organic sulfur content from the resulting aqueous phase.

Abstract: The invention provides a novel flavin reductase, which has been isolated from Rhodococcus strain sp. IGTS8 and purified to homogeneity. The flavin reductase is of use in the biocatalytic desulfurization of a fossil fuel containing organic sulfur compounds. The method comprises the steps of (1) contacting the fossil fuel with an aqueous phase containing a biocatalyst capable of cleaving carbon-sulfur bonds and a rate-enhancing amount of the flavin reductase of the present invention, thereby forming a fossil fuel and aqueous phase mixture; (2) maintaining the mixture under conditions sufficient for cleavage of the carbon-sulfur bonds of the organic sulfur molecules by the biocatalyst, thereby resulting in a fossil fuel having a reduced organic sulfur content; and (3) separating the fossil fuel having a reduced organic sulfur content from the resulting aqueous phase.

Abstract: The invention relates to the discovery that the rate of reaction of the desulfurization of fossil fuels is enhanced by the addition of a flavoprotein to the biocatalyst. The invention is drawn to a method for enhancing the rate of desulfurizing a fossil fuel containing organic sulfur compounds, comprising the steps of:a) contacting the fossil fuel with an aqueous phase containing a biocatalyst capable of cleaving carbon-sulfur bonds and a rate-enhancing amount of a flavoprotein, thereby forming a fossil fuel and aqueous phase mixture;b) maintaining the mixture of step (a) under conditions sufficient for cleavage of the carbon-sulfur bonds of the organic sulfur molecules by the biocatalyst, thereby resulting in a fossil fuel having a reduced organic sulfur content; andc) separating the fossil fuel having a reduced organic sulfur content from the resulting aqueous phase.

Abstract: Method for transforming anaerobic microorganisms. Anaerobic microorganisms are induced to form L-forms. Genetic material capable of inducing the desired phenotype is introduced into the L-forms, after which the L-forms may be caused to regenerate their cell wall. These methods are also useful for obtaining desired biological products. Additionally, shuttle vectors capable of transforming both aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms are set forth.