Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having laccase activity and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

Abstract: Provided are labdenediol diphosphate synthase polypeptides, sclareol synthase polypeptides, nucleic acid molecules encoding the labdenediol diphosphate synthase polypeptides and sclareol synthase polypeptides, and methods of using the labdenediol diphosphate synthase polypeptides, sclareol synthase polypeptides. Also provided are methods for producing labdenediol diphosphate, sclareol and (?)-ambroxide.

Abstract: Fusion proteins having thermostable blunt-end ligase activity are provided. Blunt-end ligases are useful for DNA amplification, sequencing, production of recombinant DNA and recombinant fusion proteins, and other purposes. These thermostable blunt-end DNA ligases are useful in ligation schemes which include, e.g., an incubation at about 60-65° C. or higher, or as high as about 94° C., or at other temperatures. The ligases disclosed herein may enable high temperature blunt-end ligation without need for molecular crowding agents, and so may be useful for many nucleic acid ligation-amplification schemes, e.g., ones which operate at a uniform temperature (e.g., at about 60° C. or higher), including ones which require temperature cycling, e.g., from about 94° C. to about 60° C. (or higher) for one, two, three, or more cycles.

Abstract: The present invention provides, among other things, methods and compositions for production of recombinant I2S protein with improved potency and activity using cells co-express I2S and FGE protein. In some embodiments, cells according to the present invention are engineered to simultaneously over-express recombinant I2S and FGE proteins. Cells according to the invention are adaptable to various cell culture conditions. In some embodiments, cells of the present invention adaptable to a large-scale suspension serum-free culture.

Abstract: An amadoriase having a substitution or a deletion of one or more amino acid residues at positions corresponding to amino acids selected from the group consisting of three amino acid residues from the carboxyl terminal and amino acids at positions 151, 43, 53, 267, 350, 185, 196, 299 and 323 in the amino acid sequence of amadoriase derived from the Coniochaeta species indicated in SEQ ID NO: 1. The amadoriase having a heat resistance which is superior to that of a conventional amadoriase.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention is directed to polypeptides having an amylase activity, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and methods for making and using these polynucleotides and polypeptides. In one aspect, the polypeptides of the invention can be used as amylases, for example, alpha amylases, to catalyze the hydrolysis of starch into sugars.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel mutants of Streptokinase, its functional fragments and covalently modified forms. Methods are provided for the preparation of the bacterial plasminogen activator protein, Streptokinase its muteins, species variants and their covalently modified variants that are characterized by improved therapeutic properties, such as increased proteolytic stability, extended plasma half-lives, reduced immuno-reactivity and enhanced fibrin clot specificity. The method involves either incorporating additional cysteine residues, or substituting cysteine residues for naturally occurring amino acids into non-essential regions of the protein such that the catalytic activity of the resultant protein remains largely unaltered. These cysteine variants were further modified by covalently attaching a cysteine reactive polymer such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) or sulfhydryl-reactive moieties from a group that includes fluorophore, spin labels or other small conjugates.

Abstract: The invention relates to an isolated polypeptide with an glycosyl transferase enzymatic activity for producing dextrans with .alpha.(1.fwdarw.2) sidechains, comprising at least one region for bonding to glucan and a catalytically active region situated beyond the region bonding to glucan. The invention further relates to polynucleotides coding for said enzymes and vectors containing the same.

Abstract: Nucleic acid sequences encoding chimeric polypeptides that exhibit enhanced cellulase activities are disclosed herein. These nucleic acids may be expressed in hosts such as fungi, which in turn may be cultured to produce chimeric polypeptides. Also disclosed are chimeric polypeptides and their use in the degradation of cellulosic materials.

Abstract: In one aspect, affinity tags for recombinant protein purification are described herein which, in some embodiments, can mitigate or overcome disadvantages of prior affinity tag systems. In some embodiments, for example, affinity tags described herein permit efficient elution of desired recombinant proteins with simplified solution systems, such as alkali metal salt solutions. An affinity tag described herein comprises an amino acid sequence including a repeating amino acid unit of BXXXBXX, wherein B is an amino acid selected from the group consisting of histidine, lysine and arginine and X is an amino acid selected from the group consisting of amino acids other than histidine, lysine and arginine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polypeptides having glucoamylase activity with improved properties and to compositions comprising these polypeptides suitable for use in the production of a food, beverage (e.g. beer), feed, or biofuel. Also described is an improved and cost-effective process for isolating glucoamylases suitable for large scale protein purification procedures. Furthermore, different methods and uses related to glucoamylases according to the invention are disclosed, such as in a brewing process.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing 1,4-butanediol through acetyl-CoA, acetoacetyl-CoA, 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA, crotonyl-CoA, and 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA by using a microbe and/or a culture thereof, wherein the microbe in the manufacturing method for 1,4-butanediol includes any one of genes among (a) a gene that has a base sequence of sequence number 1, (b) a gene that has a base sequence such that one or more bases are deleted, substituted, or added in a base sequence of sequence number 1, wherein the gene has a base sequence with an identity greater than or equal to 90% with respect to the base sequence of sequence number 1, and (c) a gene that hybridizes with a gene that has a base sequence complementary with a gene that has a base sequence described in sequence number 1 on a stringent condition, and includes any one or more genes among (d) genes that have base sequences of sequence numbers 2 to 9, (e) genes that have base sequences such that one or more bases are deleted, substituted, or added in base sequences of seque

Abstract: A hydrocarbon synthase gene encoding protein having excellent capacity to synthesize a hydrocarbon such as alkane and novel functions is provided. The gene encodes a protein comprising an amino acid sequence comprising a motif sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 and having activity of synthesizing a hydrocarbon with a carbon number one less than that of an aldehyde compound from the aldehyde compound.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide: a novel gene (polynucleotide) encoding an FAD-conjugated glucose dehydrogenase having excellent properties that it has excellent reactivity to glucose, excellent thermal stability, and excellent substrate-recognition performance and also has a low activity for maltose; a process for the production of the enzyme using a transformant cell transfected with the gene; and a method for the determination of glucose, a reagent composition for use in the determination of glucose, a biosensor for use in the determination of glucose and others, each characterized by using the enzyme obtained.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of identifying a modulator of an NADPH oxidase, whereby said modulator is suitable as a lead compound and/or as a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of hearing loss and/or phantom hearing, the method comprising the steps of (a) contacting a test compound with a protein, wherein said protein (i) comprises or consists of the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NO: 1, 3 or 5, or (ii) is encoded by a nucleic acid comprising or consisting of the sequence of any one of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6, 23 or 24, or (iii) is a fragment of the protein according to (i) or (ii) and exhibits NADPH oxidase activity, or (iv) has a sequence at least 75% identical with the protein according to (i) or (ii) or with the fragment according to (iii) and exhibits NADPH oxidase activity, and optionally with one or more NADPH oxidase subunits, under conditions allowing binding of said test compound to said protein or, if present, said subunit(s); (b) optionally determining whether said test com

Abstract: Methods of making C4+ hydrocarbon feedstocks using anaerobic microbes are described.

Abstract: A novel Tistrella mobilis strain having Accession Deposit Number NRRL B-50531 is provided. A method of producing a didemnin precursor, didemnin or didemnin derivative by using the Tistrella mobilis strain, and the therapeutic composition comprising at least one didemnin or didemnin derivative produced from the strain or modified strain thereof are also provided.

Abstract: Recombinant microorganisms with deregulated succinyl-CoA synthetase activity, as well as the uses for producing lysine, ?-lysine, cadaverine or N-acetylcadaverine thereby are provided. Recombinant polypeptides comprising an amino acid sequence being at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 51 or 53 are also provided. The method of producing fine chemicals using said recombinant microorganisms, in particular the method of producing lysine, or derivatives thereof, such as ?-lysine, cadaverine or N-acetylcadaverine is further provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides T. reesei endoglucanase I variants exhibiting improved cellulase and/or xylanase activity, in particular at 30° C. and/or pH 6. These variants are particularly useful in industrial processes comprising simultaneous degradation of cellulosic biomass into monomeric sugars and fermentation of said sugars, for example to produce ethanol.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to non-naturally occurring monooxygenase polypeptides useful for preparing prazole compounds, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and methods of using the polypeptides.