Abstract: Presented herein are recombinases for improved recombinase-mediated amplification of nucleic acids, such as a PCR-library having single-stranded adapter regions, on a patterned flow cell surface for improved cluster amplification, as well as methods and kits using the same.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions comprising an engineered intein designed such that the self-cleaving activity of the intein can be modulated by a zinc-binding motif as well as methods and systems for making and using the compositions.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides engineered polypeptides having imine reductase activity, polynucleotides encoding the engineered imine reductases, host cells capable of expressing the engineered imine reductases, and methods of using these engineered polypeptides with a range of ketone and amine substrate compounds to prepare secondary and tertiary amine product compounds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polypeptides having endoglucanase activity, catalytic domains, and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides or catalytic domains. 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 or catalytic domains.

Abstract: The present invention relates in general to therapeutic fusion proteins useful to treat lysosomal storage diseases and methods for treating such diseases. Exemplary therapeutic fusion proteins comprise a lysosomal enzyme, a lysosomal targeting moiety, e.g., an IGF-II peptide, and a spacer peptide. Also provided are compositions and methods for treating Mucopolysaccharidosis Type IIIB (Sanfilippo B Syndrome), comprising a targeted therapeutic fusion protein comprising alpha-N-acetylglucosaminidase (Naglu), a lysosomal targeting moiety, e.g., an IGF-II peptide, and a spacer peptide.

Abstract: This invention relates to biocatalysts for the efficient production of succinic acid and/or other products from renewable biological feedstocks. The biocatalysts have a very high efficiency for the growth-coupled production of succinic acid and/or other products from carbohydrate feed stocks as a result of both genetic manipulation and metabolic evolution. More specifically, certain biocatalysts of the present invention produce succinic acid at high titers and yields in mineral salts media during simple pH-controlled batch fermentation without the addition of any exogenous genetic material. The genetic manipulations of the present invention are concerned with energy-conserving strategies coupled with the elimination of alternative routes for NADH oxidation other than the routes for succinic acid production. The biocatalysts contain glucose-repressed gluconeogenic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (pck) derepressed by genetic modifications and a genetically-inactivated phosphotransferase system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing erythritol and to a cyanobacterial cell for the production of erythritol.

Abstract: This document describes biochemical pathways that include the production of 3-oxopent-4-enoyl-CoA by condensation of acryloyl-CoA and acetyl-CoA using a ?-ketothiolase with a SER-HIS-HIS catalytic triad. These pathways described herein rely on enzymes such as, inter alia, dehydrogenases, dehydratases and ?-ketothiolases.

Abstract: Testosteronan, a heparosan analog having the structure [-4-D-GlcUA-?1,4-D-GlcNAc-?1-]n, is produced by testosteronan synthase, a single protein that is a dual-action catalyst that utilizes UDP-GlcUA and UDP-GlcNAc to synthesize a polysaccharide having the structure [-4-D-GlcUA-?1,4-D-GlcNAc-?1-]n.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are expression vectors suitable for transfection in amoebas. The vectors may include a promoter from a protein-encoding gene from an amoeba, a selection marker, and a polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of interest, operably linked to the promoter. The promoter may be from the ACT1 gene from Naegleria fowleri.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a microorganism capable of simultaneous co-fermentation of two or more sugars in a lignocellulosic hydrolysate and having tolerance against microorganism growth inhibitory substances in the lignocellulosic hydrolysate and further having butanol productivity. In addition, embodiments of the invention provide a recombinant microorganism in which a pathway converting butyryl-CoA into butanol or a pathway converting butyrate into butyryl-CoA is promoted, and butanol productivity is increased. Further, a method for producing butanol using the microorganisms is provided.

Abstract: A variant polypeptide having chymosin activity, wherein the variant has an amino acid sequence which, when aligned with the chymosin comprising the sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 2, comprises at least one substitution of an amino acid residue corresponding to any of amino acids 2, 22, 40, 48, 50, 51, 53, 61, 62, 76, 88, 98, 99, 109, 112, 117, 125, 126, 135, 144, 160, 161, 163, 187, 189, 194, 200, 201, 202, 203, 221, 223, 240, 242, 244, 254, 267, 271, 273, 278, 280, 284, 289, 292, 294 or 295 said positions being defined with reference to SEQ ID NO: 2 and wherein the variant has one or more altered properties as compared with a reference polypeptide having chymosin activity. Such a variant polypeptide may be used in the preparation of a cheese.

Abstract: Microorganisms comprising modifications for producing pyruvate, ethanol, and other compounds. The microorganisms comprise modifications that reduce or ablate activity of one or more of pyruvate dehydrogenase, 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, phosphate acetyltransferase, acetate kinase, pyruvate oxidase, lactate dehydrogenase, cytochrome terminal oxidase, succinate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, pyruvate formate lyase, pyruvate formate lyase activating enzyme, and isocitrate lyase. The microorganisms optionally comprise modifications that enhance expression or activity of pyruvate decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase. The microorganisms are optionally evolved in defined media to enhance specific production of one or more compounds. Methods of producing compounds with the microorganisms are provided.

Abstract: The invention provides a mutant hydrolase protein with enhanced kinetics and functional expression, as well as polynucleotides encoding the mutant proteins and methods of using the polynucleotides and mutant proteins.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the construction of a bacteriophage-insensitive mutant of a Streptococcus thermophilus parent strain whereby the bacteriophage insensitivity is not based on the CRISPR resistance mechanism but based on another mechanism. The method provides a protocol by which this can be achieved by inactivating one or more of the CRISPR systems present in a given strain. The invention also provides the bacteriophage-insensitive mutants as well as their use in a process for making a dairy product.

Abstract: Recombinant photosynthetic microorganisms that convert inorganic carbon to secreted fatty acids are described. Methods to recover the secreted fatty acids from the culture medium without the need for cell harvesting are also described.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides engineered ketoreductase enzymes having improved properties as compared to a naturally occurring wild-type ketoreductase enzyme. Also provided are polynucleotides encoding the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, host cells capable of expressing the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, and methods of using the engineered ketoreductase enzymes to synthesize a variety of chiral compounds.

Abstract: The mutant chorismate-pyruvate lyase (A) or (B) as described below is capable of producing 4-hydroxybenzoic acid or a salt thereof with sufficient practical efficiency. (A) A mutant chorismate-pyruvate lyase obtained by replacing the valine at position 80 in a chorismate-pyruvate lyase (ubiC) from Pantoea ananatis consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 with one or more other amino acids. (B) A mutant chorismate-pyruvate lyase obtained by replacing an amino acid in another chorismate-pyruvate lyase, the amino acid being at a position enzymologically homologous with that of the above valine, with one or more other amino acids.

Abstract: Isolated and prepared heparinases SDhep I and SDhep II obtained from a bacterium Sphingobacterium daejeonense are heparin enzymes that have not been reported. The isolated and prepared enzymes were obtained by steps of bacterium fermentation, crude enzyme extraction, multi-step column chromatography and so on. A study in properties showed that the two enzymes are specific for enzymolysis of heparin and are expected to be used in low molecular weight heparins preparation or heparin quality testing.

Abstract: Provided are a dehalogenase variant, a polynucleotide encoding the dehalogenase variant, a recombinant microorganism including a genetic modification that increases dehalogenase activity, a composition including the recombinant microorganism, and a method of reducing a concentration of fluorinated methane using the recombinant microorganism.