Abstract: Engineered, modified, or mutated Bacillus strains that produce keratinases or serine proteases (KerS) that biologically degrade keratin-containing materials, such as feathers; compositions containing these Bacillus strains or the keratinases they produce, and methods for biologically degrading keratin-containing materials using these strains or keratinases.

Abstract: A glycosyltransferase BS-YjiC mutant, a construction method and an application thereof provided, relating to the field of genetic engineering technologies. The glycosyltransferase BS-YjiC mutant is obtained by performing site-directed mutation on amino acids at the 125th, 178th, 313th, 125th and 178th, or 125th and 313th positions of a wild-type glycosyltransferase BS-YjiC with the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1. Compared with the wild-type glycosyltransferase BS-YjiC, the glycosyltransferase BS-YjiC mutant is more suitable for catalyzing protopanaxadiol (PPD) to generate rare ginsenosides F12 and Rh2, which is more conducive to the flexibility of the production process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of increasing the yield of at least one of oxidosqualene, triterpenes and/or triterpenoids in a specifically engineered host cell and a respective host cell as well as to the use of said host cell for manufacturing the at least one of oxidosqualene, triterpenes and/or triterpenoids.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for improving cardiovascular function in a human patient (e.g., reducing hypertension), as well as methods of treating a cardiovascular disease, by administering a recombinant human soluble ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase phosphodiesterase (hsNPP1), active fragment or fusion protein thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reporter for a protein fragment complementation assay characterized in that the reporter is a fused protein comprising a first fragment, a second fragment and a protein kinase sequence section, wherein the first fragment and the second fragment are derived from different sections of the same split protein, and wherein the protein kinase sequence section intervenes between the first fragment and the second fragment and wherein the kinase sequence section comprises a kinase domain sequence and one or more regulatory sequence(s). Further the invention provides polynucleotides and cells encoding for the reporter as well as methods of conducting a protein fragment complementation assay with the reporter according to the invention.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a compound screening method comprising screening a test compound that binds a target protein of interest and another ligand protein that is not previously known to form a complex, comprising, (i) in the presence and absence of a test compound, incubating an immobilized ligand protein with a target protein of interest, comprising a nucleic acid tag, wherein the protein of interest and the nucleic acid tag differ from each other; (ii) removing unbound target protein of interest; and (iii) detecting the presence or absence of complex between the immobilized ligand protein, test compound, and the target protein of interest, wherein an increase in the amount of target protein of interest bound to the immobilized ligand protein in the presence of test compound as compared to the absence of test compound indicates the test compound binds to and enables protein-protein complex formation between the immobilized ligand protein and the target protein of interest.

Abstract: Filamentous fungal host cells expressing hypoxia responsive morphology factor A (hrmA) and biofilm architecture factor (baf) proteins are provided. Methods of producing filamentous fungal host cells expressing hrmA and baf proteins are also provided. In one aspect, the disclosure provides a filamentous fungal host cell, comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding an Aspergillus fumigatus hypoxia responsive morphology factor A (hrmA) protein, or a homolog or ortholog thereof.

Abstract: Provided are recombinant microorganisms having a foreign gene encoding a variant of a nitrous oxide reductase protein, a composition comprising the recombinant microorganism or the variant of a nitrous oxide reductase protein for use in removing nitrous oxide in a sample, a variant of a nitrous oxide reductase protein, and a polynucleotide encoding the variant.

Abstract: The present invention provides engineered purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) enzymes, polypeptides having PNP activity, and polynucleotides encoding these enzymes, as well as vectors and host cells comprising these polynucleotides and polypeptides. Methods for producing PNP enzymes are also provided. The present invention further provides compositions comprising the PNP enzymes and methods of using the engineered PNP enzymes. The present invention finds particular use in the production of pharmaceutical compounds.

Abstract: Provided herein are modified caspase-9 polypeptides, and chimeric caspase-9 proteins containing the modified caspase-9 polypeptides. The disclosure further provides polynucleotides encoding these proteins, engineered host cells containing these polynucleotides and proteins, including host cells that co-express a chimeric antigen receptor, and methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are genetically engineered hematopoietic cells, which express one or more Krebs cycle modulating polypeptides, and optionally a chimeric receptor polypeptide (e.g., an antibody-coupled T cell receptor (ACTR) polypeptide or a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) polypeptide) capable of binding to a target antigen of interest. Also disclosed herein are uses of the engineered hematopoietic cells for inhibiting cells expressing a target antigen in a subject in need thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for using human-derived Janthinobacterium lividum. Compositions improve skin health. Methods may include applying human-derived Janthinobacterium lividum over a host or host area, such as skin or mucosa, to minimize the presence of one or more microbes, maximize therapeutic effects, and/or improve health. A method to minimize a pathogenic microbe may include applying to a surface a composition including human-derived Janthinobacterium lividum and an acceptable carrier. Compositions and methods may include a prebiotic to maximize growth and/or metabolites. Compositions and methods may include human-derived Janthinobacterium lividum metabolites, such as violacein, prodigiosin, indole-3-carboxaldehyde, and lantibiotics, and/or other Postbiotics.

Abstract: The present invention belongs to the bioengineering field, and relates to a method for fermentation production of L-theanine by using an Escherichia coli genetically engineered bacterium. The engineered bacterium is obtained by serving a strain as an original strain, wherein the strain is obtained after performing a single copy of T7RNAP, a dual copy of gmas, xylR knockout, and sucCD knockout on an Escherichia coli W3110 genome, and by integrating genes xfp, pta, acs, gltA, and ppc, and knocking out ackA on the genome. The present invention has a high yield, and stable production performance; after 20-25 h, L-theanine has a titer of 75-80 g/L, and the yield is up to 52-55%. The fermentation broth is purified by membrane separation in combination with a cation-anion resin series technique. Moreover, the one-step crystallization yield is 72.3% and the L-theanine final product has a purity of 99%.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a D-amino acid oxidase mutant and application in preparing L-glufosinate thereof. The D-amino acid oxidase mutant has an amino acid substitution at at least one of position 62 and position 226 of an amino acid sequence of the D-amino acid oxidase mutant when compared to an amino acid sequence of a D-amino acid oxidase as set forth in SEQ ID NO. 1, the position 62 and position 226 being defined with reference to SEQ ID NO. 1, and the amino acid sequence of the D-amino acid oxidase mutant having at least 90% identity to SEQ ID NO. 1.

Abstract: Described herein are constructs, compositions and methods for precise in vivo imaging of the structures and dynamics of protein-based scaffolds with and without their designated cargos.

Abstract: Provided is a nucleic acid system introduced into a bacterial strain to generate a genetically engineered bacterial strain that grows in solid tumors but does not grow in non-tumor tissues, the nucleic acid system comprising: a first DNA fragment that encodes a toxin gene that expresses a toxin that kills the genetically engineered bacterial strain; a second DNA fragment that encodes an antidote gene that expresses an antidote that negates the toxin; a first promotor that controls transcription of the antidote gene, such that glucose represses the transcription of the antidote gene; and a first constitutive promoter that causes constitutive expression of the toxin gene; wherein the second DNA fragment is transcribed in the solid tumors but not transcribed in the non-tumor tissues.

Abstract: Methods and compositions relating to the engineering of an improved protein with homocyst(e)inase enzyme activity are described. For example, there are disclosed modified cystathionine-?-lyase (CGL) enzymes comprising one or more amino acid substitutions and capable of degrading homocyst(e)ine. Furthermore, provided are compositions and methods for the treatment of homocystinuria or hyperhomocysteinemia with homocyst(e)ine depletion using the disclosed enzymes or nucleic acids.

Abstract: Improved production of threonine from E. coli by fermentation is accomplished by attenuation but not elimination of the expression of either or both of the yajV gene encoding omega-amidase (a.k.a. 2-oxoglutaramate amidase) and the ilvA gene encoding threonine dehydratase (a.k.a threonine deaminase). In cases where there is attenuated expression of the ilvA gene, there is no need to express an exogenous cimA gene. In examples of both cases, attenuation is accomplished by engineering these genes to contain a weaker ribosome site. Further improvements in threonine production are made by expression of a heterologous pyruvate carboxylase gene exemplified by expression of the Corynebacterium glutamicum pyc gene under control of an E. coli promoter, to provide expression of pyruvate carboxylase that is not naturally expressed in E. coli.

Abstract: The present invention provides a delivery technique for delivering a gene modification tool capable of providing a high gene modification efficiency in cells. The composition according to the present invention is a composition for inducing gene modification at a target gene locus in a cell, the composition containing 1) a compound represented by formula (I) or a salt thereof; 2) a structural lipid; and 3) a guide RNA or a DNA including a sequence encoding the guide RNA, and/or an RNA-guided nuclease or a nucleic acid including a sequence encoding the RNA-guided nuclease. In formula (I), n represents an integer of 2 to 5, R represents a linear C1-5 alkyl group, a linear C7-11 alkenyl group, or a linear C11 alkadienyl group, and wavy lines each independently represent a cis-type bond or a trans-type bond.

Abstract: Systems and methods that facilitate the automatic (or substantially automatic) preparation of a sample of a product containing polypeptides for glycan analysis and automatic (or substantially automatic) performance of a glycan assay of that sample. Thus, the preparation and analysis can be performed substantially in-real time, or, in other words, much more quickly than presently allowed by conventional systems and methods.