Abstract: The present invention provides a mutated histidine decarboxylase suitable for a practical use. Specifically, the present invention provides a mutated histidine decarboxylase having at least one amino acid residue mutated as compared to a wild-type histidine decarboxylase, and having higher histidine decarboxylase activity and/or stability than the wild-type histidine decarboxylase, and also a use thereof. The mutated histidine decarboxylase has Motifs (1) to (6), and an amino acid residue in at least one motif thereof can be mutated. The mutated histidine decarboxylase can also have a mutation of at least one amino acid residue in an amino acid sequence designated by SEQ ID NO: 3 and in a homologous sequence thereto.

Abstract: Disclosed here are compositions of matter that comprise DNA analogues that have been rectified by replacing the four standard components with alternative components that mitigate various problems frequently encountered during synthesis of these compounds, during the functioning of these compounds, and complex mixtures for information data storage.

Abstract: Described herein are anti-microbial and UV-protective biological devices and extracts produced therefrom. The biological devices include microbial cells transformed with a DNA construct containing genes for producing proteins such as, for example, zinc-related protein/oxidase, silicatein, silaffin, and alcohol dehydrogenase. In some instances, the biological devices also include a gene for lipase. Methods for producing and using the devices are also described herein. Finally, compositions and methods for using the devices and extracts to kill microbial species or prevent microbial growth and to reduce or prevent UV-induced damage or exposure to materials, items, plants, and human and animal subjects are described herein. Also disclosed are biological devices producing polyactive carbohydrates and carbo sugars, as well as compositions and articles incorporating both extracts from these devices and the anti-microbial and UV-protective extracts.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the production of steviol glycoside rebaudiosides D4, WB1 and WB2 and the production of rebaudioside M from Reb D4.

Abstract: A PET hydrolase having improved thermal stability is disclosed. The PET hydrolase has a modified amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or a modified amino acid sequence with at least 80% sequence identity of SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein the modification is a substitution of asparagine at position 248 or a corresponding position with proline.

Abstract: Disclosed are transformed cells and related nucleotide and protein sequences, and fermentation compositions and methods, all of which are related to providing selective advantage in fermentation. For example, a selective advantage results from transformation of a cell with a nucleic acid that allows a transformed cell to metabolize one or more nitrogen-, phosphorous-, and/or sulfur-containing compounds that a native cell of the same species as the transformed cell cannot metabolize, and from fermentation of the transformed cell using one or more feedstocks, such as fractioned grain, which are depleted in or free of conventional nitrogen-, phosphorous-, and/or sulfur-containing compounds that a native cell of the same species as the transformed cell can metabolize. Also disclosed are methods for improved oxygen transfer in an aerobic or microaerobic fermentation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel monooxygenases which are useful in the hydroxylation of aromatic hydrocarbons. They are particularly useful for the production of 1-naththol and 7-hydroxycoumarin from naphthol and 7-Ethoxycoumarin, respectively.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for synthesizing a spidroin. In some embodiments, the methods comprise synthesizing a monomer in vivo in a heterologous host, the monomer comprising an N-terminus IntC domain and a C-terminus IntN domain, and post-translationally polymerizing the synthesized monomer via in vitro split-intein mediated polymerization.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates a polypeptide having UGT activity, which polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence which, when aligned with a polypeptide having UGT activity comprising the sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 2, comprises at least one substitution of an amino acid corresponding to any of amino acids at positions 35, 189, 280, 284, 285, 334 or 373, said positions being defined with reference to SEQ ID NO: 2 and wherein the polypeptide has one or more modified properties as compared with a reference polypeptide having UGT activity. A polypeptide according to the disclosure may be used in a recombinant cell for the production of steviol or a steviol glycoside.

Abstract: Described herein are UV-resistant or UV-protective biological devices and extracts produced therefrom. The biological devices include microbial cells transformed with a DNA construct containing genes for producing UV-resistant proteins such as, for example, hexokinase, heat shock proteins, alcohol dehydrogenase, transferrin, flavonol synthase, zinc oxidase, and iron oxidase. Methods for producing and using the devices are also described herein. Finally, compositions and methods for using the devices and extracts to reduce or prevent UV-induced damage or exposure to materials, items, plants, and human and animal subjects are described herein.

Abstract: Genetically engineered hosts and methods for their production and use in synthesizing hydrocarbons are provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides host cells for reliable, high yield recombinant protein production, including unstable proteins. The present host cell (e.g., a bacterial cell) is deficient in at least one protease (or a subunit of a protease) such as Clp or ClpP. The host cell may also contain an expression vector that encodes a protein or polypeptide for overexpression.

Abstract: The use of a cytochrome P-450 enzyme comprising SEQ ID NO: 110, or a variant enzyme having at least 70% identity thereto and having CYP-450 activity, for the hydroxylation of an organic compound, wherein the amino acid residue at position 291 is not threonine.

Abstract: The disclosure provides compositions and methods for producing natural products in microorganisms that are otherwise unexpressed, poorly expressed or poorly transcribed. In particular aspects, the disclosure provides compositions and methods for activating a silent gene or gene cluster with a bacteriophage and/or Streptomyces Antibiotic Regulatory Protein (SARP) transcription factor.

Abstract: Surfactants based on a newly discovered class of compounds include a hydrophobic lipid oligomer covalently linked to a peptide or peptide-like chain and a carbohydrate moiety, and a serine-leucinol dipeptide linked to the lipid oligomer. Such surfactants can be used to create an oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsion by mixing together a polar component; a non-polar component; and the surfactant. Biosurfactants of the newly discovered class can be made by isolating and culturing a microorganism which produces the biosurfactant, and then isolating the biosurfactant from the culture. A microorganism can be engineered to produce biosurfactant of this newly discovered class by expressing a set of heterologous genes involved in the biosynthesis of the biosurfactant in the microorganism.

Abstract: Described are nicotine-degrading enzyme variants that exhibit increased nicotine-degrading activity and/or decreased immunogenicity relative to the wild-type NicA2 and NOX enzymes, compositions comprising the variants, and methods using them.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing a product by culturing a carboxydotrophic acetogenic bacterium with a disrupting mutation in a lactate dehydrogenase enzyme in the presence of a substrate comprising CO, CO2, and/or H2. Preferably, the disrupting mutation reduces or eliminates the expression or activity of the enzyme such that the bacterium produces a reduced amount of lactate or no lactate.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides engineered carboxyesterase enzymes that have the ability to catalyze amide bond formation. Also provided are polynucleotides encoding the carboxyesterase enzymes, host cells capable of expressing the engineered carboxyesterase enzymes, and methods of using the engineered carboxyesterase enzymes to make commercially valuable amides. Also provided are amides that are made using the engineered carboxyesterase enzymes.

Abstract: The present invention is in the technical field of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. More particularly, the present invention is in the technical field of fermentation of metabolically engineered microorganisms. The present invention describes engineered microorganisms able to synthesize sialylated compounds via an intracellular biosynthesis route. These microorganisms can dephosphorylate N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate to N-acetylglucosamine and convert the N-acetylglucosamine to N-acetylmannosamine. These microorganisms also have the ability to convert N-acetylmannosamine to N-acetyl-neuraminate.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for biohydrogen production. The method includes: mixing a hydrogen production medium and a buffer solution Na2HPO4/NaH2PO4 having a pH value of 5-9, to yield a first mixture; adding corn stalk powder and cellulase to the first mixture and mixing, to yield a second mixture; adding a suspension of photosynthesis bacteria HAU-M1 at the late exponential phase to the second mixture, to yield a third mixture; and sealing the third mixture and allowing for photo-fermentation biohydrogen production under anaerobic fermentation conditions.