Abstract: The present application relates to recombinant microorganisms useful in the biosynthesis of monoethylene glycol (MEG) and one or more three-carbon compounds such as acetone, isopropanol or propene. The MEG and one or more three-carbon compounds described herein are useful as starting material for production of other compounds or as end products for industrial and household use. The application further relates to recombinant microorganisms co-expressing a C2 branch pathway and a C3 branch pathway for the production of MEG and one or more three-carbon compounds. Also provided are methods of producing MEG and one or more three-carbon compounds using the recombinant microorganisms, as well as compositions comprising the recombinant microorganisms and/or optionally the products MEG and one or more three-carbon compounds.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, compositions, proteins, nucleic acids, cells, vectors, compounds, reagents, and systems for the preparation of kavalactones, flavokavains, and kavalactone and flavokavain biosynthetic intermediates using enzymes expressed in heterologous host cells, such as microorganisms or plants, or using in vitro enzymatic reactions. This invention also provides for the expression of the enzymes by recombinant cell lines and vectors. Furthermore, the enzymes can be components of constructs such as fusion proteins. The kavalactones produced can be utilized to treat anxiety disorder, insomnia, and other psychological and neurological disorders. The flavokavains produced can be utilized to treat various cancers including colon, bladder, and breast cancers.

Abstract: Use of a catalyst in a method of reducing a substrate, the method comprising contacting a substrate with a catalyst, optionally in the presence of a co-substrate, thereby to generate a reduced substrate. The catalyst is a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70% identity to SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 7 or SEQ ID NO: 9. In the method the substrate concentration is at least 50 mM.

Abstract: Use of a catalyst in a method of reducing a substrate, the method comprising contacting a substrate with a catalyst, optionally in the presence of a co-substrate, thereby to generate a reduced substrate. The catalyst is a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70% identity to SEQ ID NO: 7. In some methods, the substrate concentration is at least 50 mM.

Abstract: A method of producing a chemical product by continuous fermentation utilizes a separation membrane under conditions at a pH of not more than 3.5, wherein yeast having vanillin resistance is used to enable efficient production of a chemical product without leaving a large amount of fermentation feedstock unused, is provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to lipase variants and methods of obtaining them. The present invention also relates to polynucleotides encoding the variants; nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides; and methods of using the variants.

Abstract: A composition comprised of a perodixase, a catalase and a peroxide that, in combination, is suitable for degradation of pollen wall sporopollenin, and coatings comprising sporopollenin in a matrix that can be selectively degraded through application of a peroxidase, a catalase and a peroxide to the sporopollenin matrix.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of treating or preventing immunoinflammatory, vascular, thrombotic or ischemic disorders in a subject, the method comprises administering to the subject an agent which dissipates nucleotide phosphates or generates a product which stimulates adenosine receptors. The present invention also provides a method of treating or preventing immunoinflammatory, thrombotic or ischemic disorders in a subject by inhibiting leukocyte infiltration into a site which comprises administering to the subject an effective amount a described agent. Agents described for use in the methods of the invention include CD73, a fragment a mutant, or a modified form thereof.

Abstract: Methods for the improved acylation of chemical substrates using LovD acyltransferases, thioesters having acyl groups, and (i) thiol scavengers and/or (ii) precipitating agents are presented. An improved method for the production of simvastatin using (i) activated charcoal as a thiol scavenger and/or (ii) ammonium hydroxide as a precipitating agent is also presented.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to engineered ketoreductase polypeptides for the preparation of hydroxyl substituted carbamate compounds, and polynucleotides, vectors, host cells, and methods of making and using the ketoreductase polypeptides.

Abstract: A method of producing lipids, containing the steps of: culturing a transformant wherein the expressions of a gene encoding any one of the following proteins (A) to (F) and a gene encoding an acyl-ACP thioesterase are enhanced, and producing fatty acids or lipids containing these fatty acids as components: (A) a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2; (B) a protein consisting of an amino acid sequence having 89% or more identity with the amino acid sequence of the protein (A), and having acyl-CoA synthetase activity; (C) a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 4; (D) a protein consisting of an amino acid sequence having 49% or more identity with the amino acid sequence of the protein (C), and having acyl-CoA synthetase activity; (E) a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 6; and (F) a protein consisting of an amino acid sequence having 85% or more identity with the amino acid sequence of the protein (E), a

Abstract: Disclosed herein are botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) polypeptides with a modified receptor binding domain of Clostridial botulinum serotype B (B-Hc), comprising one or more substitution mutations corresponding to substitution mutations in serotype B, strain 1, V1118M; Y1183M; E1191M; E1191I; E1191Q; E1191T; S1199Y; S1199F; S1199L; S1201V; or combinations thereof. Specific combination mutations include E1191M and S1199L, E1191M and S1199Y, E1191M and S1199F, E1191Q and S1199L, E1191Q and S1199Y, or E1191Q and S1199F. Other substitution mutations are also disclosed. Isolated modified receptor binding domains, chimeric molecules, pharmaceutical compositions, and methods of using the same are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for obtaining at least one organic target product and biogas. The method is characterised in that a) organic substrate is introduced into an anaerobic fermentation process; b) in this anaerobic fermentation process a hydrolysis, acidification and methanation are performed using a mixed culture of bacteria and archaea without spatial separation; c) partial suppression of the anaerobic fermentation is realised, with the result that a part of the organic substrate is not completely decomposed to biogas or methane; d) at least one target product is enriched as an organic metabolite of at least one microorganism in the fermentation process by deliberate incomplete composition of the organic substrate; e) the biogas formed in the anaerobic fermentation process is recovered for further use; and f) at least one organic target product is obtained from the anaerobic fermentation process for further use.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are microorganisms that have enhanced tolerance to toxic compounds found in thermochemical waste streams. Methods of utilizing carbon found in waste streams are also disclosed. Also presented herein are methods for detoxifying waste streams and methods of bioconversion of toxic waste stream materials into useful products.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method that includes use of a catalyst in a method of reducing a substrate, the method including contacting a substrate with a catalyst, optionally in the presence of a co-substrate, thereby to generate a reduced substrate. The catalyst is a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence having at least 70% identity to SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 7 or SEQ ID NO: 9. In the method the substrate concentration is at least 50 mM.

Abstract: The application relates to a polypeptide having beta-glucosidase activity, its method of production and its uses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of poly- and oligosaccharides and their dietary effects. In particular it relates to a method of producing an ?-glucan containing (?1?3) linked D-glucose units. The invention also provides a branched ?-glucan comprising alternating (?1?4) and (?1?3) glucosidic linkages and having (?1?3,4) branching points, a food composition, and the use of an ?-glucanotransferase enzyme for reducing the digestible carbohydrates of a starch containing food material. Further aspects of the invention are a bacteria, an enzyme and an expression vector.

Abstract: The patent application relates to a method of producing a monomer component from a genetically modified polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biomass, wherein the biomass is heated in the presence of a catalyst to release a monomer component from the PHA.

Abstract: A method which enables olefin compound production with a high productivity and an enzyme used in the method, a mutation involving amino acid substitution has been introduced into various sites of diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase (MVD), thus preparing a large number of MVD variants. Next, the result of evaluating the variants for the catalytic activity related to the production of olefin compounds such as isoprene has revealed that MVD whose threonine at position 209 is substituted with a different amino acid has the catalytic activity, and that MVD whose arginine at position 74 is further substituted with a different amino acid in addition to position 209 has the catalytic activity at higher levels.

Abstract: The present application relates to recombinant microorganisms useful in the biosynthesis of monoethylene glycol (MEG) and one or more three-carbon compounds such as acetone, isopropanol or propene. The MEG and one or more three-carbon compounds described herein are useful as starting material for production of other compounds or as end products for industrial and household use. The application further relates to recombinant microorganisms co-expressing a C2 branch pathway and a C3 branch pathway for the production of MEG and one or more three-carbon compounds. Also provided are methods of producing MEG and one or more three-carbon compounds using the recombinant microorganisms, as well as compositions comprising the recombinant microorganisms and/or optionally the products MEG and one or more three-carbon compounds.