Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetases, their variants and uses thereof. Particularly, the present invention relates to variants (mutants) of parent pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetases, wherein said variants have pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase activity and exhibit altered properties relative to the corresponding parent pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a methionine analogue, comprising contacting a host cell with L-homoserine and one or more nucleophiles and cultivating said host cell and said one or more nucleophiles of (a) in a fermentation broth to produce said methionine analogue, wherein said host cell encodes and stably expresses a L-homoserine-O-acetyl-transferase (HSAT) and an O-acetyl-L-homoserine sulfhydrylase (OAHS). The present invention also relates to host cells encoding and expressing such HSAT and OAHS, as well as uses thereof for producing a methionine analogue.

Abstract: The present invention relates to synthetic membranes having membrane proteins incorporated therein and, in particular, to the cell-free in vitro transcription and translation of membrane proteins into tethered planar lipid layers. In particular, the present invention provides a new method for the preparation of such membranes. The membranes, e.g., can be used for investigation of membrane receptor/ligand interactions.