Abstract: A thermophilic micro-organism comprising a modification that increases amylase expression and starch hydrolysis compared to wild-type, wherein the modification is insertion of a heterologous amylase gene.

Abstract: A thermophilic microorganism is modified to permit the increased production of ethanol, wherein a first modification is the inactivation of the lactate dehydrogenase gene and a second modification upregulates the pyruvate dehydrogenase gene.

Abstract: Modified microorganisms are prepared by inactivation of the endogenous lactate dehydrogenase gene. The microorganisms are deposited under NCIMB Accession Nos. 41277, 41278, 41279, 41280 or 41281.

Abstract: A mutated thermophilic microorganism is prepared, with a modification to inactivate the lactate dehydrogenase gene of a wild-type microorganism. The mutated microorganism is used in the production of ethanol, utilising C3, C5 or C6 sugars as the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and products for improved production of the lantibiotic mersacidin. There is provided a method of producing a mersacidin variant which comprises introducing into a cell which is a ?MrsA host cell an expression vector encoding said variant, and recovering said variant from the cell culture. Preferred variants include the novel variants of Table 1, e.g. mersacidin F3W, said mersacidin F3W optionally having a further one or more variations, e.g. mersacidin F3W G8A. Also provided is a Bacillus cell which is a SigH deficient strain of Bacillus sp. HIL Y-85,54728 (NCIMB Accession Number NCIMB 41211); this cell may also be used in the production of mersacidin and its variants. Further aspects of the invention include a DNA cassette which comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding the mersacidin mrsA propeptide, and a method to transform a Bacillus HIL host cell with plasmid, which method includes the step of electroporation.