Abstract: A non-human organism for upgrading intermediate oxidation products formed by catalytic degradation of alkanes or polystyrenes is provided. The non-human organism is genetically modified to convert the intermediate oxidation products to secondary metabolites, and in particular to include a positive feedback loop construction in the promotor system. A method includes steps of catalytically degrading alkanes or polystyrene in an oxidizing environment to form intermediate products with one or more catalysts and contacting the intermediate products with the non-human organism such that intermediate oxidation products are converted to secondary metabolites.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to transgenic fungal cells and methods of making the same such that the transgenic fungal cells include one or more exogenous biosynthetic gene clusters integrated into the host genome. The genes of the exogenous biosynthetic gene cluster may be operably linked to a transgenic region of an endogenous biosynthetic gene cluster that includes a native promoter to control expression of the exogenous genes.