Abstract: The present disclosure identifies pathways and mechanisms to confer improved industrial fitness on engineered organisms. It also discloses engineered organisms having improved industrial fitness. Synthetic biologic engineering modules are disclosed that provide for light capture, carbon dioxide fixation, NADH production, NADPH production, thermotolerance, pH tolerance, flue gas tolerance, salt tolerance, nutrient independence and near infrared absorbance. The disclosed engineered organisms can include one or more of these modules. Also provided are methods of using the engineered organism to produce carbon-based products of interest, biomass or pharmaceutical agents.

Abstract: The present disclosure identifies pathways and mechanisms to confer photoautotrophic properties to a heterotrophic organism. The resultant engineered cell or organism will uniquely enable efficient conversion of carbon dioxide and light into biomass and carbon-based products of interest.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for reducing the number of cancer stem cells in a mixed population of differentiated cells (for example, cancer cells) and cancer stem cells. The cancer stem cells, if present, can be more resistant to traditional drug-based therapies and can provide a source for new, differentiated cancer cells associated with the development of drug-resistance and more aggressive phenotypes. When combined with traditional cancer therapies, for example, drug-based therapies, the methods and compositions of the invention provide a more effective way for treating cancer and can provide a model system for developing new cancer therapies and new treatment modalities.

Abstract: The present invention provides Modular Molecular Clasps and methods of using these Modular Molecular Clasps in a wide range of applications in the health care industry, e.g., in therapy, in clinical diagnostics, in in vivo imaging or in drug discovery. The Modular Molecular Clasps of the present invention also have industrial and environmental applications, e.g., in environmental diagnostics, industrial diagnostics, food safety, toxicology, catalysis of reactions or high-throughput screening; as well as applications in the agricultural industry and in basic research. Methods of designing the Modular Molecular Clasps, as well as arrays and biosensors comprising these Modular Molecular Clasps are also provided.