Abstract: A method for producing a fermentation product from a lignocellulose-containing material comprises pre-treating the lignocellulose-containing material; introducing agricultural residues to the pre-treated lignocellulose-containing material; exposing the pre-treated lignocellulose-containing material to one or more hydrolyzing enzymes; and fermenting with a fermenting organism to produce a fermentation product. The agricultural residues may be corn pith and/or corn cob.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to hydrolysis of mannan-containing poly- or oligo-saccharides by use of a polypeptide having endo-?-mannanase activity. In particular the present disclosure relates to compositions comprising a bacterial endo-?-mannanase, polynucleotides encoding the endo-?-mannanase, and methods of use thereof.

Abstract: A method for producing a chondroitin sugar chain comprises reacting a glucuronic acid donor, an N-acetyl galactosamine donor, a sugar receptor and a bacterial cell enzyme which synthesizes chondroitin in the presence of a surfactant. The surfactant is selected from polyoxyethylene octadecyl amine, n-decanoyl-N-methylglucamide, sodium cholate, n-octyl-?-D-thioglucopyranoside, n-nonyl-?-D-thiomaltopyranoside, sucrose monocholate, sucrose monocaprate, and sucrose monolaurate. The chondroitin sugar chain has all the following properties: a weight average molecular weight: 50,000 or more when measured by gel filtration chromatography; it is completely degraded to disaccharides with chondroitinase ABC; and when the sugar chain is decomposed with chondroitinase ABC and the decomposed products are subjected to a disaccharide analysis, substantially all of them correspond to an unsaturated disaccharide unit of chondroitin.

Abstract: The invention relates to enzymes, compositions, and methods for efficient hydrolysis of arabinans present in plant biomass. More specifically, the invention relates to arabinases and compositions comprising arabinases to improve cell wall degradation to efficiently use plant biomass for bio-energy production. The invention also relates to a method for preparing a prebiotic. The prebiotic may contain branched arabinan oligomers comprise ?-(1,5)-linked arabinan backbone, and single substituted ?-(1,3)-linked arabinose monomers attached to the backbone, or double substituted ?-(1,2,3,5)-linked arabinose monomers attached to the backbone, or both. The invention also relates to a method for preparing fruit juice or wine. The invention also relates to a method for saccharification of a plant biomass. The invention also relates to a recombinant micro-organism genetically modified to express the enzymes of the present invention and optionally additional enzymes to achieve the disclosed methods.

Abstract: The instant invention pertains to the use of formic acid in new processes for treating feedstocks comprising holocellulose, as well as, new compositions suitable for, for example, bioalcohol production. The processes may comprise first mixing the feedstock with an aqueous acid solution comprising formic acid and then producing a hydrolysis product comprising monosaccharides and water-soluble oligosaccharides. The compositions typically comprise a feedstock comprising holocellulose and an aqueous acid solution comprising formic acid. Advantageously, the processes and compositions of the present invention may be used in more environmentally friendly, cost-efficient production of fuels.

Abstract: An electrically conductive cellulose composite includes a cellulose matrix and an electrically conductive carbonaceous material incorporated into the cellulose matrix. The electrical conductivity of the cellulose composite is at least 10 ?S/cm at 25° C. The composite can be made by incorporating the electrically conductive carbonaceous material into a culture medium with a cellulose-producing organism, such as Gluconoacetobacter hansenii. The composites can be used to form electrodes, such as for use in membrane electrode assemblies for fuel cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having acetyl xylan esterase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having feruloyl esterase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for extracting high acyl gellan from the fermentation broth containing gellan gum with a low production cost and high quality of products, comprising the following steps: (1) Treatment of the fermentation broth with an enzyme; (2) flocculation of the treated fermentation broth with acid; (3) wash of the fiber-like material; and (4) drying and milling.

Abstract: A method for producing a fermentation product from a lignocellulose-containing material comprises pre-treating the lignocellulose-containing material; introducing a cationic polysaccharide to the pre-treated lignocellulose-containing material; exposing the pre-treated lignocellulose-containing material to an effective amount of a first hydrolyzing enzyme; and fermenting with a fermenting organism to produce a fermentation product. The cationic polysaccharide may be a cationic starch.

Abstract: Methods for treating biomass for release of fermentable sugars with an improved inhibitor profile are provided. Specifically, a hydrolysate comprising fermentable sugars with an improved inhibitor profile is obtained by saccharification of a reaction product obtained by pretreating biomass with ammonia under suitable reaction conditions. The pretreated biomass reaction product has an acetamide to acetate molar ratio greater than about 1 and an acetyl conversion of greater than 60%. The acetamide to acetate molar ratio is maintained greater than about 1 throughout saccharification. The hydrolysate may be fermented to a target compound.

Abstract: A method is provided for improving the release of monomeric sugars from alkaline pretreated biomass. The method includes further processing of pretreated biomass and addition of a chemical to the saccharification reaction, which together provides for unexpected release of high levels of monomeric sugars that may be fermented to target products.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing preparations comprising soluble arabinoxylans as co-products of ethanol production through fermentation of whole-grain cereals. The method results in preparations that are highly enriched in soluble arabinoxylans, which can be used as a food, beverage, or feed ingredients.

Abstract: A method for lignocellulose conversion to sugar with improvements in yield and rate of sugar production has been developed by using ionic liquid pretreatment. This new pretreatment strategy substantially improves the efficiency (in terms of yield and reaction rates) of saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass. Cellulose and hemicellulose, when hydrolyzed into their sugars, can be converted into ethanol fuel through well established fermentation technologies. These sugars also form the feedstocks for production of variety of chemicals and polymers. The complex structure of biomass requires proper pretreatment to enable efficient saccharification of cellulose and hemicellulose components to their constituent sugars. Current pretreatment approaches suffer from slow reaction rates of cellulose hydrolysis (by using the enzyme cellulase) and low yields.

Abstract: A method of oxidising a saccharide, by contacting the saccharide with an alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) enzyme selected from a quinone redox cofactor-dependent ADH, a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) redox cofactor-dependent ADH, a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP+) redox cofactor-dependent ADH, and any combination thereof is described. An oxidised saccharide obtainable by the method and products, in particular food products and paper products, containing the oxidised saccharide, are also described.

Abstract: This invention discloses drug-delivery compositions, methods of making prodrugs, and methods of drug delivery using a self-assembled gelator. The backbone of the gelator can contain a drug or prodrug, such as acetaminophen or salicin. Additional drugs or agents can be encapsulated in the gelator. Enzymatic or hydrolytic cleavage can be used to release the drugs.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having beta-glucosidase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods for producing and using the polypeptides.

Abstract: Polypeptides comprising a catalytic starch debranching domain and a starch binding domain are disclosed. The polypeptides comprising the starch binding domain have an improved functionality in raw starch degradation compared with same catalytic unit in same amount but without the starch binding domain.

Abstract: An enzyme mixture for the enzymatic hydrolysis of a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock to soluble sugars is provided. Also provided is a process for hydrolyzing a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock with an enzyme mixture. The enzymatic hydrolysis comprises adding a cellulase enzyme mixture to a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock. The cellulase enzyme mixture comprises a primary cellulase mixture of CBH1 and CBH2, and EG1 and EG2. The CBH1 and CBH2 being present at greater than or equal to 55% and less than 85% of the primary cellulase mixture. Furthermore, CBH2 is present at a fraction relative to CBH1 and CBH2, and EG2 is present at a fraction relative to the EG1 and EG2.

Abstract: The invention generally features compositions and methods based on the structure-based design of alpha 1-3 N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (alpha 3 GaINAc-T) enzymes from alpha 1-3 galactosyltransferase (a3Gal-T) that can transfer 2?-modified galactose from the corresponding UDP-derivatives due to substitutions that broaden the alpha 3Gal-T donor specificity and make the enzyme a3 GaINAc-T.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pretreatment method which enables the promotion of the enzymatic glycosylation of lignocellulose under relatively mild conditions by using a tree bark as a raw material with less energy. Specifically the present invention provides a step for producing a sugar from a tree bark, which is characterized by having the following steps: an alkali treatment step of immersing the tree bark in an alkali compound solution; a refining treatment step of refining the alkali treated tree bark mechanically into fine pieces; and an enzymatic glycosylation step of glycosylating the refined tree bark with an enzyme. The present invention also provides a method of producing an ethanol.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing alcohol or sugar in a commercial-scale bioreactor using a reformulated commercial enzyme preparation. Also provided is a bioreactor modified to practice the method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for obtaining a product sugar stream from a cellulosic biomass, comprising pretreating the cellulosic biomass to hydrolyze a portion of the cellulose and hemicellulose to produce glucose, acetic acid and a sugar monomer, adding base to the pretreated cellulosic biomass to produce inorganic salt and acetate salt; hydrolyzing the neutralized cellulosic biomass with cellulase enzymes and separating insoluble residue from the resulting sugar stream; treating the clarified sugar stream using exclusion chromatography at a pH of 5 to 10 to produce a product sugar stream.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods for producing fermentable sugar obtained from a plant tissue. The methods include providing transgenic plant material comprising one or more locked carbohydrates and contacting plant material with an enzyme capable of converting the locked carbohydrate into a fermentable sugar. The methods are useful for providing sugar or sugar pre-cursors for several industrial purposes including ethanol production. The invention also encompasses plants and plant parts that produce a lock enzyme to yield a locked carbohydrate, with the consequence of accumulating the locked carbohydrate in the plant. The invention also encompasses providing a key enzyme able to convert locked carbohydrates to fermentable sugars. Key enzymes can be provided by transgenic plants or plant parts, transgenic microbes, transgenic yeast, microbes or yeast.

Abstract: In the invention, highly pure crystals of difructose dianhydride III (di-D-fructofuranose-1,2?:2,3?-dianhydride; hereinafter referred to as DFA III) are produced by adding 5% or less of powdered active carbon to a DFA III containing purified solution containing DFA III of 90% or more purity at a concentration of R-Bx 10-60, preferably 40-55, and after stirring, applying the mixture to solid-liquid separation (filtration with diatomaceous, filtration through a membrane filter, ultrafiltration, or continuous centrifugal separation) and concentrating the separated liquid part, followed by immediate crystallization. In the process of the invention, DFA III crystals can be produced efficiently and industrially, and the resulting crystals can be used for various purposes in pharmaceuticals or food and drink since they have no smell. This is characteristics of the invention different from the prior art products.

Abstract: A method for the production of ethanol and a modified animal feed is provided. The method replaces the starch in known corn-based animal feed with biomass fiber treated to make it more digestible by animals. The process includes wherein the pericarp and germ are removed from the corn kernel and processed for by-products. The starch and protein are also removed and separated. The starch is then fermented and distilled to ethanol and stillage. The bioavailable modified animal feed comprises the pericarp and germ removed from corn kernels and optionally by-products of the pericarp and germ processing, and lignocellulosic materials. The modified animal feed may optionally include energy materials such as animal and vegetable fats, vegetable soapstocks, or glycerin, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed are variants of Humicola grisea Cel7A (CBH1.1), H. jecorina CBH1 variant or S. thermophilium CBH1, nucleic acids encoding the same and methods for producing the same. The variant cellulases have the amino acid sequence of a glycosyl hydrolase of family 7A wherein one or more amino acid residues are substituted.

Abstract: A novel thermophilic endo-glucanase, nucleic acid encoding the endo-glucase, and uses thereof in converting ligocellulosic material to fermentable sugars.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, computer programs and computing devices related to biologically assembling and/or synthesizing peptides and/or proteins are disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are high-purity galactooligosaccharide compositions, methods of producing high-purity galactooligosaccharides, food products and method of preparing food products comprising a high-purity galactooligosaccharide composition.

Abstract: A method for the modification of a material comprising a non-starch carbohydrate, which method comprises contacting said material comprising a non-starch carbohydrate with a polypeptide which has peroxidase activity and which is: a. a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 55% homology with an amino acid sequence set out in any one of: amino acids 21 to 513 of SEQ NO: 2; amino acids 20 to 510 of SEQ ID NO: 4; amino acids 1 to 493 of SEQ ID NO 6; or amino acids 1 to 491 of SEQ ID NO: 8 or b. a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence having at least 55% homology with a nucleotide sequence set out in any one of: nucleotides 61 to 1539 of SEQ ID NO: 1; nucleotides 58 to 1530 of SEQ ID NO: 3; nucleotides 1 to 1479 of SEQ ID NO: 5; or nucleotides 1 to 1473 of SEQ ID NO: 7.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having endoglucanase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods for producing and using the polypeptides.

Abstract: The present invention provides for combinations of enzymes and other proteins that result in improved saccharification of plant material. The invention provides for saccharification in the presence of and optional fermentation by, yeast cells expressing the enzymes and other proteins.

Abstract: Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can convert feedstock materials to a sugar solution, which can then be fermented to produce ethanol. Biomass feedstock is dispersed in a liquid medium and then saccharified.

Abstract: Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can convert feedstock materials to a sugar solution, which can then be fermented to produce ethanol. Biomass feedstock is saccharified in a vessel by operation of a jet mixer, the vessel also containing a liquid medium and a saccharifying agent.

Abstract: Disclosed are a number of homologs and variants of Hypocrea jecorina Cel7A (formerly Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase I or CBH1), nucleic acids encoding the same and methods for producing the same. The homologs and variant cellulases have the amino acid sequence of a glycosyl hydrolase of family 7A wherein one or more amino acid residues are substituted and/or deleted.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the expression and optimization of enzymes involved in lignocellulosic biomass decomposition. The present invention relates more particularly to beta-glucosidase variants comprising at least one modification among the amino acids located at positions 225, 238, 240 and 241, according to the numbering in SEQ ID No. 2 of Trichoderma reesei beta-glucosidase, and also relates to the use of said variants having improved effectiveness in methods for cellulose decomposition and biofuel production.

Abstract: Isolated and/or purified polypeptides and nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius are provided. Further provided are methods of at least partially degrading, cleaving, or removing polysaccharides, lignocellulose, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, starch, chitin, polyhydroxybutyrate, heteroxylans, glycosides, xylan-, glucan-, galactan-, or mannan-decorating groups using isolated and/or purified polypeptides and nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius.

Abstract: Described herein are variants of H. jecorina CBH I, a Cel7 enzyme. The present invention provides novel cellobiohydrolases that have improved thermostability and reversibility.

Abstract: The invention relates to a variant of a parent Fungamyl-like fungal alpha-amylase, which exhibits improved thermal stability at acidic pH suitable for, e.g., starch processes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the production of sugar hydrolysates from cellulosic material. The method may be used, for example for producing fermentable sugars for the production of bioethanol from lignocellulosic material. Cellulolytic enzymes and their production by recombinant technology are described, as well as uses of the enzymes and enzyme preparations.

Abstract: The invention provides a composition containing particulate composite of a polymer and a therapeutic agent. The composition also contains a complexing agent. The polymer interacts with the complexing agent in a host-guest or a guest-host interaction to form an inclusion complex. A therapeutic composition of the invention may be used to deliver the therapeutic agent and to treat various disorders. Both the polymer of the particulate composite and the complexing agent may be used to introduce functionality into the therapeutic composition. The invention also relates to a method of preparing a composition. The method combines a therapeutic agent, a polymer having host or guest functionality, and a complexing agent having guest or host functionality to form the therapeutic composition. The complexing agent forms an inclusion complex with the polymer. The invention also relates to a method of delivering a therapeutic agent.

Abstract: A process for the extraction of sugars and/or lignin from lignocellulose-containing solid biomass is provided.

Abstract: Saccharification of polysaccharides of plants is provided, where release of fermentable sugars from cellulose is obtained by adding plant tissue composition. Production of glucose is obtained without the need to add additional ?-glucosidase. Adding plant tissue composition to a process using a cellulose degrading composition to degrade cellulose results in an increase in the production of fermentable sugars compared to a process in which plant tissue composition is not added. Using plant tissue composition in a process using a cellulose degrading enzyme composition to degrade cellulose results in decrease in the amount of cellulose degrading enzyme composition or exogenously applied cellulase required to produce fermentable sugars.

Abstract: The invention relates to polyphenol-rich products of plants and also to a method of producing these products. In addition, the invention relates to the use of the polyphenol-containing products for producing foods, food supplements, dietetic foods and cosmetics; and also foods, food supplements, dietetic foods and cosmetics which contain such a product.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel ?-glucosidase nucleic acid sequence, designated bgl3, and the corresponding BGL3 amino acid sequence. The invention also provides expression vectors and host cells comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding BGL3, recombinant BGL3 proteins and methods for producing the same.

Abstract: A method for treating a lignocellulose raw material so as to facilitate a pulverization treatment that is necessary for the efficient and effective use of a lignocellulose raw material as a raw material or resource for material conversion. When converting a lignocellulose raw material into sugar or a useful material, such as ethanol, with the aid of an enzyme or producing a biodegradable material derived from a lignocellulose raw material via a mechanical or chemical treatment, a lignocellulose raw material is treated with an enzyme prior to or simultaneously with the pulverization process, so that the viscosity of slurry comprising a lignocellulose raw material and water is lowered and the pulverization efficiency is improved.

Abstract: Isolated and/or purified polypeptides and nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius are provided. Further provided are methods of at least partially degrading, cleaving, or removing polysaccharides, lignocellulose, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, starch, chitin, polyhydroxybutyrate, heteroxylans, glycosides, xylan-, glucan-, galactan-, or mannan-decorating groups using isolated and/or purified polypeptides and nucleic acid sequences encoding polypeptides from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having beta-glucosidase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.

Abstract: The invention relates to recombinant expression of a variant form of a fungal C1 strain ?-glucosidase. The invention also relates to the generation of fermentable sugars from biomass and the production of biofuels by fermentation of the sugars using genetically modified organisms expressing the ?-glucosidase variant. The invention provides methods for producing a fermentable sugar, such as glucose, from cellobiose by contacting cellobiose with a recombinant ?-glucosidase variant protein, such as a variant protein secreted by a recombinant host cell into culture medium. Methods of the invention may be used for conversion of a biomass substrate to a fermentable sugar, and ultimately to ethanol or other biofuel.