The present invention relates to an RhtB (homoserine/homoserine lactone export transporter) protein variant having an enhanced ability to export O-phosphoserine (OPS) that is a precursor of L-cysteine, a polynucleotide encoding the protein, a vector comprising the polynucleotide, an OPS-producing microorganism comprising the protein variant, a method of producing O-phosphoserine using the microorganism, and a method for preparing cysteine or its derivatives, which comprises reacting O-phosphoserine, produced by the method above, with a sulfide in the presence of O-phosphoserine sulfhydrylase (OPSS) or a microorganism that expresses OPSS.

There is provided a method of producing aminohexanoic acid and/or aminohexanoic acid ester from synthesis gas, the method comprising: A. contacting the synthesis gas with at least one bacteria capable of carrying out the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway and the ethanol-carboxylate fermentation to produce hexanoic acid; and B. contacting the hexanoic acid with a genetically modified cell to produce aminohexanoic acid and/or aminohexanoic acid ester, wherein the genetically modified cell has an increased activity, in comparison with its wild type, of alkane monooxygenase, alcohol dehydrogenase, and ω-transaminase.

A method for biosynthesis of polymer precursors, including, adipic acid, 1,6-hexanediol, 6-hydroxyhexanoic and 6-aminocaproic acids from carboxylic acids is provided. A method for biosynthesis of adipic acid from six-carbon dicarboxylic acids having α, β-enoate reductase activity by treatment with an enzyme is provided. The biocatalytic conversion of aliphatic and hydroxycarboxylic acids to corresponding aldehydes, alcohols, and amines using novel carboxylate reductases, aldehyde reductases, and aminotransferases is described. Also provided are genetically engineered microorganisms for use in the biosynthetic processes.

This document describes biochemical pathways for producing adipic acid, caprolactam, 6-aminohexanoic acid, hexamethylenediamine or 1,6-hexanediol by forming two terminal functional groups, comprised of carboxyl, amine or hydroxyl groups, in a C6 aliphatic backbone substrate. These pathways, metabolic engineering and cultivation strategies described herein rely on CoA-dependent elongation enzymes or analogues enzymes associated with the carbon storage pathways from polyhydroxyalkanoate accumulating bacteria.

Disclosed are biosynthetic methods and engineered microorganism that enhance or improve the biosynthesis of hexamethylenediamine, caproic acid or caprolactam. The engineered microorganisms include selected aldehyde dehydrogenase activity.

The invention provides a highly active S-cyanohydrin lyase obtained by mutating an amino acid residue at position 103 of a wild-type cassava S-cyanohydrin lyase. The mutation can significantly increase an expression of a mutant enzyme in E. coli and does not require a decrease in temperature when induced. Further mutations at position 128 and other sites were performed to obtain mutants with increased catalytic activity.

The subject invention provides methods and procedures for synthesis and/or semi-synthesis of the novel antibiotic arsinothricin (AST) and derivatives. Arsinothricin (AST), a new broad-spectrum organoarsenical antibiotic, is a non-proteinogenic analog of glutamate that effectively inhibits glutamine synthetase. The subject invention provides chemical synthesis of an intermediate in the pathway of AST synthesis, hydroxyarsinothricin (AST-OH), which can be converted to AST by enzymatic methylation catalyzed by the ArsM As(III) S-adenosylmethionine methyltransferase. The methods provide a source of the novel antibiotic that will be required for future clinical trials. The subject invention also provides AST derivatives as a new class of antibiotics.

The invention provides a non-naturally occurring microbial organism having a 6-aminocaproic acid, caprolactam, hexametheylenediamine or levulinic acid pathway. The microbial organism contains at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding an enzyme in the respective 6-aminocaproic acid, caprolactam, hexametheylenediamine or levulinic acid pathway. The invention additionally provides a method for producing 6-aminocaproic acid, caprolactam, hexametheylenediamine or levulinic acid. The method can include culturing a 6-aminocaproic acid, caprolactam or hexametheylenediamine producing microbial organism, where the microbial organism expresses at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a 6-aminocaproic acid, caprolactam, hexametheylenediamine or levulinic acid pathway enzyme in a sufficient amount to produce the respective product, under conditions and for a sufficient period of time to produce 6-aminocaproic acid, caprolactam, hexametheylenediamine or levulinic acid.

This disclosure relates to strategies for in vivo production of certain carbon-based products, for example, aminated aliphatic compounds having a carbon chain length of C5-C19.

The invention relates to methods, compounds, compositions and vehicles for delivering 3-amino-1-propanesulfonic acid (3APS) in a subject, preferably a human subject. The invention encompasses compound that will yield or generate 3APS, either in vitro or in vivo. Preferred compounds include amino acid prodrugs of 3APS for use, including but not limited to the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease