The present disclosure provides genetically modified host cells that produce a cannabinoid, a cannabinoid derivative, a cannabinoid precursor, or a cannabinoid precursor derivative. The present disclosure provides methods of synthesizing a cannabinoid, a cannabinoid derivative, a cannabinoid precursor, or a cannabinoid precursor derivative.

Described are HIV kinase variants showing an improved activity in converting 3-hydroxyisovalerate (HIV) into 3-phosphonoxyisovalerate (PIV), methods for the production of PIV using such enzyme variants as well as methods for the production isobutene in a subsequent reaction.

This application describes methods, including non-naturally occurring methods, for biosynthesizing 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coA and intermediates thereof, as well as non-naturally occurring hosts for producing 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coA. This application also describes methods, including non-naturally occurring methods, for biosynthesizing isoprene and intermediates thereof, as well as non-naturally occurring hosts for producing isoprene.

Mutations involving amino acid substitution were introduced into various sites of diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase (MVD), thus preparing a large number of MVD variants. Then, the variants were each evaluated in terms of a catalytic activity for production of olefin compounds such as isoprene. As a result, it was found that substitution of glycine at position with a different amino acid resulted in improvement in the catalytic activity. In addition, it was found that the MVD in which arginine at position and threonine at position in addition to the position were further substituted with different amino acids, respectively, also had the high catalytic activity.

This invention relates to the field of genetic engineering. Specifically, the invention relates to the construction of operons to produce biologically active agents. For example, operons may be constructed to produce agents that control the function of biochemical pathway proteins (e.g., protein phosphatases, kinases and/or proteases). Such agents may include inhibitors and modulators that may be used in studying or controlling phosphatase function associated with abnormalities in a phosphatase pathway or expression level. Fusion proteins, such as light activated protein phosphatases, may be genetically encoded and expressed as photoswitchable phosphatases. Systems are provided for use in controlling phosphatase function within living cells or in identifying small molecule inhibitors/activator/modulator molecules of protein phosphatases associated with cell signaling.

The present invention provides for a genetically modified host cell capable of producing isopentenol and/or 3-methyl-3-butenol, comprising (a) an increased expression of phosphomevalonate decarboxylase (PMD) (b) an increased expression of a phosphatase capable of converting isopentenol into 3-methyl-3-butenol, (c) optionally the genetically modified host cell does not express, or has a decreased expression of one or more of NudB, phosphomevalonate kinase (PMK), and/or PMD, and (d) optionally one or more further enzymes capable of converting isopentenol and/or 3-methyl-3-butenol into a third compound, such as isoprene.

This invention relates to the field of genetic engineering. Specifically, the invention relates to the construction of operons to produce biologically active agents. For example, operons may be constructed to produce agents that control the function of biochemical pathway proteins (e.g., protein phosphatases, kinases and/or proteases). Such agents may include inhibitors and modulators that may be used in studying or controlling phosphatase function associated with abnormalities in a phosphatase pathway or expression level. Fusion proteins, such as light activated protein phosphatases, may be genetically encoded and expressed as photoswitchable phosphatases. Systems are provided for use in controlling phosphatase function within living cells or in identifying small molecule inhibitors/activator/modulator molecules of protein phosphatases associated with cell signaling.

Described in this application are proteins and host cells involved in methods of producing isoprenoid precursors and/or isoprenoids.

This application describes methods, including non-naturally occurring methods, for biosynthesizing 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coA and intermediates thereof, as well as non-naturally occurring hosts for producing 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coA. This application also describes methods, including non-naturally occurring methods, for biosynthesizing isoprene and intermediates thereof, as well as non-naturally occurring hosts for producing isoprene.

Genetically engineered hosts and methods for their production and use in synthesizing hydrocarbons are provided.