Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for the treatment and/or prevention of diseases or conditions comprising administration of a therapeutic biological molecule, and/or naturally or artificially occurring derivatives, analogues, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, alone or in combination with one or more active agents (e.g., an aromatic-cationic peptide). The present technology provides compositions related to aromatic-cationic peptides linked to a therapeutic biological molecule and uses of the same. In some embodiments, the aromatic-cationic peptide comprises 2,6-dimethyl-Tyr-D-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH.sub.2, Phe-D-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH.sub.2, or D-Arg-2,6-Dmt-Lys-Phe-NH.sub.2.

A method for producing an L-amino acid is provided. An L-amino acid is produced by culturing a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae and having an L-amino acid-producing ability, wherein the bacterium has been modified so that the activity of aconitase is increased, or the activities of aconitase and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase are increased, in a medium, and collecting the L-amino acid from the medium or cells of the bacterium.

Provided is a recombinant microorganism including at least two genes for producing itaconic acid and its derived monomers, and the at least two genes are located on the same expression vector. The at least two genes include one encoding cis-aconitic acid decarboxylase and the other one encoding aconitase, and the genome of the recombinant microorganism includes a gene encoding the molecular chaperone protein GroELS. Also provided is a method for producing itaconic acid by using the microorganism.

Methods and materials for the production of compounds involved in the TCA cycle, and/or derivatives thereof and/or compounds related thereto are provided. Also provided are products produced in accordance with these methods and materials.

The present invention relates to a secretagogue compound derived from oxalate degrading bacteria, for use in the treatment of an oxalate related disease and/or oxalate related imbalance in a subject, wherein the administration of the secretagogue results in a reduction of urinary oxalate and/or plasma oxalate in the subject. The invention further relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising such a secretagogue compound, a method for treating a subject suffering from an oxalate related disease, and to a method for preparing a secretagogue.

Provided is a recombinant microorganism including at least two genes for producing itaconic acid and its derived monomers, and the at least two genes are located on the same expression vector. The at least two genes include one encoding cis-aconitic acid decarboxylase and the other one encoding aconitase, and the genome of the recombinant microorganism includes a gene encoding the molecular chaperone protein GroELS. Also provided is a method for producing itaconic acid by using the microorganism.

The present invention relates to a secretagogue compound derived from oxalate degrading bacteria, for use in the treatment of an oxalate related disease and/or oxalate related imbalance in a subject, wherein the administration of the secretagogue results in a reduction of urinary oxalate and/or plasma oxalate in the subject. The invention further relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising such a secretagogue compound, a method for treating a subject suffering from an oxalate related disease, and to a method for preparing a secretagogue.

Provided herein are methods, compositions, and non-naturally occurring microbial organism for preparing compounds such as1-butanol, butyric acid, succinic acid, 1,4-butanediol, 1-pentanol, pentanoic acid, glutaric acid, 1,5-pentanediol, 1-hexanol, hexanoic acid, adipic acid, 1,6-hexanediol, 6-hydroxy hexanoic acid, ?-Caprolactone, 6-amino-hexanoic acid, ?-Caprolactam, hexamethylenediamine, linear fatty acids and linear fatty alcohols that are between 7-25 carbons long, linear alkanes and linear ?-alkenes that are between 6-24 carbons long, sebacic acid and dodecanedioic acid comprising: a) converting a C.sub.N aldehyde and pyruvate to a C.sub.N+3 ?-hydroxyketone intermediate through an aldol addition; and b) converting the C.sub.N+3 ?-hydroxyketone intermediate to the compounds through enzymatic steps, or a combination of enzymatic and chemical steps.

The description provides, inter alia, recombinant microorganisms, engineered metabolic pathways, chemical catalysts, and products produced through the use of the described methods and materials. The products produced include functionalized alpha substituted C4 dicarboxylic acids and functionalized acrylic acids and salts, esters and lactones thereof.

Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for the treatment and/or prevention of diseases or conditions comprising administration of a therapeutic biological molecule, and/or naturally or artificially occurring derivatives, analogues, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, alone or in combination with one or more active agents (e.g., an aromatic-cationic peptide). The present technology provides compositions related to aromatic-cationic peptides linked to a therapeutic biological molecule and uses of the same. In some embodiments, the aromatic-cationic peptide comprises 2,6-dimethyl-Tyr-D-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH.sub.2, Phe-D-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH.sub.2, or D-Arg-2,6-Dmt-Lys-Phe-NH.sub.2.