Recombinant microbial cells are provided which have been engineered to produce fatty acid derivatives having linear chains containing an odd number of carbon atoms by the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway. Also provided are methods of making odd chain fatty acid derivatives using the recombinant microbial cells, and compositions comprising odd chain fatty acid derivatives produced by such methods.

Multi-carbon compounds such as ethanol, n-butanol, sec-butanol, isobutanol, tert-butanol, fatty (or aliphatic long chain) alcohols, fatty acid methyl esters, 2,3-butanediol and the like, are important industrial commodity chemicals with a variety of applications. The present invention provides metabolically engineered host microorganisms which metabolize methane (CH.sub.4) as their sole carbon source to produce multi-carbon compounds for use in fuels (e.g., bio-fuel, bio-diesel) and bio-based chemicals. Furthermore, use of the metabolically engineered host microorganisms of the invention (which utilize methane as the sole carbon source) mitigate current industry practices and methods of producing multi-carbon compounds from petroleum or petroleum-derived feedstocks, and ameliorate much of the ongoing depletion of arable food source “farmland” currently being diverted to grow bio-fuel feedstocks, and as such, improve the environmental footprint of future bio-fuel, bio-diesel and bio-based chemical compositions.

The invention relates to a 2-isopropyl malate synthase, a genetically engineered bacterium for producing L-leucine and application thereof and belongs to the field of metabolic engineering. The genetically engineered bacterium is obtained by overexpressing an isopropyl malate synthase coding gene leuA.sup.M for relieving feedback inhibition by L-leucine, an acetohydroxy acid synthase coding gene ilvBN.sup.M for relieving feedback inhibition by L-isoleucine, a 3-isopropyl malate dehydrogenase coding gene leuB and a 3-isopropyl malate dehydratase coding gene leuCD in host cells. The genetically engineered bacterium for producing the L-leucine is free from nutritional deficiency, rapid in growth, short in fermentation period, high in yield and high in conversion rate.

The present disclosure provides metabolic signatures and genetic markers for tracking enhanced nitrogen utilization efficiency phenotypes in tobacco plants and for introgressing enhanced nitrogen utilization efficiency phenotypes into tobacco plants. The disclosure also provides tobacco plants comprising enhanced nitrogen utilization efficiency and methods to the creation of tobacco plants comprising enhanced nitrogen utilization efficiency. The disclosure also provides recombinant polynucleotides and polypeptides for enhancing nitrogen utilization efficiency in modified tobacco plants and tobacco plants comprising the provided recombinant polynucleotides and polypeptides.

The present disclosure provides metabolic signatures and genetic markers for tracking enhanced nitrogen utilization efficiency phenotypes in tobacco plants and for introgressing enhanced nitrogen utilization efficiency phenotypes into tobacco plants. The disclosure also provides tobacco plants comprising enhanced nitrogen utilization efficiency and methods to the creation of tobacco plants comprising enhanced nitrogen utilization efficiency. The disclosure also provides recombinant polynucleotides and polypeptides for enhancing nitrogen utilization efficiency in modified tobacco plants and tobacco plants comprising the provided recombinant polynucleotides and polypeptides.

Multi-carbon compounds such as ethanol, n-butanol, sec-butanol, isobutanol, tert-butanol, fatty (or aliphatic long chain) alcohols, fatty acid methyl esters, 2,3-butanediol and the like, are important industrial commodity chemicals with a variety of applications. The present invention provides metabolically engineered host microorganisms which metabolize methane (CH.sub.4) as their sole carbon source to produce multi-carbon compounds for use in fuels (e.g., bio-fuel, bio-diesel) and bio-based chemicals. Furthermore, use of the metabolically engineered host microorganisms of the invention (which utilize methane as the sole carbon source) mitigate current industry practices and methods of producing multi-carbon compounds from petroleum or petroleum-derived feedstocks, and ameliorate much of the ongoing depletion of arable food source farmland currently being diverted to grow bio-fuel feedstocks, and as such, improve the environmental footprint of future bio-fuel, bio-diesel and bio-based chemical compositions.

Genetically modified isopropylmalate isomerase enzyme complexes (e.g., LeuCD enzyme complexes), microbial organisms including genetically modified isopropylmalate isomerase enzyme complexes (e.g., LeuCD), and processes for preparing C.sub.7-C.sub.11 2-ketoacids with genetically modified isopropylmalate isomerase enzyme complexes (e.g., LeuCD). The genetically modified isopropylmalate isomerase enzyme complexes (e.g., LeuCD enzyme complexes), microbial organisms, and processes for preparing C.sub.7-C.sub.11 2-ketoacids can be used to produce C.sub.6-C.sub.10 aldehydes, alkanes, alcohols, and carboxylic acids, both in vivo and in vitro.

The present disclosure provides metabolic signatures and genetic markers for tracking enhanced nitrogen utilization efficiency phenotypes in tobacco plants and for introgressing enhanced nitrogen utilization efficiency phenotypes into tobacco plants. The disclosure also provides tobacco plants comprising enhanced nitrogen utilization efficiency and methods to the creation of tobacco plants comprising enhanced nitrogen utilization efficiency. The disclosure also provides recombinant polynucleotides and polypeptides for enhancing nitrogen utilization efficiency in modified tobacco plants and tobacco plants comprising the provided recombinant polynucleotides and polypeptides.

Genetically modified isopropylmalate isomerase enzyme complexes (e.g., LeuCD enzyme complexes), microbial organisms including genetically modified isopropylmalate isomerase enzyme complexes (e.g., LeuCD), and processes for preparing C7-C11 2-ketoacids with genetically modified isopropylmalate isomerase enzyme complexes (e.g., LeuCD). The genetically modified isopropylmalate isomerase enzyme complexes (e.g., LeuCD enzyme complexes), microbial organisms, and processes for preparing C7-C11 2-ketoacids can be used to produce C6-C10 aldehydes, alkanes, alcohols, and carboxylic acids, both in vivo and in vitro.

Genetically modified LeuCD enzyme complexes, processes for preparing a C.sub.7-C.sub.11 2-ketoacid utilizing genetically modified LeuCD enzyme complexes, and microbial organisms including modified LeuCD enzyme complexes are described. The instantly-disclosed genetically modified LeuCD enzyme complexes, processes for preparing a C.sub.7-C.sub.11 2-ketoacid, and microbial organisms including modified LeuCD enzyme complexes can be particularly useful for producing C.sub.6-C.sub.10 aldehydes, alkanes, alcohols, and carboxylic acids, both in vivo and in vitro.