Genetically modified isopropylmalate synthases, processes for preparing a C.sub.7-C.sub.11 2-ketoacids utilizing genetically modified isopropylmalate synthases, and microbial organisms including genetically modified isopropylmalate synthases are described. The genetically modified isopropylmalate synthases, processes for preparing a C.sub.7-C.sub.11 2-ketoacids, and microbial organisms including genetically modified isopropylmalate synthases can be particularly useful for producing corresponding C.sub.n.sub._.sub.1 aldehydes, alcohols, carboxylic acids, and C.sub.n.sub._.sub.2 alkanes 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.

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 application relates to a microorganism of the genus Corynebacterium having L-isoleucine producing ability which comprises a protein having an activity of citramalate synthase, and a method for producing L-isoleucine using the same.

Modification of metabolic pathways includes genetically engineering at least one enzyme involved in elongating 2-ketoacids during leucine biosynthesis, and preferably at least isopropylmalate dehydrogenase or synthase (LeuB or LeuA in E. coli), to include at least such non-native enzyme, enzyme complex, or combination thereof to convert 2-ketobutyrate or 2-ketoisovalerate to a C7-C11 2-ketoacid, wherein the production of such is at a higher efficiency than if a purely native pathway is followed. The C7-C11 2-ketoacid may then be converted, via a native or genetically engineered thiamin dependent decarboxylase, to form a C6-C10 aldehyde having one less carbon than the C7-C11 2-ketoacid being converted. In some embodiments the C6-C10 aldehyde may then be converted via additional native or genetically engineered enzymes to form other C6-C10 products, including alcohols, carboxylic acids, and alkanes. This genetic engineering offers the opportunity for commercial scale of in vivo biosynthetic processes that may be more cost-efficient than non-biobased approaches to produce the same products.

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.

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.

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.

This document describes biochemical pathways for producing pimelic acid, 7-aminoheptanoic acid, 7-hydroxyheptanoic acid, heptamethylenediamine or 1,7-heptanediol by forming one or two terminal functional groups, each comprised of carboxyl, amine or hydroxyl group, in a C7 aliphatic backbone substrate. These pathways, metabolic engineering and cultivation strategies described herein rely on the C1 elongation enzymes or homolog associated with coenzyme B biosynthesis.

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.