Provided herein, in some aspects, are methods and compositions for cell-free production of ribonucleic acid.

Transgenic plants and methods for terpenoid production leveraging such transgenic plants are provided. Such transgenic plants may comprise a first heterologous nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide having 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarylCoA reductase activity and a second heterologous nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide that introduces de novo formation of isopentenyl phosphate in the plant. Such de novo IP production may be achieved through the overexpression of phosphomevalonate decarboxylase in conjunction with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarylCoA reductase, which can result in up to a 130-fold increase of terpenoid production as compared to a wild-type plant.

Provided herein, in some aspects, are methods and compositions for cell-free production of ribonucleic acid.

A method for producing isoprene includes culturing E. coli, which has isoprene productivity and in which a gene encoding a recA protein is attenuated or deleted, in a medium containing a carbon source. Therefore, a great amount of isoprene may be produced within a short period of time, and thereby considerably decreasing isoprene production unit costs.

Provided herein, in some embodiments, are methods and composition for the production of nucleoside triphosphates and ribonucleic acids.

The invention relates to an in vitro cell-free expression system incorporating a novel inorganic polyphosphate-based energy regeneration system. In certain embodiments, the invention includes a cell-free expression system where the cellular energy source, ATP, is regenerated from inorganic polyphosphate using a dual enzyme system. In this embodiment, this dual enzyme system may include thermostable Adenosyl Kinase, and/or Polyphosphate Kinase enzymes.

Phosphoethanolamine cellulose and methods of making and using it are disclosed. In particular, the invention relates to a method of producing a phosphoethanolamine cellulose biosynthetically using a BcsG phosphoethanolamine transferase for cellulose modification. Recombinant constructs encoding BcsG are described, including constructs encoding BcsG by itself or in combination with BcsE and BcsF, which increase the extent of cellulose modification and the amount of modified cellulose produced. Production of phosphoethanolamine cellulose in cell culture and derivatization of phosphoethanolamine cellulose are also described.

Disclosed herein are engineered cells and cell-free systems, compositions, and methods for conversion of isopentenols to isoprenoid precursors.

The invention provides a method for producing a terpene or a precursor thereof by microbial fermentation. Typically, the method involves culturing a recombinant bacterium in the presence of a gaseous substrate whereby the bacterium produces a terpene or a precursor thereof, such as mevalonic acid, isopentenyl pyrophosphate, dimethylallyl pyrophosphate, isoprene, geranyl pyrophosphate, farnesyl pyrophosphate, and/or farnesene. The bacterium may comprise one or more exogenous enzymes, such as enzymes in mevalonate, DXS, or terpene biosynthesis pathways.

The invention provides a method for producing a terpene or a precursor thereof by microbial fermentation. Typically, the method involves culturing a recombinant bacterium in the presence of a gaseous substrate whereby the bacterium produces a terpene or a precursor thereof, such as mevalonic acid, isopentenyl pyrophosphate, dimethylallyl pyrophosphate, isoprene, geranyl pyrophosphate, farnesyl pyrophosphate, and/or farnesene. The bacterium may comprise one or more exogenous enzymes, such as enzymes in mevalonate, DXS, or terpene biosynthesis pathways.