Disclosed are a phosphinothricin dehydrogenase mutant, a recombinant bacterium and a one-pot multi-enzyme synchronous directed evolution method. The phosphinothricin dehydrogenase mutant, with an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID No.1, is obtained by mutating alanine at position 164 to glycine, arginine at position 205 to lysine, and threonine at position 332 to alanine in a phosphinothricin dehydrogenase derived from Pseudomonas fluorescens. The recombinant bacterium is obtained by introducing a gene encoding the phosphinothricin dehydrogenase mutant into a host cell. The host cell can also incorporate a gene encoding a glucose dehydrogenase or a gene encoding a formate dehydrogenase to undergo synchronous directed evolution to achieve double gene overexpression. The one-pot multi-enzyme synchronous directed evolution method of the present invention can screen recombinant bacteria with greatly improved activity. Compared with other catalysis processes such as the transaminase method, the method for preparing L-PPT of the present invention features relatively simple process, high conversion of raw materials of up to 100%, and high stereo selectivity.

The subject invention provides methods for improving the treatment of effluents and waste matter produced during food processing and production. In particular, the subject invention provides methods for remediating fats, oils and greases (FOG), suspended solids, proteins, and other organic matter that are discharged from plants that process, for example, meats, poultry, seafood, dairy and plant-based oils. The methods of the subject invention utilize a customized microbial cocktail comprising facultative anaerobes, in combination with one or more microbial growth by-products, e.g., enzymes and/or biosurfactants, to digest and/or liquefy food processing waste matter.

The present disclosure relates to a genetically modified microbial cell that includes a first genetic modification resulting in the expression of an exogenous vanillate demethylase, such that the microbial cell is capable of metabolizing an S-lignin decomposition product and producing 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylate (PDC).

Methods for improving the ability of a population of biological agents to compete and survive in a field setting are provided. The modified population of agents is able to grow, compete with other microbial strains and fungi, and provide protection for plants from pathogens. Modified biological agents and modified populations of such agents that are herbicide tolerant or resistant are selected or engineered. In this manner, the protection from disease-causing agents is enhanced. Such modified populations can be added to soils to prevent fungal pathogens and associated diseases, promoting plant growth. The present invention is useful for enhancing the competitiveness of modified biological agents particularly over other microbial agents which are not herbicide resistant. Compositions include selected or engineered herbicide resistant biological agents and modified populations of biocontrol agents. These modified biological agents can be used as an inoculant or as a seed coating for plants and seeds.

The present disclosure provides agricultural compositions and methods of using these compositions to increase plant growth, pathogen resistance and drought tolerance. The agricultural compositions disclosed herein comprise mixtures of mutualistic beneficial fungi such as Laccaria bicolor and Piriformispora indica, and bacterial strains of Pseudomonas.

The present disclosure relates to a genetically modified microbial cell that includes a first genetic modification resulting in the expression of an exogenous vanillate demethylase, such that the microbial cell is capable of metabolizing an S-lignin decomposition product and producing 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylate (PDC).

Methods for improving the ability of a population of biological agents to compete and survive in a field setting are provided. By improving the population of biological agents, the modified population of agents is able to grow, compete with other microbial strains and fungi, and provide protection for plants from pathogens. In particular, modified biological agents and modified populations of such agents that are herbicide tolerant or resistant are selected or engineered. In this manner, the protection from disease-causing agents is enhanced. Such modified populations of biological agents can be added to soils to prevent fungal pathogens and the diseases they cause promoting plant growth. Therefore, the present invention is useful for enhancing the competitiveness of modified biological agents particularly over other microbial agents which are not herbicide resistant. Compositions of the invention include selected or engineered herbicide resistant biological agents and modified populations of biocontrol agents. These modified biological agents can be used as an inoculant or as a seed coating for plants and seeds.

Provided herein are methods of production of recombinant Erwinia asparaginase. Methods herein produce asparaginase having high expression levels in the periplasm or the cytoplasm of the host cell having activity comparable to commercially available asparaginase preparations.

The present invention includes modified and unmodified microbes, compositions comprising these microbes, and methods of using these microbes and/or compositions for enhancing plant health, plant growth plant yield and/or drought tolerance. This disclosure also provides non-naturally occurring plant varieties that are artificially infected with microbes descried herein, as well as seed, reproductive tissue, vegetative tissue, regenerative tissues, plant parts, or progeny thereof.

The present disclosure relates to a genetically modified microbial cell that includes a genetic modification resulting in the expression of a vanillate demethylase, where the microbial cell is capable of metabolizing at least one S-lignin decomposition molecule including at least one of syringate and/or 3-O-methyl gallate, and the genetically modified microbial cell is capable of producing gallate. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the vanillate demethylase may include VanAB.