A Pseudomonas sp. ECO-1 strain was preserved at the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center (CGMCC) on Mar. 31, 2017, with the preservation number of CGMCC No. 13960. The Pseudomonas sp. ECO-1 strain was separated from POPs (Persistent Organic Pollutants) polluted soil for the first time. The bifunctional enzyme preparation capable of efficiently degrading polychlorinated biphenyl and atrazine was prepared by utilizing the strain for the first time; especially, the bifunctional enzyme preparation has remarkable degradation activity on the polychlorinated biphenyl which is difficult to degrade under an aerobic condition, which is completely different from functions of existing known Pseudomonas sp. and enzyme preparations 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.

A method of producing 1,8-dihydroxy naphthalene (DHN) is provided. The method includes culturing cells under suitable culture conditions for the production of DHN. The cells include a nucleic acid encoding a polyketide synthase polypeptide and one or more nucleic acids encoding one or more protein enzymes used in the DHN melanin pathway. DHN melanin pathway genes may be expressed in the cells, which may recombinant E. coli cells. The cells may include inhibitors to stop the conversion of DHN into melanin within the cells. The cells may include glucose as a cell nutrient. The glucose may be derived from biomass. DHN may be produced, harvested and the harvested DHN may be catalyzed into a cyclic hydrocarbon.

A method for depolymerizing a mixture of plastics is described. The method comprises (a) providing a composition comprising two of more plastics, (b) introducing a solvent comprising an ionic liquid (IL) or deep eutectic solvents (DES) and optionally water to the composition to form a solvent-plastic composition, such as an aqueous solvent-plastic composition, and (c) incubating the solvent-plastic composition for a period of time to produce a depolymerized composition such that at least portions of the two of more plastics are depolymerized into monomers. The produced monomers can be used as a carbon source for microbes to produce bioproducts.

A Pseudomonas sp. ECO-1 strain was preserved at the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center (CGMCC) on Mar. 31, 2017, with the preservation number of CGMCC No. 13960. The Pseudomonas sp. ECO-1 strain was separated from POPs (Persistent Organic Pollutants) polluted soil for the first time. The bifunctional enzyme preparation capable of efficiently degrading polychlorinated biphenyl and atrazine was prepared by utilizing the strain for the first time; especially, the bifunctional enzyme preparation has remarkable degradation activity on the polychlorinated biphenyl which is difficult to degrade under an aerobic condition, which is completely different from functions of existing known Pseudomonas sp. and enzyme preparations thereof.

Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for the production of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine from a bacteria.

The present disclosure relates to a polypeptide having an acyltransferase activity or a microorganism including the same; a composition for preparing N-acetyl-L-methionine, the composition including the polypeptide or microorganism; and a method of preparing N-acetyl-L-methionine using the polypeptide or microorganism. Further, the present disclosure relates to a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide and an expression vector including the polynucleotide. Since the microorganism including a novel acyltransferase according to the present disclosure has enhanced acyltransferase activity, this microorganism can be efficiently used for producing N-acetyl-L-methionine by acetylating L-methionine.

The invention relates to cells which make rhamnolipids and are genetically modified such that they have a decreased activity, compared to the wild type thereof, of an ABC glucose transporter and, compared to the wild type thereof, an increased activity of at least one non-ABC glucose transporter and to a method for producing rhamnolipids using the cells according to the invention.

Provided herein are screening methods and animal models related to intraocular diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), for example, for identifying candidate therapeutics for treating or preventing eye diseases, such as AMD. Also provided herein are compounds/compositions that are useful for killing or inhibiting the growth of a microorganism, such as Bacillus megaterium. Further provided herein are methods of using the compounds/compositions for treating infections with a microorganism, such as Bacillus megaterium and for treating or preventing diseases or disorders associated with such infections, such as AMD.

There is described herein a consortium of micro-organisms comprising, consisting or consisting essentially of Rhizobium spp., Bacillus spp., and Pseudomonas spp.