The present invention relates to alpha-amylase variants of a parent alpha-amylase wherein said alpha-amylase variants have an improved wash performance as compared to said parent alpha-amylase. The invention also relates to compositions comprising the variants of the invention, uses of said variants and methods of producing said variants.

The present invention relates to alpha-amylase variants. The present invention also relates to polynucleotides encoding the variants; nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides; and methods of using the variants.

The present disclosure concerns recombinant yeast host cell for saccharification of a biomass. The recombinant yeast host cell has a genetic modification for expressing a heterologous polypeptide having glucoamylase activity (Rasamsonia emersonii glucoamylase). In some embodiments, the heterologous polypeptide comprises the signal sequence associated with the alpha-mating 1 factor. The present disclosure also concerns a process for saccharification of a biomass using the recombinant yeast host cell as well as a process for fermenting the saccharified biomass into a fermentation product.

The present disclosure concerns recombinant yeast host cells having a first genetic modification for downregulating a first metabolic pathway that converts NADP.sup.+ to NADPH, as well as a second genetic modification for upregulating a second metabolic pathway that converts NADP.sup.+ to NADPH. The second genetic modification allows the expression of a glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase lacking phosphorylating activity, which can, in some embodiments, be from enzyme commission 1.2.1.9 or 1.2.1.90. The second pathway is distinct from the first metabolic pathway. The present disclosure also concerns a process for making and improving the yield of a fermented product, such as ethanol, using the recombinant yeast host cell.

The present invention relates to processes of producing a fermentation product from starch containing material comprising (a) forming a slurry comprising the starch-containing material and water; (b) converting the starch-containing material into dextrins with an alpha-amylase; (c) saccharifying the dextrins using a carbohydrate source generating enzyme to form sugars; (d) fermenting sugars using a fermenting organism; (e) recovering the fermentation product to form whole stillage; (f) separating the whole stillage into a liquid fraction thin stillage and solid fraction wet cake; (g) hydrolyzing the thin stillage; (h) recycle a portion of the hydrolyzed thin stillage to steps (a); wherein the thin stillage in step (g) is hydrolyzed using a glucoamylase and/or polygalacturonase.

Genetically engineered enzymes having amylase enzyme activity, compositions comprising the enzymes, and methods of making and using the enzymes. Fragments of parent amylase enzymes activity and methods of using the fragments for making genetically engineered enzymes having amylase activity. The genetically engineered amylase enzymes are useful in many different applications such as laundry detergents, dish washing detergents, and cleaning products for homes, industry, vehicle care, baking, animal feed, pulp and paper processing, starch processing, brewing, and ethanol production.

Provided is a cleaning composition containing α-amylase which exhibits high specific activity at low temperatures. The cleaning composition comprises one or more proteins selected from the group consisting of the following (A), (B), (C), and (D): (A) a protein consisting of an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, and having α-amylase activity; (B) a protein consisting of an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, and having α-amylase activity; (C) a protein consisting of an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6, and having α-amylase activity; and (D) a protein consisting of an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8, and having α-amylase activity.

In one aspect, the invention is directed to polypeptides having an amylase and/or glucoamylase activity, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and methods for making and using these polynucleotides and polypeptides. In one aspect, the polypeptides of the invention can be used as amylases, for example, alpha amylases, to catalyze the hydrolysis of polysaccharide, oligosaccharide or starch into sugars. In one aspect, the invention provides delayed release compositions comprising an desired ingredient coated by a latex polymer coating. In alternative embodiments, enzymes are used to make biofuels, e.g., ethanol, butanol, propanol, or a gasoline-ethanol mix, including a bioethanol, biopropanol, biobutanol, or a biodiesel, or for any form of fuel or biomass processing.

The present invention relates to the use of a fibrinogen capture agent or a fibrinogen detection agent in an assay to detect a Ciz1 b-variant.

The invention provides an animal feed composition comprising plant material from a transgenic plant or plant part expressing a recombinant thermotolerant α-amylase. The invention further provides methods of improving feed utilization and decreasing liver abscesses. Also provided are methods of producing a steam flaked corn product, and the steam flaked corn product so produced.