An engineered yeast strain capable of efficient fermentation of xylose to ethanol, and methods of making and using the strain, are provided

The present application relates to the technical field of genetic engineering, and provides a monooxygenase mutant, a preparation method and application thereof. The monooxygenase mutant has any one of the amino acid sequences shown in (I) and (II): (I) an amino acid sequence having at least 80% identity with the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO. 1; and (II) an amino acid sequence obtained by modifying, substituting, deleting, or adding one or several amino acids to the amino acids at 23 to 508 positions of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO. 1, the substituting referring to a substitution of 1 to 34 amino acids, wherein the mutant has the activity of monooxygenase.

The present disclosure relates to genetically engineered host cells and methods of producing a lipid-derived compound by employing such host cells. In particular embodiments, the host cell includes a first mutant gene encoding a cytoplasmic tRNA thiolation protein. Optionally, the host cell can include other mutant genes for decreasing fatty alcohol catabolism, decreasing re-importation of secreted fatty alcohol, or displaying other useful characteristics, as described herein.

The present invention relates to a selective process for preparing sulfones from sulfides by enzymatic catalysis, and to a composition comprising a symmetrical sulfide, an oxidoreductase enzyme catalyzing the oxidation of said symmetrical sulfide to symmetrical sulfone; optionally at least one cofactor C of said enzyme E; and an oxidant, which allows in particular the implementation of said process.

The present invention provides, among other things, methods and compositions for making and using recombinant heme oxygenase for treating sickle cell disease. In some embodiments, recombinant heme oxygenase proteins are truncation variants, or Fc fusion proteins with increased half-life and/or reduced aggregation.

An expression vector containing appropriate mitochondrion-targeting sequences (MTS) and appropriate 3′UTR sequences provides efficient and stable delivery of a mRNA encoding a protein (CDS) to the mitochondrion of a mammalian cell. The MTS and 3′UTR sequences guide the CDS mRNA from the nuclear compartment of the cell to mitochondrion-bound polysomes, where the CDS is translated. This provides an efficient translocation of a mature functional protein into the mitochondria. A method of targeting mRNA expressed in the nuclear compartment of a mammalian cell to the mitochondrion is also provided. The vector and methods can be used to treat defects in mitochondrial function.

The present invention relates novel cyclic peptides which can act as inhibitors of protein-protein interactions, specifically by inhibiting the PDZ2 domain of PSD-95, as well as their use in treatment of excitotoxic-related diseases and neuropathic pain.

Transgenic plants with blue flower color, or their inbred or outbred progeny, or their propagules, partial plant bodies, tissues or cells, are provided. A buckwheat-derived C-glucosyltransferase (CGT) gene or its homolog is transferred into a host plant to cause delphinidin-type anthocyanins and flavone mono-C-glycosides to be copresent in the plant cells.

The present application is directed to lettuce plants comprising a mutation in each of at least two different PPO genes, where said mutations reduce the activity of PPO protein compared to a wild type lettuce plant. The present application is also directed to methods for making such lettuce plants.

The present disclosure provides recombinant nucleic acids comprising one or more polynucleotides encoding a polypeptide; viruses comprising the recombinant nucleic acids; compositions comprising the recombinant nucleic acids and/or viruses; methods of their use; and articles of manufacture or kits thereof.