Provided is an inorganic solid waste-microbial composite curing agent and its preparation method and application. The inorganic solid waste-microbial composite curing agent consists of the following raw materials in parts by weight: steel slag, active magnesium oxide, recycled powder, stearic acid, borax, carbonic anhydrase bacteria, Bacillus subtilis, and soluble calcium salts. The preparation method includes performing granulation on steel slag, active magnesium oxide, recycled powder, stearic acid, borax, etc. into porous materials through dry rolling extrusion and compression, and loading carbonic anhydrase bacteria and Bacillus subtilis into the porous materials. By adding inorganic solid waste-microbial composite curing agent into the sludge and introducing CO.sub.2, the sludge is quickly solidified through the carbonization and microbial mineralization of inorganic solid waste. At the same time, microorganisms can effectively decompose organic pollutants in the sludge, achieving the goal of harmless, stabilized and resourceful utilization of sludge.

Provided is an inorganic solid waste-microbial composite curing agent and its preparation method and application. The inorganic solid waste-microbial composite curing agent consists of the following raw materials in parts by weight: steel slag, active magnesium oxide, recycled powder, stearic acid, borax, carbonic anhydrase bacteria, Bacillus subtilis, and soluble calcium salts. The preparation method includes performing granulation on steel slag, active magnesium oxide, recycled powder, stearic acid, borax, etc. into porous materials through dry rolling extrusion and compression, and loading carbonic anhydrase bacteria and Bacillus subtilis into the porous materials. By adding inorganic solid waste-microbial composite curing agent into the sludge and introducing CO.sub.2, the sludge is quickly solidified through the carbonization and microbial mineralization of inorganic solid waste. At the same time, microorganisms can effectively decompose organic pollutants in the sludge, achieving the goal of harmless, stabilized and resourceful utilization of sludge.

Engineered polypeptides or engineered microbial cells useful in synthesizing acyl amino acids are provided. In some embodiments, engineered polypeptides or engineered microbial cells are useful in synthesizing acyl amino acids with one or more hydroxyl and/or methyl groups at one or more positions of the fatty acid portion of the acyl amino acid (e.g., at -1, -2, and/or -3 positions of the fatty acid portion of the acyl amino acid). Also provided are methods of making acyl amino acids using engineered polypeptides and/or engineered microbial cells.

Disclosed are a strain for producing nattokinase and a production method therefor. In particular, the present invention involves a novel strain capable of producing nattokinase, i.e. Bacillus subtilis natto ST-1086, deposited at the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center under CGMCC No. 17895. The present invention further involves a method for producing a nattokinase product by means of using the novel strain CGMCC No. 17895 of the present application, wherein the resulting nattokinase product can be used as a drug for dissolving thrombi. The present invention further involves the use of the nattokinase product of the present application for preparing a composition for dissolving thrombi and in a method for treating thrombi.

The present invention provides a soil composition having improved water retention. The composition comprises soil particles and Bacillus subtilis UD1Q22. For example, the composition may comprise soil particles having a particle size no greater than 2 mm and at least 50% of the soil particles have a particle size in the range of 0.05-2 mm. A method for improving water retention of a soil composition is also provided. The method comprises applying an effective amount of Bacillus subtilis UD1022 to the soil composition to improve water retention of the soil composition.

The present invention provides a Bacillus subtilis strain selected from the group consisting of a) the strain deposited as DSM32324,b) the strain deposited as DSM32325, and c) a mutant strain of (a) or (b) which has sensitivity for ampicillin, vancomycin, gentamicin, kanamycin, streptomycin, erythromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline, and chloramphenicol; and has inhibitory activity against E. coli and Clostridium perfringens. The invention further relates to Bacillus compositions comprising at least one Bacillus subtilis strain of the invention, preferably the Bacillus subtilis strain DSM32324 and/or the Bacillus subtilis strain DSM32325, as Direct Fed Microbial (DFM), premix, animal feed additive or animal feed. The invention provides a method of improving one or more animal performance parameters selected from the group consisting of i) increased weight gain (WG), ii) lower feed conversion ratio (FCR), iii) lower necrotic enteritis lesion scoring, iv) lower necrotic enteritis frequency, v) lower necrotic enteritis mortality, vi) increased European Production Efficacy Factor (EPEF), and vii) lower mortality, by feeding a strain or a composition according to the invention to an animal.

Engineered polypeptides or engineered microbial cells useful in synthesizing acyl amino acids are provided. In some embodiments, engineered polypeptides or engineered microbial cells are useful in synthesizing acyl amino acids with one or more hydroxyl and/or methyl groups at one or more positions of the fatty acid portion of the acyl amino acid (e.g., at -1, -2, and/or -3 positions of the fatty acid portion of the acyl amino acid). Also provided are methods of making acyl amino acids using engineered polypeptides and/or engineered microbial cells.

Provided is a Bacillus subtilis natto strain ST-1008, deposited under the accession number CGMCC No. 17894. Also provided is a method for producing MK-7. The method comprises: culturing the Bacillus subtilis natto strain of CGMCC No. 17894 in a culture medium so as to produce MK-7 in the strain cell and the culture medium, and recovering and purifying MK-7 from the strain cell and the culture medium. Also provided are a MK-7 preparation, a MK-7 pure premix, and a pure MK-7.

Compositions and methods for converting at least one glucosinolate to an isothiocyanate using Bacillus subtilis 839, Bacillus subtilis CO4_4, Pediococcus pentosaceus M3_H01, and/or Pediococcus pentosaceus M2_H12, or active variants thereof, are provided. Conversion of glucosinolates, such as glucoraphanin, to isothiocyanates, such as sulforaphane, leads to the stimulation of the Nrf2/Keap pathway and phase II enzymes, providing chemoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects. Accordingly, provided herein are compositions comprising Bacillus subtilis 839, Bacillus subtilis CO4_4, Pediococcus pentosaceus M3_H01, and/or Pediococcus pentosaceus M2_H12, or active variants thereof, for administration to subjects for increasing isothiocyanate (e.g., sulforaphane) production, increasing the expression of genes regulated by the Nrf2 transcription factor, including phase II enzymes, decreasing inflammation, and treating or preventing an inflammatory disorder or a cancer. The composition can comprise at least one glucosinolate or a plant, plant part or an extract thereof comprising glucosinolate(s).

This present invention relates to compositions and methods of microbial enhanced oil recovery using Bacillus subtilis strains. The invention also relates to compositions and methods for performing oil degradation with Bacillus subtilis strains. The compositions and methods of the present invention are also used for enhanced commercial biosurfactant and enzyme production.