An isolated polynucleotide is provided. The isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide of a Type II reaction center of a photosynthetic organism, the nucleic acid sequence being capable of imparting the type II reaction center with an activity under a temperature range different than that of the type II reaction center endogenous to the photosynthetic organism. Also provided are methods of using the sequences for generating photosynthetic organisms or tailor-made thermotolerance.

Provided herein are green alga Cia8 polypeptides and the polynucleotides that encode them. Also provided herein are transformed cells and transgenic plants that include one or more of the polynucleotides and/or polypeptides provided herein.

Provided herein are green alga Cia8 polypeptides and the polynucleotides that encode them. Also provided herein are transformed cells and transgenic plants that include one or more of the polynucleotides and/or polypeptides provided herein.

The invention provides a method of biosynthesis of a cyclic peptide by enzymatically transforming a substrate peptide into the cyclic peptide, wherein the substrate peptide is expressed by a displaying genetic package and comprises at least one Ser or Thr residue and at least one Cys residue, and the enzyme is a post-translationally modifying enzyme (PTME) which is a bifunctional thioether bridge forming dehydratase and cyclase, thereby obtaining the displaying genetic package carrying the cyclic peptide comprising a thioether bridge crosslinking the at least one Ser or Thr to Cys; and further a library of immobilised cyclic peptides, each with a length of at least 10 amino acids, comprising a variety of at least 10.sup.6 library members, which variety comprises at least one of a) a different position of the thioether bridge forming a loop within the substrate peptide; or b) a different number of loops within the substrate peptide.

The invention provides a method of biosynthesis of a cyclic peptide by enzymatically transforming a substrate peptide into the cyclic peptide, wherein the substrate peptide is expressed by a displaying genetic package and comprises at least one Ser or Thr residue and at least one Cys residue, and the enzyme is a post-translationally modifying enzyme (PTME) which is a bifunctional thioether bridge forming dehydratase and cyclase, thereby obtaining the displaying genetic package carrying the cyclic peptide comprising a thioether bridge crosslinking the at least one Ser or Thr to Cys; and further a library of immobilised cyclic peptides, each with a length of at least 10 amino acids, comprising a variety of at least 10.sup.6 library members, which variety comprises at least one of a) a different position of the thioether bridge forming a loop within the substrate peptide; or b) a different number of loops within the substrate peptide.

The invention provides compositions and kits including at least one nucleic acid or polypeptide molecule encoding for a mutant ChR2 protein. Methods of the invention include administering a composition comprising a mutant ChR2 to a subject to preserve, improve, or restore phototransduction. Preferably, the compositions and methods of the invention are provided to a subject having impaired vision, thereby restoring vision to normal levels.

The invention provides compositions and kits including at least one nucleic acid or polypeptide molecule encoding for a mutant ChR2 protein. Methods of the invention include administering a composition comprising a mutant ChR2 to a subject to preserve, improve, or restore phototransduction. Preferably, the compositions and methods of the invention are provided to a subject having impaired vision, thereby restoring vision to normal levels.

The present invention provides methods and protein compositions having advantageous properties, such as a high uncorrected limiting amino acid score as well as favorable amounts of essential amino acids, branched chain amino acids, as well as other amino acids more difficult to find in the regular diet. The protein composition is obtainable as taught herein from algal or microbial biomass. The protein composition produced according to the methods of the invention provides a proteinaceous food or food ingredient that is more nutritionally balanced (and therefore nutritionally superior) to protein compositions otherwise available. The protein material is advantageously used as a food or food ingredient for humans and/or animals. Also provided are methods of producing the protein material from biomass sources.

The present invention provides methods and protein compositions having advantageous properties, such as a high uncorrected limiting amino acid score as well as favorable amounts of essential amino acids, branched chain amino acids, as well as other amino acids more difficult to find in the regular diet. The protein composition is obtainable as taught herein from algal or microbial biomass. The protein composition produced according to the methods of the invention provides a proteinaceous food or food ingredient that is more nutritionally balanced (and therefore nutritionally superior) to protein compositions otherwise available. The protein material is advantageously used as a food or food ingredient for humans and/or animals. Also provided are methods of producing the protein material from biomass sources.

The present invention provides an alga that is modified to have suppressed expression of ATG8 through (i) overexpression of MEX1 and/or (ii) silencing of ATG8 with a miRNA and exhibits increased photosynthetic productivity to achieve increased biomass productivity in algal cells. The invention further provides a method of producing such a modified alga, a method of biomass production using such a modified alga, and starch produced using such a modified alga.