A DNA expression construct comprising a polynucleotide encoding an unnatural UstD enzyme, the unnatural enzyme itself, and a method of making gamma-hydroxy amino acids by contacting an aldehyde-containing substrate, an amino acid, and the unnatural, purified UstD enzyme under conditions and for a time sufficient to react at least a portion of the aldehyde-containing substrate with at least a portion of the amino acid, to yield a gamma-hydroxy amino acid product.

Transgenic host cells, vectors useful for making transgenic host cells, and kits useful for making transgenic host cells are described. Also described are transgenic plants. In some embodiments, transgenic host cells express a 4-hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde synthase (4HPAAS). In some embodiments, transgenic host cells express a tyrosol:UDP-glucose 8-O-glucosyltransferase (T8GT). The transgenic host cells are useful for biosynthesis of one or more of salidroside, icariside D2, tyrosol, and 4-hydroxypenylacetaldehyde.

Provided are a theanine-producing strain and use thereof in tea fermentation production. A corynebacterium glutamicum is proposed, which includes an alanine decarboxylase CsAlaDC mutant. The theanine-producing strain is obtained by taking the corynebacterium glutamicum as a starting strain, knocking out in sequence an -ketoglutarate dehydrogenase E1 subunit gene odhA, a glutamate external transporter gene Ncg11221 and a lactate dehydrogenase gene ldh; and/or expressesing a citrate synthase gene gltA, a pyruvate kinase gene pyk and a glutamate dehydrogenase gene gdh; and/or overexpressing an alanine dehydrogenase alaA and integrating a -glutamine synthetase GMAS into a cg1960 pseudogene locus of the corynebacterium glutamicum.

A method for producing a chain-shaped unsaturated carboxylic acid compound or a geometric isomer thereof, having at least two carbon-carbon double bonds, including the steps of: removing, from a chain-shaped unsaturated carboxylic acid compound or a geometric isomer thereof having an amino group and a carbon-carbon double bond at a terminus, that amino group, in the presence of phenylalanine ammonia lyase, and further forming a carbon-carbon double bond.

Provided are a theanine-producing strain and use thereof in tea fermentation production. A Corynebacterium glutamicum is proposed, which includes an alanine decarboxylase CsAlaDC mutant. The theanine-producing strain is obtained by taking the Corynebacterium glutamicum as a starting strain, knocking out in sequence an -ketoglutarate dehydrogenase E1 subunit gene odhA, a glutamate external transporter gene Ncg11221 and a lactate dehydrogenase gene ldh; and/or expressing a citrate synthase gene gltA, a pyruvate kinase gene pyk and a glutamate dehydrogenase gene gdh; and/or overexpressing an alanine dehydrogenase alaA and integrating a -glutamine synthetase GMAS into a cg1960 pseudogene locus of the Corynebacterium glutamicum.

Disclosed herein are prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbes, including E. coli and S. cerevisiae, genetically altered to biosynthesize tryptamine and tryptamine derivatives. The microbes of the disclosure may be engineered to contain plasmids and stable gene integrations containing sufficient genetic information for conversion of an anthranilate or an indole to a tryptamine. The fermentative production of substituted tryptamines in a whole-cell biocatalyst may be useful for cost effective production of these compounds for therapeutic use.

Microbes are transformed with psilocybin genes under the control of weak or medium level promoter to make low levels of psilocybin therein. Low dose, microdose and sub-microdose foodstuff are then made with such microbes.

Transgenic host cells, vectors useful for making transgenic host cells, and kits useful for making transgenic host cells are described. Also described are transgenic plants. In some embodiments, transgenic host cells express a 4-hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde synthase (4HPAAS). In some embodiments, transgenic host cells express a tyrosol:UDP-glucose 8-O-glucosyltransferase (T8GT). The transgenic host cells are useful for biosynthesis of one or more of salidroside, icariside D2, tyrosol, and 4-hydroxypenylacetaldehyde.