The present disclosure describes genes and proteins of the coenzyme F430 synthetic pathway. The genes and proteins in the pathway find uses as isolated nucleic acids, transformation vectors, a transformation media, genetically modified cells, methods of modulating methanogenesis, methods of modulating methane oxidation, methods of making a tetrapyrrole compound, methods of oxidizing methane, methods of biogenic methane synthesis is provided, methods of assaying an organism for potential methanogenic or methanotrophic activity, and isolated proteins.

The present disclosure provides non-naturally occurring microbial organisms capable of producing ethylene, ethane, and/or methane, as well was methods for producing ethylene, ethane, and/or methane using the same.

Disclosed herein are compositions, methods, and systems for enhancing cholesterol degradation in a cell, tissue, or organism. In many embodiments, the disclosure describes the use of one or more proteins, or sequences coding therefor, to enhance flow of cholesterol into the mitochondrion, where the cholesterol is degraded by one or more proteins comprising bacteria-related sequences. The compositions, methods, and systems disclosed herein are useful in the prevention or treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions associated with high levels of cholesterol in the blood or cells of a patient.

Generally, the present invention relates to the field of steroid hydroxylation. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for the 21-hydroxylation of steroids in cells. It also relates to cells expressing a steroid 21-hydroxylating enzyme or steroid 21-hydroxylase, expression vectors comprising a nucleic acid encoding for a steroid 21-hydroxylase and a kit for carrying out the method for the 21-hydroxylation of steroids in cells.

Provided are an electron transport chain module from a eukaryotic organelle and an application thereof in biological nitrogen fixation. The electron transport chain (ETC) module is composed of the NifJ protein from Klebsiella oxytoca and a ferredoxin from plant chloroplasts or leucoplasts; plant-type ferredoxin-NADPH reductase (FNR) and the FdxH or FdxB protein from Anabaena; or an FNR and a Ferredoxin protein from plant organelles.

Generally, the present invention relates to the field of steroid hydroxylation. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for the 21-hydroxylation of steroids in cells. It also relates to cells expressing a steroid 21-hydroxylating enzyme or steroid 21-hydroxylase, expression vectors comprising a nucleic acid encoding for a steroid 21-hydroxylase and a kit for carrying out the method for the 21-hydroxylation of steroids in cells.

The present invention relates to methods and means for producing nitrogenase polypeptides in the mitochondria of plant cells.

The present invention relates to a method for promoting acetylglucosamine synthesis of Bacillus subtilis, which belongs to the field of genetic engineering. The present invention adopts the recombinant Bacillus subtilis BSGNKAP2 as a starting strain, exogenously introducing pyruvate carboxylase BalpycA derived from Bacillus cereus, eliminating the central carbon metabolism overflow of the Bacillus subtilis and avoiding the synthesis of the by-product acetoin; further, five exogenous reducing force metabolic reactions are introduced to replace the reaction of generating NADH in glycolysis pathway and tricarboxylic acid cycle to reconstruct intracellular reducing force metabolism, which specifically comprise glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate ferredoxin dehydrogenase, isocitrate NAD.sup.+ dehydrogenase, a malate quinone dehydrogenase, a ketoacid ferredoxin oxidoreductase and a nitrogenase ferritin. In a shake-flask fermentation process using a complex medium, acetylglucosamine yield of the recombinant strain BSGNKAP8 is 24.50 g/L, acetylglucosamine/glucose yield is 0.469 g/g, respectively 1.97 times and 2.13 times of those of the starting strain BSGNKAP2.

Provided is a method of activating gene expression using a protein having 90% or more sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:45. The protein activates the expression of a gene upon induction with a medium-chain or long-chain alkane or a medium-chain or long-chain fatty acid methyl ester. Also provided is a whole-cell catalytic system regulated by a medium-chain or long-chain alkane or a medium-chain or long-chain fatty acid methyl ester. The system includes a recombinant microbial cell expressing the protein and an alkane monooxygenase. Also provided is a method of preparing a medium-chain or long-chain alkane terminal oxidation product using the whole-cell catalytic system.

The present invention relates, in part, to treatment of various diseases and disorders such as GI disorders through modulation of F420-dependent enzymes including specific enzymes involved in methanogenesis.