The present invention relates to a novel thermophile-derived keratinase having keratin decomposition ability. Further, the present invention relates to a polynucleotide encoding the keratinase, a recombinant vector containing the same, host cells transformed by using the recombinant vector, and a method for preparing a keratinase including a step of culturing the host cells. Further, the present invention relates to a composition for decomposing keratin containing the enzyme; and a method for decomposing keratin by using the same. Further, the present invention relates to a keratin decomposed product decomposed by the enzyme.

The keratinase according to the present invention rapidly and effectively decomposes hardly-decomposable keratin, and thus it is expected that the keratinase can be used for the effective treatment and the high value-added resource recovery of agricultural and livestock waste, which causes environmental problems (for example, a novel material for enzyme cosmetics), and can be used in an innovative enzymatic bioconversion technique utilizing various decomposition enzyme groups.

A biopolymer, which exists in a liquid phase at room temperature, a use thereof, and a preparation method therefor are provided.

The present invention relates to a strain deposited with the CNCM (Collection Nationale de Culture de Microorganismes, Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France), under number CNCM I-5499. The present invention also relates to the in vitro use of strains for producing oligosaccharides and/or in a process for producing oligosaccharides.

The present invention finds an application, in particular in the bioproduction field, for example the production of compounds, for example of bio-compounds.

The invention provides recombinant microorganisms and methods for the production of acetone from gaseous substrates. For example, the recombinant microorganism may be modified to express an exogenous thiolase, an exogenous CoA transferase, and an exogenous decarboxylase.

Methods and compositions for the prevention and treatment of liver damage or disease in a subject in need thereof are provided. The methods involve providing the sulfated oxysterol 25-hydroxycholesterol-3-sulfate (25HC3S) to the subject e.g. by 1) administering 25HC3S to the subject; or 2) overexpressing, in the subject, the hydroxysterol sulfotransferase enzyme SULT2B1b, which catalyzes the sulfation of 25-hydroxycholesterol (25HC) to form 25HC3S.

The application describes a method for producing alkenes (for example propylene, ethylene, 1-butylene, isobutylene, isoamylene, butadiene or isoprene) from 3-hydroxy-1-carboxylic acids via 3-sulfonyloxy-1-carboxylic acids.

Methods of selecting a subject for treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and methods of treatment for subjects having ALS or at risk of developing ALS are provided. The method of selecting subjects for treatment includes obtaining a biological sample from the subject, where the sample is obtained from the subject's gastrointestinal tract or skeletal muscle. The method further includes measuring a biomarker in the subject's sample and selecting the subject for treatment of ALS when the biomarker measurement in the subject's sample is lower or higher relative to a control measurement.

An aspect of the present disclosure is a microbial cell that includes a genetic modification resulting in the expression of a deficient form of an endogenous dioxygenase, and a gene encoding an exogenous dioxygenase and a promoter sequence, where the endogenous dioxygenase includes PcaH and PcaG, the exogenous dioxygenase includes LigA and LigB, the microbial cell is capable of growth utilizing at least one of a cellulose decomposition molecule or a lignin decomposition molecule, and the microbial cell is capable of producing 2-hydroxy-2H-pyran-4,6-dicarboxylic acid.

The present invention generally relates to the field of biotechnology as it applies to the production of aryl sulfates using polypeptides or recombinant cells comprising said polypeptides. More particularly, the present invention pertains to polypeptides having aryl sulfotransferase activity, recombinant host cells expressing same and processes for the production of aryl sulfates employing these polypeptides or recombinant host cells.

Provided is a method for preparing a block copolymer including a step of subjecting a lactide monomer to ring-opening polymerization in the presence of a biosynthesized poly(3-hydroxypropionate) initiator to prepare a polylactide-poly(3-hydroxypropionate) block copolymer.