Compounds and methods are providing involving RebH variants with improved properties. directed evolution based on random mutagenesis was employed to generate a series of RebH variants. RebH variants with improved thermostability and increased activity at elevated temperatures were generated.

A process is described for producing BTX and alcohols from biomass, by a) catalytic pyrolysis of the biomass in a fluidized-bed reactor producing a gaseous pyrolysis effluent; b) separation of said gaseous pyrolysis effluent into at least one BTX fraction and a gaseous effluent containing at least carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, c) sending all of the gaseous effluent from separation b) into fermentation producing a liquid fermentation stream containing at least one stream containing at least one oxygenated compound chosen from alcohols, diols, acid alcohols, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, ketones and esters, d) separating the fermentation stream obtained on conclusion of c) into at least the stream containing at least one oxygenated compound, an aqueous fraction, and an unreacted gaseous effluent, e) recycling at least part of unreacted gaseous effluent into the catalytic pyrolysis a).

Disclosed herein are compositions comprising an isolated cellulose degrading fungus. Also disclosed are culture compositions and bioreactor compositions comprising the cellulose degrading fungus. Further described herein are filtration and extraction devices comprising the cellulose degrading fungus. Still further disclosed are bioprocessing facilities for and methods for producing co-products resulting from one or more bioprocesses of the cellulose degrading fungus.

A method for producing individual or libraries of tri- to pentadecaketide-derived aromatic compounds of interest by heterologous expression of polyketide synthase and aromatase/cyclase in a recombinant host cell.

The present invention relates to fungi, in particular fungal endophytes of Daldinia spp., compounds produced by the fungi, uses of the fungi, uses of compounds produced by the fungi and similar compounds, and related methods.

The present invention relates to the use of alpha-ionylideneethane as an aroma compound, and to the use of an alpha-ionylideneethane synthase in the production of one or more aroma compounds. The inventive method for preparing one or more aroma compounds comprises a) providing farnesyl diphosphate and an alpha-ionylideneethane synthase as defined herein, under conditions suitable for the alpha-ionylideneethane synthase to produce alpha-ionylideneethane, b) converting farnesyl diphosphate to alpha-ionylideneethane, in vitro or in a host cell, c) optionally, converting alpha-ionylideneethane to one or more further aroma compounds, d) isolating alpha-ionylideneethane and the optionally one or more further aroma compounds and, e) optionally, purifying alpha-ionylideneethane and the optionally one or more further aroma compounds. The invention pertains also to method for scenting a product, particularly for imparting and/or enhancing an odor or flavor, in which at least one alpha-ionylideneethane synthase is used. In addition, the invention provides an aroma compound or composition and/or fragrance composition and/or perfumed or fragranced product, comprising i) at least an alpha-ionylideneethane. Further encompassed by the invention is a perfumed or fragranced product comprising at least an alpha-ionylideneethane. The invention further relates to a method for producing alpha-ionone (4-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl)but-3-en-2-one), comprising the steps in the following order: a) contacting farnesyl diphosphate with at least one alpha-ionylideneethane synthase, under conditions suitable to produce at least one alpha-ionylideneethane; b) producing the at least alpha-ionylideneethane; c) exposing the at least one alpha-ionylideneethane produced in step b) to conditions suitable for oxidative cleavage of alpha-ionylideneethane to produce alpha-ionone; and d) optionally, isolating the alpha-ionone produced in step c). The invention also relates to a host cell for producing alpha-ionone (4-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl)but-3-en-2-one), wherein the host cell comprises farnesyl diphosphate and a heterologous nucleic acid encoding an alpha-ionylideneethane synthase, wherein the host cell is capable of oxidatively cleaving alpha-ionylideneethane to produce alpha-ionone. Finally, the invention relates to the use of a host cell comprising farnesyl diphosphate and a heterologous nucleic acid encoding an alpha-ionylideneethane synthase, for (i) producing alpha-ionylideneethane; (ii) producing alpha-ionone; (iii) producing vitamin A; (iv) converting alpha-ionylideneethane to alpha-ionone; (v) converting alpha-ionylideneethane to vitamin A; (vi) for heterologous reco

Disclosed herein are compositions comprising an isolated cellulose degrading fungus. Also disclosed are culture compositions and bioreactor compositions comprising the cellulose degrading fungus. Further described herein are filtration and extraction devices comprising the cellulose degrading fungus. Still further disclosed are bioprocessing facilities for and methods for producing co-products resulting from one or more bioprocesses of the cellulose degrading fungus.

Disclosed herein is a method for preparing a ginger extract from ginger rhizome. In certain embodiments, the method includes subjecting the ginger rhizome to a supercritical CO.sub.2 extraction to produce a gingerol fraction and an unextracted fraction; then extracting the unextracted fraction through refluxing ethanol extraction to produce an ethanol extracted fraction and unextracted fiber fraction; then fermenting the unextracted fiber fraction with yeast to produce fermented fibers; and finally combining the gingerol fraction the ethanol extracted fraction, fermented fiber fraction and gum Arabic and homogenizing to form a ginger extract homogenate and spry drying the ginger extract homogenate to produce a ginger extract powder. fermentation with yeast, combining the extracts, and homogenizing with gum arabic, and spray drying to form a ginger extract powder.

Described herein are plant-derived haloacid dehalogenase-like (HAD-like) polypeptides having cyclic terpene synthase (TPS) activity, in particular suitable for use in biochemical methods of producing drimane-type sesquiterpenes, encompassing drimenol and/or albicanol and related compounds, like phosphorylated drimane-type sesquiterpene alcohols, in particular phosphorylated drimenol and/or albicanol compounds and derivatives. Also described herein are the coding nucleotide sequences of the TPS activity, corresponding expression constructs, recombinant hosts, and methods of preparing such polypeptides and mutants and variants thereof. Also described herein is a method of using such polypeptides, the method including using the polypeptides in the production of odorants, flavours and fragrance ingredients.

Provided are rubber compositions for tires capable of providing tire components and pneumatic tires that have the same level of fuel efficiency and wet grip performance (particularly, wet grip performance) as those of tire components and pneumatic tires containing conventional synthetic rubber, while satisfying the requirements for a sound material-cycle society. The present invention relates to rubber compositions for tires containing a biomass-derived rubber polymerized from an aromatic vinyl compound and a diene, the biomass-derived rubber having a pMC (percent modern carbon) measured in accordance with ASTM D 6866-10 of 1% or higher.