The use of microorganisms to make alpha-functionalized chemicals and fuels, (e.g. alpha-functionalized carboxylic acids, alcohols, hydrocarbons, amines, and their beta-, and omega-functionalized derivatives), by utilizing an iterative carbon chain elongation pathway that uses functionalized extender units. The core enzymes in the pathway include thiolase, dehydrogenase, dehydratase and reductase. Native or engineered thiolases catalyze the condensation of either unsubstituted or functionalized acyl-CoA primers with an alpha-functionalized acetyl-CoA as the extender unit to generate alpha-functionalized β-keto acyl-CoA. Dehydrogenase converts alpha-functionalized β-keto acyl-CoA to alpha-functionalized β-hydroxy acyl-CoA. Dehydratase converts alpha-functionalized β-hydroxy acyl-CoA to alpha-functionalized enoyl-CoA. Reductase converts alpha-functionalized enoyl-CoA to alpha-functionalized acyl-CoA. The platform can be operated in an iterative manner (i.e. multiple turns) by using the resulting alpha-functionalized acyl-CoA as primer and the aforementioned alpha-functionalized extender unit in subsequent turns of the cycle. Termination pathways acting on any of the four alpha-functionalized CoA thioester intermediates terminate the platform and generate various alpha-functionalized carboxylic acids, alcohols and amines with different β-reduction degree.

Protein-rich nutrient supplements and animal feed supplements derived from an anaerobic bacterial process are generated through a myriad of cell rupturing and protein fractionation/purification processes. Bacterial fermentation systems and methods of obtaining one or more protein-containing portions from a fermentation process using carbon monoxide-containing gaseous substrates increasing protein product yield from bacterial cells are provided. The invention further provides compositions of protein-rich nutrient supplements with useful applications for intake by a variety of different animals and humans.

The present invention relates to the preparation of organic molecules by anaerobic fermentation of biomass, in which the fermentation liquor is aerated prior to the organic molecule recovery step.

The present invention relates to the preparation of organic molecules by anaerobic fermentation of biomass, in which the fermentation liquor is aerated prior to the organic molecule recovery step.

A method for producing a fermented liquid having an acidity of pH 3 to 4, including colloidal particles having a particle size not exceeding 50 nm and short-chain fatty acids. The method includes providing fermentation apparatus including a plurality set of temperature-controlled fermentation containers at each stage of the multi-stage fermentation process; using a soft water as a starter, a seed bacterial liquid comprising seven species of fermentation bacteria (International Accession No. NITE BP-02945 to NITE BP-02951) including spore-forming Clostridium bacteria, controlled under a low temperature condition, and three kinds of fermented media derived from natural materials, produced by individually fermenting respective first medium of dried soybeans, second medium of mixed medium of dried plants consisting Taiso, Kukoshi, and Ukon, and third material of honey material; and producing the fermented liquid by multi-stage fermentation process.

A method for asymmetrically preparing L-phosphinothricin by oxidation-reduction reaction through biological multienzyme coupling, where D,L-phosphinothricin as a raw material is catalyzed by an enzyme catalysis system to obtain L-phosphinothricin, wherein the enzyme catalysis system comprises a D-amino acid oxidase mutant for catalyzing D-phosphinothricin in D,L-phosphinothricin into 2-carbonyl-4-[hydroxy(methyl)phosphono]butyric acid and a transaminase for catalytic reduction of the 2-carbonyl-4-[hydroxy(methyl) phosphono]butyric acid into L-phosphinothricin; the D-amino acid oxidase mutant is obtained by mutation of D-amino acid oxidase in wild strain Rhodotorula taiwanensis at one of the following four sites: (1) M213S; (2) M213S-N54V-F58E; (3) M213S-N54V-F58E-D207A; (4) M213S-N54V-F58E-D207A-S60T. According to the present invention, the D-amino acid oxidase mutant provides better catalytic efficiency, and when racemic D,L-phosphinothricin is used as a substrate for catalytic reaction, the conversion rate is much higher than that of the wild type enzyme, and the PPO yield is also greatly improved.

A method for asymmetrically preparing L-phosphinothricin by oxidation-reduction reaction through biological multienzyme coupling, where D,L-phosphinothricin as a raw material is catalyzed by an enzyme catalysis system to obtain L-phosphinothricin, wherein the enzyme catalysis system comprises a D-amino acid oxidase mutant for catalyzing D-phosphinothricin in D,L-phosphinothricin into 2-carbonyl-4-[hydroxy(methyl)phosphono]butyric acid and a transaminase for catalytic reduction of the 2-carbonyl-4-[hydroxy(methyl) phosphono]butyric acid into L-phosphinothricin; the D-amino acid oxidase mutant is obtained by mutation of D-amino acid oxidase in wild strain Rhodotorula taiwanensis at one of the following four sites: (1) M213S; (2) M213S-N54V-F58E; (3) M213S-N54V-F58E-D207A; (4) M213S-N54V-F58E-D207A-S60T. According to the present invention, the D-amino acid oxidase mutant provides better catalytic efficiency, and when racemic D,L-phosphinothricin is used as a substrate for catalytic reaction, the conversion rate is much higher than that of the wild type enzyme, and the PPO yield is also greatly improved.

The present invention provides a method for producing 2-methyl-butyric acid by fermentation using a bacterium belonging to the order Enterobacterales which has been modified to attenuate expression of a tyrB gene encoding a protein having tyrosine aminotransferase activity. The method also allows for production of a byproduct substance of 2-methyl-butyric acid during fermentation of the Enterobacterales bacterium having 2-methyl-butyric acid-producing ability.

The present invention provides a method for producing 2-methyl-butyric acid by fermentation using a bacterium belonging to the order Enterobacterales which has been modified to attenuate expression of a tyrB gene encoding a protein having tyrosine aminotransferase activity. The method also allows for production of a byproduct substance of 2-methyl-butyric acid during fermentation of the Enterobacterales bacterium having 2-methyl-butyric acid-producing ability.

Protein-rich nutrient supplements and animal feed supplements derived from an anaerobic bacterial process are generated through a myriad of cell rupturing and protein fractionation/purification processes. Bacterial fermentation systems and methods of obtaining one or more protein-containing portions from a fermentation process using carbon monoxide-containing gaseous substrates increasing protein product yield from bacterial cells are provided. The invention further provides compositions of protein-rich nutrient supplements with useful applications for intake by a variety of different animals and humans.