Disclosed herein are methods that may be used for the synthesis of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) such as alkaloid morphinan. The methods disclosed can be used to produce thebaine, oripavine, codeine, morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, naltrexone, naloxone, hydroxycodeinone, neopinone, and/or buprenorphine. Compositions and organisms useful for the synthesis of BIAs, including thebaine synthesis polypeptides, purine permeases, and polynucleotides encoding the same, are provided.

Provided herein are compositions and processes for producing compositions from an algae to provide heme and a red or red-like color to edible compositions including ingredients and finished food products. Also provided are methods of growing heme-producing algae, methods of producing algae preparations therefrom and methods of making ingredients and food products with algae preparations. Also provided are compositions, including edible compositions that include heme and other nutrient components produced from algae.

The complex chemistry underlying the extensive transformations involved in terpene indole alkaloid synthesis makes identification of the biosynthetic genes challenging. The present invention relates to methods for producing a terpene indole alkaloid derivative, comprising the steps of: (1) providing a terpene indole alkaloid; and (2) providing a first enzyme termed “Precondylocarpine Acetate Synthase” (PAS) or a functional variant or homologue thereof; and/or a second enzyme termed “Dehydroprecondylocarpine Acetate Synthase” (DPAS) or a functional variant or homologue thereof, and optionally providing further identified enzymes involved in this pathway. The invention also encompasses related kits, enzymes, expression vectors, host cells and plants.

Provided herein are biocatalysts and systems thereof for pterin-dependent enzymes and pathways and methods of making and using the same. Provided herein in some embodiments are biocatalysts having a pterin source and a pterin-dependent enzymatic pathway biologically coupled to the pterin source. Tetrahydrobiopterin (referred to herein as BH4 or BH 4) can be the pterin source. The BH4 can be synthesized by a tetrahydrobiopterin synthesis pathway. The tetrahydrobiopterin synthesis pathway can include a GTP cyclohydrase; a pyruvoyl tetrahydropterin synthase; a sepiapterin reductase, and/or any combination thereof. The biocatalyst can further contain a pterin-dependent enzymatic pathway. The pterin-dependent enzymatic pathway can be amino acid mono-oxygenase, phenylalanine hydroxylase, tryptophan hydroxylase, tyrosine hydroxylase, nitric oxide synthase, alkylglycerol monooxygenase, and/or any combination thereof.

The use of a cytochrome P-450 enzyme comprising SEQ ID NO: 110, or a variant enzyme having at least 70% identity thereto and having CYP-450 activity, for the hydroxylation of an organic compound, wherein the amino acid residue at position 291 is not threonine.

Methods that may be used for the manufacture of a class of chemical compounds known as terpenoid indole alkaloids, including tabersonine and catharanthine are provided. Compositions useful for the synthesis of terpenoid indole alkaloids, including tabersonine and catharanthine are also provided. The provided compounds are useful in the manufacture of chemotherapeutic agents.

The present invention provides engineered ketoreductase and phosphite dehydrogenase enzymes having improved properties as compared to a naturally occurring wild-type ketoreductase and phosphite dehydrogenase enzymes, as well as polynucleotides encoding the engineered ketoreductase and phosphite dehydrogenase enzymes, host cells capable of expressing the engineered ketoreductase and phosphite dehydrogenase enzymes, and methods of using the engineered ketoreductase and phosphite dehydrogenase enzymes to synthesize a chiral catalyst used in the synthesis of antiviral compounds, such as nucleoside inhibitors. The present invention further provides methods of using the engineered enzymes to deracemize a chiral alcohol in a one-pot, multi-enzyme system.

The present invention relates to an enzyme complex in which a heme polymerase and a heme ligase are linked to each other via the dockerin module of cellulase, and to a method for producing a hemozoin using the same. The enzyme complex according to the present invention can polymerize heme with higher efficiency than conventional enzymes, and thus can more efficiently produce hemozoin, a conductive biopolymer.

The disclosure relates to the field of fusion proteins. In some aspects, the disclosure relates to artificial fusion proteins comprising cytochrome P450 enzymes linked to reductase enzymes and uses thereof. In some aspects, the disclosure relates to corn-pounds produced by artificial cytochrome P450 enzymes.

A technique to desalinate seawater using melanin-concentrated solar energy wherein the melanin is extracted from a local isolate Aspergillus niger. A device consists of two fixed upper and lower containers with same volume of seawater in both, with or without melanin powder dissolved in the lower container at rate of 0.17 gm of melanin powder per 10 ml of water. The device is put outdoors under direct sunlight during daytime, circular water droplets free of salt starts to appear on the external bottom of upper container. Water droplets are collected by a sterile glass rod, pH of droplets water is about 7.1. Yield of fresh water is approximately 10 ml droplets water from 600 ml seawater per hour; after 24 hours day and night incubation, seawater in the upper container dries out leaving salt crystals. Yield of 1000 m3 seawater is 100 m3 freshwater (1000 L seawater yield 100 L freshwater).