Disclosed herein is a recombinant nucleic acid, comprising: a mitochondrial targeting sequence; a mitochondrial protein coding sequence, wherein said mitochondrial protein coding sequence encodes a polypeptide comprising a mitochondrial protein; and a 3′UTR nucleic acid sequence. Also disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition comprising the recombinant nucleic acid and a method of treating Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) using the pharmaceutical composition.

Disclosed herein is a recombinant nucleic acid, comprising: a mitochondrial targeting sequence; a mitochondrial protein coding sequence, wherein said mitochondrial protein coding sequence encodes a polypeptide comprising a mitochondrial protein; and a 3′UTR nucleic acid sequence. Also disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition comprising the recombinant nucleic acid and a method of treating Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) using the pharmaceutical composition.

Disclosed is an RNA allotopic strategy to complement and genetically rescue mitochondrial gene defects. This approach can permit rescue of a mitochondrial DNA mutant by allotopic expression of a full-length recoded mitochondrial RNA that is transcribed in the nucleus, successfully imported into the mitochondria, and expressed there.

Provided is a recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae for producing 2,3-butanediol, wherein all GPD1 and GPD2 genes involved in glycerol biosynthesis are removed and a gene encoding NADH oxidase is introduced, and wherein pyruvate decarboxylase activity is inactivated and Candida tropicalis PDC1 gene encoding Candida tropicalis pyruvate decarboxylase 1-is introduced, and wherein expression of the Candida tropicalis PDC1 gene is regulated by a GPD2 promoter.

Methods and materials related to producing glyceric acid and downstream products are disclosed. Specifically, isolated nucleic acids, polypeptides, host cells, methods and materials for producing glycolic acid by direct fermentation from sugars are disclosed.

Improved yeast strains and fermentation process for producing D-lactic acid and L-lactic acid are disclosed. The improvement lead to higher titer, higher yield, shorter time, lower pH, and higher average specific productivity.

Disclosed is a compound having the Formula (I): X-[NHCHR.sup.1C(O)NHCHR.sup.2C(O)].sub.xY (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or tautomer thereof, wherein R.sup.1 is H or the side chain of a neutral amino acid; R.sup.2 is the side chain of a basic amino acid R.sup.3; x is inclusive; X is H or a residue of a therapeutic agent; Y is OH, or a residue of a therapeutic agent; R.sup.3 is: [Formula should be inserted here]; R.sup.5 is a residue of a therapeutic agent; and provided that when R.sup.2 is R.sup.3, X is H and Y is OH. Also disclosed is a method of treating an ocular disorder, comprising: (a) intravitreal administration to an eye of a subject in need thereof with an effective amount of a therapeutic nanoparticle composition, the therapeutic nanoparticle composition comprising (i) at least one population of nanostructures and (ii) at least one peptide attached to the at least one population of nanostructures. The nanostructures may be exposed to light in the eye thereby electrostimulating the eye and treating the ocular disorder. Also disclosed is a method of treating an ocular disorder, comprising contacting the eye of a subject in need thereof with an effective amount of a therapeutic nanoparticle composition, the therapeutic nanoparticle composition comprising (i) at least one population of nanostructures, (ii) a peptide attached to the at least at least one population of nanostructures, (iii) a therapeutic agent useful for the treatment of the ocular disorder attached to the at least one population of nanostructures or to the peptide; and (iv) optionally, a linkage between the at least one population of nanostructures or the peptide and the therapeutic agent.

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Disclosed herein is a recombinant nucleic acid, comprising: a mitochondrial targeting sequence; a mitochondrial protein coding sequence, wherein said mitochondrial protein coding sequence encodes a polypeptide comprising a mitochondrial protein; and a 3UTR nucleic acid sequence. Also disclosed is a pharmaceutical composition comprising the recombinant nucleic acid and a method of treating Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) using the pharmaceutical composition.

An acetic acid metabolizing ability of a recombinant yeast strain having xylose-metabolizing ability is to be improved. In such a recombinant yeast strain having xylose-metabolizing ability, the acetaldehyde dehydrogenase gene has been introduced and a gene encoding NADH dehydrogenase involved in reoxidation of cytoplasmic NADH on the mitochondrial outer membrane has been suppressed.

The present invention relates to a host cell which is capable of producing a dicarboxylic acid and which comprises at least one genetic modification in its genome resulting in the deficiency of at least one enzymatic step catalysing the oxidation of a cofactor. The invention also relates to a process for producing a dicarboxylic acid, which method comprises fermenting such a host cell in a suitable fermentation medium and producing the dicarboxylic acid.