A sorghum seed comprising in its genome at least one polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having an alanine to tyrosine substitution at position 93 of the sorghum AHAS protein large subunit. The plant has increased resistance to one or more herbicides, for example from the imidazolinone group, as compared to wild-type sorghum plants. The sorghum plant may comprise in its genome, one, two, three or more copies of a polynucleotide encoding a mutated large subunit of sorghum AHAS or a sorghum AHAS polypeptide of the invention. In this context, the sorghum plant may be tolerant to any herbicide capable of inhibiting AHAS enzyme activity. For example, the sorghum plant may be tolerant to herbicides of the imidazolinones type, such as imazethapyr, imazapir, and imazapic or to herbicides of the sulfonylurea group.

The present invention provides for compositions and methods for producing sorghum crop plants that are resistant to herbicides. In particular, the present invention provides for sorghum plants, plant tissues and plant seeds that contain altered acetolactate synthase (ALS) genes and proteins that are resistant to inhibition by herbicides that normally inhibit the activity of the ALS protein.

Genetically modified microorganisms that have the ability to convert carbon substrates into chemical products such as 2,3-BDO are disclosed. For example, genetically modified methanotrophs that are capable of generating 2,3-BDO at high titers from a methane source are disclosed. Methods of making these genetically modified microorganisms and methods of using them are also disclosed.

A system and method for controlling metabolic enzymes or pathways in cells to produce a chemical above the levels of a wild-type strain is disclosed. The system utilizes cells, including yeasts, bacteria, and molds, having at least two genes capable of being controlled bi-directionally with light, where one gene is turned from off to on when exposed to light and another gene is turned from on to off when exposed to light, the two genes reversing when the light is turned off. Cells may utilize any number of sequences that benefit chemical production, including sequences that: encode for constitutive transcription of light-activated transcription factor fusions; encode for a metabolic enzyme; encode for a repressor; induce expression of metabolic enzymes; and an endogenous or exogenous activator expressed by a constitutive promoter, inducible promoter, or gene circuit. These systems may be coupled to biosensors or protein cascade systems, enabling the monitoring or automation of the fermentation process to optimize production of a desired product. These systems may also allow for optimization and periodic operation of a bioreactor using light pulses.

A sorghum seed comprising in its genome at least one polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having an alanine to threonine substitution at position 93 of the sorghum AHAS protein large subunit. The plant has increased resistance to one or more herbicides, for example from the imidazolinone group, as compared to wild-type sorghum plants. The sorghum plant may comprise in its genome, one, two, three or more copies of a polynucleotide encoding a mutated large subunit of sorghum AHAS or a sorghum AHAS polypeptide of the invention. In this context, the sorghum plant may be tolerant to any herbicide capable of inhibiting AHAS enzyme activity. For example, the sorghum plant may be tolerant to herbicides of the imidazolinones type, such as imazethapyr, imazapir, and imazapic or to herbicides of the sulfonylurea group.

A sorghum seed comprising in its genome at least one polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having an alanine to tyrosine substitution at position 93 of the sorghum AHAS protein large subunit. The plant has increased resistance to one or more herbicides, for example from the imidazolinone group, as compared to wild-type sorghum plants. The sorghum plant may comprise in its genome, one, two, three or more copies of a polynucleotide encoding a mutated large subunit of sorghum AHAS or a sorghum AHAS polypeptide of the invention. In this context, the sorghum plant may be tolerant to any herbicide capable of inhibiting AHAS enzyme activity. For example, the sorghum plant may be tolerant to herbicides of the imidazolinones type, such as imazethapyr, imazapir, and imazapic or to herbicides of the sulfonylurea group.

A method for producing an L-amino acid such as L-glutamic acid is provided. An L-amino acid is produced by culturing in a culture medium a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae and having an L-amino acid-producing ability, and collecting the L-amino acid from the culture medium and/or cells of the bacterium, wherein the bacterium has been modified to have one or more of the following modifications: (A) modification of reducing the activity of a BudA protein; (B) modification of reducing the activity of a BudB protein; (C) modification of reducing the activity of a BudC protein; (D) modification of reducing the activity of a PAJ_3461 protein; (E) modification of reducing the activity of a PAJ_3462 protein; and (F) modification of reducing the activity of a PAJ_3463 protein.

The present disclosure relates to an acetohydroxy acid synthase variant in which the feedback inhibition to L-valine is released, a polynucleotide encoding the acetohydroxy acid synthase variant, an expression vector including the polynucleotide, a microorganism producing L-valine including the acetohydroxy acid synthase variant, and a method for producing L-valine using the microorganism.

Disclosed are a recombinant yeast for producing 2,3-butanediol and a method for producing 2,3-butanediol using the same. By introducing Candida tropicalis-derived Pdc, which is less active than its own pyruvate decarboxylase (Pdc), into the cells of the strain, the recombinant yeast can synthesize acetyl-CoA, while avoiding production of ethanol, thereby increasing the strain growth rate and the substrate consumption rate and ultimately greatly improving productivity of 2,3-butanediol.

Disclosed is a method for producing 2,3-butanediol. Conventional methods for producing 2,3-butanediol using Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) inevitably cause production of a great amount of glycerol as a by-product, in addition to production of 2,3-butanediol. However, the yeast strain according to the present invention can produce 2,3-butanediol with high purity, high yield and high productivity, while inhibiting production of glycerol.

Methods and materials related to producing isobutyric acid are disclosed. Specifically, isolated nucleic acids, polypeptides, host cells, methods and materials for producing isobutyric by direct microbial fermentation from a carbon source are disclosed.