The present invention relates to an L-cysteine-producing mutant microorganism having introduced therein genes encoding enzymes which are involved in the L-cysteine metabolic pathway, and more particularly to an L-cysteine-producing mutant microorganism having introduced therein cysE, cysK and cysR, which are genes encoding enzymes which are involved in the L-cysteine metabolic pathway, and to a method of producing L-cysteine using the mutant microorganism. According to the present invention, L-cysteine can be produced with high efficiency as a result of regulating metabolic fluxes associated with the L-cysteine metabolic pathway of the mutant microorganism and regulating a system for supplying a sulfur source essential for synthesis of L-cysteine.

The instant disclosure provides a genetically modified bacterial cell, i.e., modified Agrobacterium strain, which expresses a levansucrase and has reduced expression of endogenous CysK. As a result, the growth of the modified bacterial cell on medium or tissue culture with sucrose and deficient in cysteine is inhibited. The two-action growth control of the modified Agrobacterium strain can overcome the unmet issue of Agrobacterium overgrowth during plant transformation, and therefore increase the efficiency of plant transformation.

The present invention describes an approach to produce taurine or increase hypotaurine or taurine production in prokaryotes or eukaryotes. More particularly, the invention relates to genetic transformation of organisms with algal, microalgal or fungal genes that encode proteins that pool catalyze the conversion of sulfur-containing compounds such as sulfate or cysteine to taurine. The invention describes methods for the use of polynucleotides for cysteine dioxygenase-like (CDOL), sulfmoalanine decarboxylase-like (SADL), cysteine sulfate/decarboxylase or a portion of the cysteine synthetase/PLP decarboxylase (partCS/PLP-DC) polypeptide in bacteria, alga, yeast, or plants to produce taurine or increase hypotaurine or taurine. The preferred embodiment of the invention is in plants but other organisms may be used. Taurine production or increased levels of hypoataurine or taurine in plants could be used as nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or therapeutic compounds or as a supplement in animal feed or for animal feed or as an enhancer for plant growth or yield

A method of reducing an amount of a sulfur-containing compound in a base fluid comprises contacting the base fluid comprising the sulfur-containing compound with a treatment composite, the treatment composite comprising an enzymatic scavenger which is encapsulated by a encapsulating material, or disposed in a matrix, a container, or a combination thereof; releasing the enzymatic scavenger from the treatment composite; and reducing a number of the sulfur-containing compound in the fluid.

The present invention relates to a secretagogue compound derived from oxalate degrading bacteria, for use in the treatment of an oxalate related disease and/or oxalate related imbalance in a subject, wherein the administration of the secretagogue results in a reduction of urinary oxalate and/or plasma oxalate in the subject. The invention further relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising such a secretagogue compound, a method for treating a subject suffering from an oxalate related disease, and to a method for preparing a secretagogue.

The present invention describes an approach to produce or increase hypotaurine or taurine production in unicellular organisms. More particularly, the invention relates to genetic modification of unicellular organisms that include bacteria, algal, microalgal, diatoms, yeast, or fungi. The invention relates to methods to increase taurine levels in the cells by binding taurine or decreasing taurine degradation. The invention can be used in organisms that contain native or heterologous (transgenic) taurine biosynthetic pathways or cells that have taurine by enrichment. The invention also relates to methods to increase taurine levels in the cells and to use the said cells or extracts or purifications from the cells that contain the invention to produce plant growth enhancers, food, animal feed, aquafeed, food or drink supplements, animal-feed supplements, dietary supplements, health supplements or taurine.

The present invention relates to a secretagogue compound derived from oxalate degrading bacteria, for use in the treatment of an oxalate related disease and/or oxalate related imbalance in a subject, wherein the administration of the secretagogue results in a reduction of urinary oxalate and/or plasma oxalate in the subject. The invention further relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising such a secretagogue compound, a method for treating a subject suffering from an oxalate related disease, and to a method for preparing a secretagogue.

Metal bioremediation and metal mining strategies can include compositions and methods.

Cysteine synthase or O-Acetyl-L-Serine Sulfhydrylase enzymes, such as those derived from the Aeropyrum pernix bacterium, may be used in additive compositions, fluid compositions, and methods for decreasing or removing hydrogen sulfide from recovered downhole fluids and/or the subterranean reservoir wellbore from which the downhole fluid was recovered. The fluid composition may include at least one cysteine synthase enzyme and a base fluid, such as a drilling fluid, a servicing fluid, a production fluid, a completion fluid, an injection fluid, a refinery fluids, and combinations thereof.

L-cysteine can be produced inexpensively and efficiently by using a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae modified to reduce activity of O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase B thereof, the bacterium being modified so that the C terminal region of its thiosulfate-binding protein is deleted, and the bacterium having an increased ability to produce L-cysteine in the presence of a sulfate.