The present invention relates to autotrophic microorganisms with altered photorespiration and improved CO.sub.2 fixation as well as a method of producing said autotrophic microorganisms. Particularly, the autotrophic microorganisms show an improved growth rate, productivity and energy conversion efficiency.

The present invention discloses the polynucleotide sequences of genes encoding aspartate transaminase (AAT) from Nicotiana tabacum and the modulation of their expression. There is described a plant cell comprising: (i) a polynucleotide comprising, consisting or consisting essentially of a sequence having at least 80% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7, SEQ ID NO: 9, SEQ ID NO: 11, SEQ ID NO: 13 or SEQ ID NO: 15; (ii) a polypeptide encoded by the polynucleotide set forth in (i); (iii) a polypeptide comprising, consisting or consisting essentially of a sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 6 or SEQ ID No: 8, at least 93% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 10 or SEQ ID No: 12, or at least 94% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 4 or SEQ ID NO: 14 or SEQ ID NO: 16; or (iv) a construct, vector or expression vector comprising the isolated polynucleotide set forth in (i), wherein said plant cell comprises at least one modification which modulates the expression or activity of the polynucleotide or the polypeptide as compared to a control plant cell in which the expression or activity of the polynucleotide or polypeptide has not been modified.

The invention provides a genetically modified eukaryotic microorganism for anaerobic production of essential amino acids and optionally the co-production of one or more co-products. The microorganism is genetically modified to redirect carbon flow from PEP via oxaloacetate and asparatate semialdehyde, towards the synthesis of increased amounts of essential amino acids. The microorganism may be genetically modified to produce increased amounts of one or more co-product by enhancing carbon flow from PEP via pyruvate, acetyl CoA and malonyl CoA to produce alcohols and lipids, such as triglycerides, fatty esters, fatty alcohols, fatty aldehydes, fatty amides. The invention provides a method for anaerobic production of essential amino acids using the genetically modified eukaryotic microorganism and optionally co-production of said one or more co-products. The genetically modified eukaryotic microorganism may be used for the anaerobic production of essential amino acids and optionally the co-production of said one or more co-products.

The invention provides microorganisms genetically modified to overexpress biofilm dispersal related polypeptides to enhance the production of lysine and lysine derivatives by the microorganism, method of generating such microorganism, and methods of producing lysine and lysine derivatives using the genetically modified microorganisms.

Provided is a method of producing an L-amino acid such as L-glutamic acid and the like. An L-amino-acid is produced by cultivating a coryneform bacterium having L-amino acid-producing ability in a culture medium, which has been modified so as to have one or more of the following modifications: (A) a modification for increasing activity of acetate kinase, (B) a modification for increasing activity of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, (C) a modification for decreasing activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase, (D) a modification for decreasing activity of aspartate transaminase, and (E) a modification for decreasing activity of malic enzyme; and collecting the L-amino acid from the culture medium and/or the bacterial cells.

The present invention relates to an L-lysine-producing microorganism of the genus Corynebacterium and a method for producing L-lysine using the same.

This invention relates to metabolically engineered microorganisms, such as bacterial and or fungal strains, and bioprocesses utilizing such strums. These strains enable the dynamic control of metabolic pathways, which can be used to optimize production. Dynamic control over metabolism is accomplished via a combination of methodologies including but not limited to transcriptional silencing and controlled enzyme proteolysis. These microbial strains are utilized in a multi-stage bioprocess encompassing at least two stages, the first stage in which microorganisms are grown and metabolism can be optimized for microbial growth and at least one other stage in which growth can be slowed or stopped, and dynamic changes can be made to metabolism to improve the production of desired product, such as a chemical or fuel.

Provided are an engineered strain for synthesizing a dibasic organic acid and preparation and application of same. The engineered strain introduces or up-regulates expression of a positive regulator gene for synthesis of a dibasic organic acid, and/or down-regulates expression of a negative regulator gene for synthesis of a dibasic organic acid, as compared with the origin strain of the engineered strain, the producing capability for producing the dibasic organic acid is improved. The dibasic organic acid comprises malic acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, oxaloacetic acid, glutaric acid, and adipic acid; the expression product of the positive regulator gene comprises aspartate aminotransferase, glutamic acid-aspartate transporter, C4-dicarboxylic acid transporter, pyruvate carboxylase and malate dehydrogenase, glucose transporter; the expression product of the negative regulatory gene comprises succinyl-CoA synthase, and malic acid-alpha ketoglutarate transporter, and the original strain comprises Myceliophthora thermophila, Thielavia terrestris, Aspergillus, and Rhizopus.

This invention relates to metabolically engineered microorganisms, such as bacterial and or fungal strains, and bioprocesses utilizing such strains. These strains enable the dynamic control of metabolic pathways, which can be used to optimize production. Dynamic control over metabolism is accomplished via a combination of methodologies including but not limited to transcriptional silencing and controlled enzyme proteolysis. These microbial strains are utilized in a multi-stage bioprocess encompassing at least two stages, the first stage in which microorganisms are grown and metabolism can be optimized for microbial growth and at least one other stage in which growth can be slowed or stopped, and dynamic changes can be made to metabolism to improve the production of desired product, such as a chemical or fuel.

Provided are an engineered strain for synthesizing a dibasic organic acid and preparation and application of same. The engineered strain introduces or up-regulates expression of a positive regulator gene for synthesis of a dibasic organic acid, and/or down-regulates expression of a negative regulator gene for synthesis of a dibasic organic acid, as compared with the origin strain of the engineered strain, the producing capability for producing the dibasic organic acid is improved. The dibasic organic acid comprises malic acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, oxaloacetic acid, glutaric acid, and adipic acid; the expression product of the positive regulator gene comprises aspartate aminotransferase, glutamic acid-aspartate transporter, C4-dicarboxylic acid transporter, pyruvate carboxylase and malate dehydrogenase, glucose transporter; the expression product of the negative regulatory gene comprises succinyl-CoA synthase, and malic acid-alpha ketoglutarate transporter, and the original strain comprises myceliophthora thermophila, thielavia terrestris, aspergillus, and rhizopus.