Disclosed herein are methods of increasing nitrogen fixation in a non-leguminous plant. The methods can comprise exposing the plant to a plurality of bacteria. Each member of the plurality comprises one or more genetic variations introduced into one or more genes or non-coding polynucleotides of the bacteria's nitrogen fixation or assimilation genetic regulatory network, such that the bacteria are capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen in the presence of exogenous nitrogen. The bacteria are not intergeneric microorganisms. Additionally, the bacteria, in planta, produce 1% or more of the fixed nitrogen in the plant.

Compositions, methods, and systems for modifying sterol metabolism in a subject is disclosed. In some embodiments, the subjects may be administered one or more mammalian cells modified to express at least one sterol degrading enzyme derived from a bacterium. In many embodiments, the cell is a macrophage or monocyte stably expressing three or more enzymes that aid in opening the β ring of cholesterol. The disclosed compositions and methods may be useful in lowering cholesterol levels in a subject in need thereof. In some embodiments, the subject may have a genetic predisposition to atherosclerosis.

Generally, the present invention relates to the field of steroid hydroxylation. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for the 21-hydroxylation of steroids in cells. It also relates to cells expressing a steroid 21-hydroxylating enzyme or steroid 21-hydroxylase, expression vectors comprising a nucleic acid encoding for a steroid 21-hydroxylase and a kit for carrying out the method for the 21-hydroxylation of steroids in cells.

Autotrophic nitrogen fixation genes and an autotrophic nitrogenase expression cassette for plants and uses thereof are disclosed. Nitrogenase related genes of nitrogen fixation gene cluster from Paenibacillus sp. are specifically optimized by plant expression patterns through synthetic biology, to obtain autotrophic nitrogen fixation genes, which are then constructed into plant constitutive expression units. The expression units are assembled in a plant expression vector by isocaudarner cloning method and transformed into plants, thereby realizing autotrophic nitrogen fixation of the plants.

Present invention discloses plants and plant cells comprising Streptomyces thermoautotrophicus nitrogenase and capable able of nitrogen fixation. Methods to generate said plants and plant cells are disclosed. This invention is instrumental for producing plants, including agriculturally important crops, with reduced or abolished requirements for nitrogen fertilizer.

The present invention relates to the development of genetically engineered yeasts that can produce hydrocarbons in a controllable and economic fashion. More specifically the invention relates to the production of liquid alkanes and alkenes that can be used for liquid transportation fuels, specialty chemicals, or feed stock for further chemical conversion.

Generally, the present invention relates to the field of steroid hydroxylation. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for the 21-hydroxylation of steroids in cells. It also relates to cells expressing a steroid 21-hydroxylating enzyme or steroid 21-hydroxylase, expression vectors comprising a nucleic acid encoding for a steroid 21-hydroxylase and a kit for carrying out the method for the 21-hydroxylation of steroids in cells.

The invention relates to a nano-biohybrid organism (or nanorg) comprising one of at least seven different core-shell quantum dots (QDs) or gold nanoparticle clusters, with excitations ranging from ultraviolet to near-infrared energies, couple with targeted enzyme sites in bacteria. When illuminated by light, these QDs drive the renewable production of biofuel molecules and chemicals using carbon-dioxide (CO.sub.2), water, and nitrogen (from air) as substrates. Nanorgs catalyze light-induced air-water-CO.sub.2 reduction with a high turnover number (TON) of approximately 10.sup.6-10.sup.8 (mols of product per mol of cells) to biofuels such as isopropanol (IPA), butane diol, gasoline additives, gasoline substitutes, 2,3-butanediol (BDO), C11-C15 methyl ketones (MKs), and hydrogen (H2); Sand chemicals such as formic acid (FA), ammonia (NH.sub.3), ethylene (C.sub.2H.sub.4), and degradable bioplastics, e.g. polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). These nanorg cells function as nano-microbial factories powered by light.

Generally, the present invention relates to the field of steroid hydroxylation. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for the 21-hydroxylation of steroids in cells. It also relates to cells expressing a steroid 21-hydroxylating enzyme or steroid 21-hydroxylase, expression vectors comprising a nucleic acid encoding for a steroid 21-hydroxylase and a kit for carrying out the method for the 21-hydroxylation of steroids in cells.

The present invention relates generally to production methods, enzymes and recombinant yeast strains for the biosynthesis of clinically important prenylated polyketides of the cannabinoid family. Using readily available starting materials, heterologous enzymes are used to direct cannabinoid biosynthesis in yeast.