The present invention generally relates to the field of biotechnology as it applies to the production of aryl sulfates using recombinant host cells. More particularly, the present invention pertains to recombinant host cells comprising (e.g., expressing) a polypeptide having aryl sulfotransferase activity, wherein said recombinant host cells have been modified to have an increased uptake of sulfate compared to identical host cells that does not carry said modification. Further provided are processes for the production of aryl sulfates, such as zosteric acid, employing such recombinant host cells.

The subject technology generally relates to biosynthesis of styrene. Certain embodiments of the subject technology is based, in part, on the recognition that phenylalanine can be converted to styrene by a two-step pathway of deamination and de-carboxylation, with trans-cinnamic acid (tCA) as the intermediate. Two types of enzymes are directly involved in this process, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), which converts phenylalanine to tCA, and cinnamic acid decarboxylase, which coverts tCA to styrene. Host cells expressing these two types of enzymes can be cultured in bioreactor to produce styrene from renewable substrates such as glucose.

The disclosure provides biocatalysts that halogenate complex chemical compounds in specific and predictable ways. Also disclosed are halogenated complex organic compounds. The disclosure further provides methods for the halogenation of complex chemical compounds and methods of inhibiting the contraction of smooth muscle in mammals.

Disclosed is yeast cells having peroxisomally localized GPP synthase and a peroxisomally localized enzyme that converts GPP into a monoterpenoids, cannabinoids, monoterpene indole alkaloids and prenylated aromatic compounds; or a precursor therefore, which yeast cells are capable of producing improved amounts of monoterpenoids, cannabinoids, monoterpene indole alkaloids and prenylated aromatic compounds, compared with the same yeast cells where the GPP synthase and the enzyme that converts GPP are located in the cytoplasm. Further disclosed is the use of the yeast cell for producing monoterpenoids, cannabinoids, monoterpene indole alkaloids and prenylated aromatic compounds.

The invention provides non-naturally occurring microbial organisms having a toluene, benzene, p-toluate, terephthalate, (2-hydroxy-3-methyl-4-oxobutoxy)phosphonate, (2-hydroxy-4-oxobutoxy)phosphonate, benzoate, styrene, 2,4-pentadienoate, 3-butene-1ol or 1,3-butadiene pathway. The invention additionally provides methods of using such organisms to produce toluene, benzene, p-toluate, terephthalate, (2-hydroxy-3-methyl-4-oxobutoxy)phosphonate, (2-hydroxy-4-oxobutoxy)phosphonate, benzoate, styrene, 2,4-pentadienoate, 3-butene-1ol or 1,3-butadiene.

The invention relates to new isolated Lactobacillus strains chosen from Lactobacillus mellifer Bin4N.sup.T (LMG P-28344) and Lactobacillus apinorum Fhon13N.sup.T (LMG P-28345), which have been isolated from honeybees or their processed food. The bacterial strains have unique properties such as production of benzene, free fatty acids and 2-heptanone, rendering them useful in many areas such as in food and beverage products, feed products and medical products.

Disclosed is a recombinant microorganism capable of growing using only carbon dioxide and formic acid by introducing and improving a metabolic pathway for synthesizing pyruvic acid from carbon dioxide and formic acid to enhance pyruvic acid synthesis efficiency and performing additional genetic manipulation, and a method for producing useful substances using the same. Advantageously, the recombinant microorganism is capable of synthesizing pyruvic acid, a C3 organic compound, at a remarkably improved rate, and in particular, grows well even in a medium containing only carbon dioxide and formic acid as carbon sources without a glucose supply, and is thereby capable of synthesizing pyruvic acid and various high value-added compounds using the same as an intermediate product in an economically efficient manner.

The present invention pertains to novel modified terpene synthases and their use for a preparation method for pseudopterosin intermediates and/or pseudopterosins. The method is based on the use of a modified terpene synthase comprising at least one modified amino acid residue, which enables a terpene synthase-catalyzed increased production of pseudopterosin intermediates and/or pseudopterosins from Geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate as starting material. The new modified terpene synthase of this invention allow the production of pseudopterosin intermediates, such as Isoelisabethatriene A, Isoelisabethatriene B, Erogorgiaene, or Seco-Pseudopterosin and/or the production of pseudopterosins, such as Pseudopterosin A, in a cost-efficient, economical, and sustainable manner. Also provided are nucleic acids, encoding for the modified terpene synthases of this invention, as well as expression vectors capable of expressing said nucleic acids and host cells comprising the same.

Disclosed is a recombinant microorganism capable of growing using only carbon dioxide and formic acid by introducing and improving a metabolic pathway for synthesizing pyruvic acid from carbon dioxide and formic acid to enhance pyruvic acid synthesis efficiency and performing additional genetic manipulation, and a method for producing useful substances using the same. Advantageously, the recombinant microorganism is capable of synthesizing pyruvic acid, a C3 organic compound, at a remarkably improved rate, and in particular, grows well even in a medium containing only carbon dioxide and formic acid as carbon sources without a glucose supply, and is thereby capable of synthesizing pyruvic acid and various high value-added compounds using the same as an intermediate product in an economically efficient manner.

The present invention provides for a genetically modified host cell comprising a first polypeptide comprising a sequence having at least 70% amino acid sequence identity with a phenylacetate decarboxylase, and having an enzymatic activity to decarboxylate a phenylacetic acid into a toluene and a carbon dioxide, and a second polypeptide comprising a sequence having at least 70% amino acid sequence identity with a phenylacetate decarboxylase activating enzyme, and having an enzymatic activity to cleave a S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to form a methionine and a 5′-deoxyadenosyl radical.