The present invention relates to a novel mutant strain Aspergillus aculeatus E14-292 and a genetic modification process of said strain, wherein the mutant strain according to this invention can produce cellulase and xylanase more than the BCC199 (wild type). Moreover, the obtained enzymes can be used to digest the pretreatment bagasse to further produce sugars effectively.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an organism having an ergothioneine productivity that is capable of easily producing ergothioneine within a short period of time at a high yield, as compared with a conventional technology, and, therefore, enables ergothioneine production on an industrial scale. This purpose can be achieved by a transformed fungus into which a gene encoding enzyme (1) or genes encoding enzymes (1) and (2) have been inserted and in which the inserted gene(s) are overexpressed. (1) an enzyme catalyzing a reaction of synthesizing hercynyl cysteine sulfoxide from histidine and cysteine in the presence of S-adenosyl methionine, iron (II) and oxygen. (2) An enzyme catalyzing a reaction of synthesizing ergothioneine from hercynyl cysteine sulfoxide using pyridoxal 5′-phosphate as a coenzyme.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a transformed Aspergillus microorganism lacking at least two types of selection marker genes available for marker recycling method and a composition therefor. The objective can be achieved by a transformed Aspergillus microorganism lacking at least two types of selection marker genes available for marker recycling method on its chromosomes, or a composition for transforming an Aspergillus microorganism containing at least two types of nucleic acid fragments containing a loop-out region and a selection marker gene available for marker recycling method between homologous recombination regions, wherein the selection marker genes contain a tryptophan biosynthesis gene and a gene different from tryptophan biosynthesis gene.

Provided are methods and compositions useful for producing filamentous fungal cells and compounds produced by such cells that have utility in a variety of applications. In one aspect, provided herein is a method for producing a SLR from a filamentous fungal cell, wherein the method comprises the steps of: a) growing the filamentous fungal cell in a first medium comprising a first carbon source to obtain an actively growing mycelial culture, and b) replacing the first medium of the actively growing mycelial culture with a second medium comprising a second carbon source to induce production of the SLR; wherein the first carbon source comprises a metabolizable carbon compound, wherein the second carbon source comprises only non-metabolizable carbon compounds, and wherein the second medium comprises no other carbon source than the second carbon source.

Recombinant Aspergillus genetically modified to increase expression of g8846, renamed herein as aconitic acid exporter (aexA), are provided, which in some examples are also genetically inactivated for an endogenous cis-aconitic acid decarboxylase (cadA) gene. Such recombinant Aspergillus produce more aconitic acid as compared to native Aspergillus. Also provided are methods of using such recombinant Aspergillus to increase production of aconitic acid and other organic acids, such as citric acid, itaconic acid, and 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP).

A recombinant microbial host cell having improved in vivo conversion of reticuline and derivatives thereof (such as thebaine and/or oripavine) to relevant downstream opioids (such as neopinone, oripavine, northebaine, nororipavine or morphinone) and related compounds (such as heroin, morphine, codeine, thebaine, oripavine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, buprenorphine, naltrexone, naloxone or nalbuphine), wherein the microbial (such as fungal) host cell is heterologously expressing at least one functional transporter protein capable of transporting reticuline or a derivative thereof (such as thebaine and/or oripavine) and a heterologously expressed enzyme capable of acting upon reticuline or a derivative thereof. The invention also relates to uses of the microbial host cells and methods of making an opioid compound and/or opioid precursor compound and/or opioid derivative of interest.

The present invention discloses a ω-transaminase mutant obtained through DNA synthetic shuffling combined mutation. The ω-transaminase mutant is obtained through point mutation of a wild type ω-transaminase from Aspergillus terrus. The amino acid sequence of the wild type ω-transaminase is shown in SEQ ID NO: 1. The mutation site of the ω-transaminase mutant is any one of: (1) F115L-H210N-M150C-M280C; (2) F115L-H210N; (3) F115L-H210N-E253A-I295V; (4) I77L-F115L-E133A-H210N-N245D; (5) I77L-Q97E-F115L-L118T-E253A-G292D; (6) I77L-E133A-N245D-G292D; and (7) H210N-N245D-E253A-G292D. According to the present invention, forward mutations obtained in the previous stage are randomly combined through a DNA synthetic shuffling combined mutation method. It is verified through experiments that this method can effectively improve the probability of forward mutation and increase experimental efficiency and feasibility, and is capable of obtaining mutant enzymes with thermodynamic stability remarkably superior to that of wild enzymes via screening.

The present invention relates to a method for producing fermented and vacuum-treated coffee using Kopi Luwak enterobacteria, in which the coffee contains a low concentration of caffeine and a high concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). According to the present invention, the fermented and vacuum-treated coffee produced using Kopi Luwak enterobacteria according to the present invention has advantages in that it is produced by rapid fermentation, uniquely smells like caramel, chocolate, grass, etc., unlike unfermented green coffee beans, and has a reduced bitter taste and a deep and heavy taste with an appropriate sour taste.

The present invention has revealed that an antiviral agent containing a serine protease such as subtilisin, nattokinase, and trypsin has an effect of inactivating non-envelope type viruses, and that combining such an antiviral agent containing a serine protease with a cationic polymer enhances the inactivation effect of the antiviral agent against non-envelope type viruses. As a result, an antiviral agent that is highly safe, that has a high virus inactivation ability, and that contains a component that is inexpensive in terms the manufacturing cost and a cationic polymer, was discovered.

A composition for degradation of mycotoxin including, as an effective component, Aspergillus culture filtrate which contains an iron compound or yeast extract, and uses thereof, are proposed. As aflatoxin can be degraded with high efficiency and simple composition by the composition of the present invention and the activity of degrading mycotoxin is maintained in very stable state in a broad temperature range of from room temperature to heating at 121° C. for sterilization, it is expected that the composition can be advantageously used for processing like heating at high temperatures.