The invention relates to an enzymatic method for producing a reaction product. A method of recycling a biological cofactor is also provided. The invention also relates to systems and apparatuses for conducting such methods.

Methods which utilize a self-assembled structure formed of a plurality of peptides being of from 2 to 6 amino acids in length, and comprising at least one aromatic amino acid residue, wherein the self-assembled structure is capable of interacting with oxygen, are provided herewith. The methods may be for controlling (e.g., reducing) a concentration of free oxygen in an environment, and/or for transporting oxygen from a first environment to a second environment. Further described herein is a self-assembled structure as described herein having oxygen interacted therewith. Further described herein is a composition comprising the self-assembled structure and substance which is oxygen-sensitive and/or participates in an oxygen-sensitive reaction incorporated in the self-assembled structure, systems comprising such a composition and methods employing the composition or system. Further described herein are articles-of-manufacturing comprising any of the self-assembled structures or compositions as described herein and an oxygen-sensitive substance and uses thereof.

In a process for producing formate, a mixed enzyme by mixing hydrogenase (H.sub.2ase) with oxygen tolerance and formate dehydrogenase (FDH) with oxygen tolerance is prepared, and the mixed enzyme and a gas including H.sub.2, CO.sub.2 and NAD.sup.+ are mixed such that formate may be produced even in the presence of oxygen, and thereby utilizing hydrogen sources including oxygen, such as coke oven gas.

Described herein are genelight cultures and extracts and methods of making and using thereof. In one aspect, the method of making a genelight culture or extract includes the steps of (a) making a DNA construct containing genes for producing a heat shock protein, RuBisCO large subunit 1, tonB, phosphoenol pyruvate carboxykinase, phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase, hydrogenase, p-type ATPase, and, in some aspects, enhanced green fluorescent protein, (b) introducing the DNA construct into host microbial cells via transformation or transfection, and (c) culturing the microbial cells to produce the genelight cultures and extracts. The compositions of these cultures and extracts can be tailored to have specific properties such as the ability to provide power to a light emitting diode. The cultures and extracts have further uses including enhancing the growth of plants and as supplemental nutrients of cultures of industrially important microorganisms. The cultures and extracts further have UV-protective properties.

One aspect of the invention relates to a genetically modified thermophilic or mesophilic microorganism, wherein a first native gene is partially, substantially, or completely deleted, silenced, inactivated, or down-regulated, which first native gene encodes a first native enzyme involved in the metabolic production of an organic acid or a salt thereof, thereby increasing the native ability of said thermophilic or mesophilic microorganism to produce lactate or acetate as a fermentation product. In certain embodiments, the aforementioned microorganism further comprises a first non-native gene, which first non-native gene encodes a first non-native enzyme involved in the metabolic production of lactate or acetate. Another aspect of the invention relates to a process for converting lignocellulosic biomass to lactate or acetate, comprising contacting lignocellulosic biomass with a genetically modified thermophilic or mesophilic microorganism.

Disclosed are methods for efficient fermentation broth recycle, methods for improving bottoms recycle, and methods for converting CO, CO.sub.2, and optionally H.sub.2 to ethanol and other oxygenated products, the methods comprising providing to a bioreactor a gaseous substrate comprising CO, CO.sub.2, and optionally H.sub.2, at least one acetogenic carboxydotrophic bacterium, and a liquid nutrient medium, and providing conditions within the bioreactor for the at least one acetogenic carboxydotrophic bacterium to convert CO, CO.sub.2, and optionally H.sub.2 to at least one oxygenated product. Also disclosed are methods for preparing animal feed and for preparing fertilizer.

The present disclosure provides guided microbial remodeling (GMR) methods for the rational improvement of plant-associated microbes to perform plant-beneficial functions. The GMR methods described herein allow for non-intergeneric genetic optimization of key regulatory networks within the microbes, which improve plant-beneficial functions over wild-type microbes but don't have the risks associated with transgenic approaches (e.g., unpredictable gene function, public and regulatory concerns, etc.). The present disclosure also provides remodeled microbes and compositions thereof. The utilization of remodeled microbes and compositions thereof will enable farmers to realize more productive and predictable crop yields without the nutrient degradation, leaching, or toxic runoff associated with traditional synthetically derived fertilizers.