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.

Systems and methods for providing alternative fuel, in particular hydrogen photocatalytically generated by a system comprising photoactive nanoparticles and a nitrogenase cofactor are provided. In one aspect, the system includes a water soluble cadmium selenide nanoparticle (CdSe) surface capped with mercaptosuccinate (CdSe-MSA) and a NafY.FeMo-co complex comprising a NafY protein and an iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMo-co), wherein the CdSe-MSA and NafY.FeMo-co complex are present in about 1:2 to 1:10 molar ratio.

The present invention relates to methods of reducing chemical fertilizer usage and greenhouse gas nitrous oxide emission and to methods of improving plant growth rate and seed productivity in agriculture through the application of a novel artificially manufactured formula containing a nitrogen-fixing bacterium that efficiently colonizes non-legume plants in aerial parts and the root system. The bacteria inocula and methods are particularly suitable for plants in the genera Jatropha, Sorghum, Gossypium, Elaeis, Ricinus, Oryza and Manihot.

The present invention relates to a composition for preparing retinoid, and more specifically, the composition comprises: a NADH or NADPH, a Beta-Carotene Oxygenase and a flavodoxin or a ferredoxin or a reductase of flavodoxin or ferredoxin; or a microorganism expressing them; or a culture or pulverized product of the microorganism, and thus can expand the supply metabolism of reducing electrons to enhance retinoid productivity through an increase in the activity of the cytochrome P450 system and provide a foundation for the low-cost production of raw materials, and thereby enhance the economic feasibility and efficiency of retinoid production.