Disclosed herein are methods for production of 2-phenylethanol by microbial fermentation of substrates comprising carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide and further disclosed are genetically modified microorganisms for use in such methods. Additionally, the processes disclosed herein are improved methods of 2-PE production that alleviate dependence on natural and petrochemical processes.

Disclosed herein are methods of altering CAM pathways in plants. In some examples, a disclosed method includes overexpressing one or more genes encoding one or more enzymes that carry out the basic biochemical sequence of nocturnal CO.sub.2 fixation (carboxylation) into C.sub.4 acids (malate), store C.sub.4 acids in the vacuole of the plant, and/or then decarboxylate and refix the released CO.sub.2 by C.sub.3 photosynthesis during the subsequent day in a plant cell, thereby altering CAM in the plant cell. Also disclosed herein are isolated polynucleotide sequences, transformation vectors, transgenic plant cells, plant part, and plants. The disclosed methods and compositions can be used to improve the water-use efficiency and drought tolerance and durability of plants, such as in plants in arid environments, and also enhance the ability of plants to perform net CO.sub.2 fixation resulting in increased biomass production and accumulation.

Provided are a recombinant microorganism including a genetic modification that increases a pyruvate, phosphate dikinase activity, a method of producing cellulose using the same, and a method of producing a microorganism having enhanced cellulose productivity.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to genetically altered plants with increased activity of one or more of a PPDK regulatory protein (PDRP), a Rubisco activase (Rea) protein, or a Rubisco protein that have increased photosynthetic efficiency under fluctuating light conditions. Further, aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods of producing and cultivating the genetically altered plants of the present disclosure.

Provided are a recombinant microorganism including a genetic modification that increases a pyruvate, phosphate dikinase activity, a method of producing cellulose using the same, and a method of producing a microorganism having enhanced cellulose productivity.

Disclosed herein are improved methods for production of 2-phenylethanol by microbial fermentation of substrates comprising carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide and further disclosed are genetically modified microorganisms for use in such methods that alleviate dependence on natural and petrochemical processes.

Disclosed herein are transgenic plants and plant cells having increased photosynthetic rate, increased biomass production, and/or improved cold tolerance compared to control plants (such as non-transgenic plants of the same species as the transgenic plants). In some examples, the transgenic plants/plant cells contain a plant transformation vector including a nucleic acid encoding a pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase (PPDK) polypeptide. Also disclosed herein are methods for making the transgenic plants, for instance by introducing into progenitor cells of the plant a plant transformation vector including a nucleic acid that encodes a PPDK polypeptide, and growing the transformed progenitor cells to produce a transgenic plant, in which the PPDK nucleic acid is expressed. Further disclosed herein are PPDK-encoding nucleic acids, PPDK polypeptides, and plant transformation vectors of use in producing the transgenic plants or plant cells.