Compositions and methods comprising novel deaminase polypeptides for targeted editing of nucleic acids are provided. Compositions comprise deaminase polypeptides. Also provided are fusion proteins comprising a DNA-binding polypeptide and a deaminase of the invention. The fusion proteins include RNA-guided nucleases fused to deaminases, optionally in complex with guide RNAs. Compositions also include nucleic acid molecules encoding the deaminases or the fusion proteins. Vectors and host cells comprising the nucleic acid molecules encoding the deaminases or the fusion proteins are also provided.

Compositions and methods comprising novel deaminase polypeptides for targeted editing of nucleic acids are provided. Compositions comprise deaminase polypeptides. Also provided are fusion proteins comprising a DNA-binding polypeptide and a deaminase of the invention. The fusion proteins include RNA-guided nucleases fused to deaminases, optionally in complex with guide RNAs. Compositions also include nucleic acid molecules encoding the deaminases or the fusion proteins. Vectors and host cells comprising the nucleic acid molecules encoding the deaminases or the fusion proteins are also provided.

The present invention relates to means and methods for producing an amide compound from a nitrile compound with less acrylic acid as by-product using a Nitrile hydratase (NHase) and Amidase producing microorganism as biocatalyst. Also provided is an aqueous amide compound obtained by the methods of the invention as well as a composition comprising acrylamide or polyacrylamide as well as a dried microorganism exhibiting a NHase/Amidase activity ratio of at least 400 when being brought into contact with a nitrile compound to convert said nitrile compound into an amide compound.

The invention relates to methods and compositions for modifying a characteristic of a plant without modifying the plant's genome using one or more cells comprising one or more phytohormone genes and at least one polynucleotide of interest, which one or more phytohormone genes and the at least one polynucleotide of interest are expressed in the one or more cells.

The invention is mainly in the field of the production of food and luxury foods, for example coffee and coffee substitute products. Enzymes are provided which are capable of degrading acrylamide - preferably also at temperatures above 50° C., in particular in temperature ranges which occur in the production of coffee/coffee substitute products, and/or at a pH value between pH 4 and pH 7, as is usual in the production of coffee/coffee substitute products. Furthermore, methods for degrading acrylamide from preparations selected from semi-finished goods as well as finished goods are provided. Also, the present invention relates to preparations having a reduced acrylamide content compared to preparations which have not been subjected to the method for removing acrylamide according to the invention by means of the enzymes according to the invention.

The present disclosure relates to a method of diagnosing Lyme disease in a subject comprising measuring the level of B. burgdorferi peptidoglycan or the level of an antibody that specifically binds to B. burgdorferi peptidoglycan (“anti-peptidoglycan agent”). The present disclosure also relates to a method of treating a Lyme disease in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject an antagonist against B. burgdorferi peptidoglycan (e.g., an anti-peptidoglycan antibody or a peptidoglycan-specific hydrolase). Antagonists (e.g., anti-peptidoglycan antibodies) suitable for the present methods are also disclosed.

The invention is mainly in the field of the production of food and luxury foods, for example coffee and coffee substitute products. Enzymes are provided which are capable of degrading acrylamide—preferably also at temperatures above 50° C., in particular in temperature ranges which occur in the production of coffee/coffee substitute products, and/or at a pH value between pH 4 and pH 7, as is usual in the production of coffee/coffee substitute products. Furthermore, methods for degrading acrylamide from preparations selected from semi-finished goods as well as finished goods are provided. Also, the present invention relates to preparations having a reduced acrylamide content compared to preparations which have not been subjected to the method for removing acrylamide according to the invention by means of the enzymes according to the invention.

Quality stabilization and production efficiency in concentrated juice are provided by continuously concentrating juice simultaneously or parallelly with an enzymatic process. The method includes adding enzyme, concentrating and enzymatically processing, heating, cooling, and packing. The concentrating and enzymatically processing are done simultaneously or parallelly. The enzymatically processing is done during the concentrating. The enzyme is reacted while the vegetable juice or the fruit juice is being concentrated.

The present invention relates to an enzyme-carrier complex, and more particularly to the adsorption and stabilization of an enzyme on the surface of a carrier, and an enzyme-carrier complex with secured enzyme stability so that an enzyme immobilized by a hydrophobic interaction exhibits long-term enzymatic activity.

The present invention relates to an enzyme-carrier complex, and more particularly to the adsorption and stabilization of an enzyme on the surface of a carrier, and an enzyme-carrier complex with secured enzyme stability so that an enzyme immobilized by a hydrophobic interaction exhibits long-term enzymatic activity.