Compositions and methods are provided comprising acetolactate decarboxylase (ALDC) enzyme variants having higher specific activity. Composition and method are provided where the ALDC variants are used in combination with metal ions to further increase stability and/or activity.

Disclosed is a technique for constructing optogenetic amplifier and inverter circuits utilizing transcriptional activator/repressor pairs, in which expression of the transcriptional activator or repressor, respectively, is controlled by light-controlled transcription factors. This system is demonstrated utilizing the quinic acid regulon system from Neurospora crassa, or Q System, a transcriptional activator/repressor system. This is also demonstrated utilizing the galactose regulon from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or GAL System. Such optogenetic amplifier circuits enable multi-phase microbial fermentations, in which different light schedules are applied in each phase to dynamically control different metabolic pathways for the production of proteins, fuels or chemicals. The orthogonal nature of the Q and GAL systems enable the co-expression of amplifier and inverter circuits to simultaneously amplify and invert the response of light-controlled transcriptional controls over different sets of genes in the same cell.

Methods for biosynthesising hydrocarbons from a gaseous substrate in non-naturally occurring acetogens as well as non-naturally occurring acetogens for production of hydrocarbons are provided.

Genetically modified microorganisms that have the ability to convert carbon substrates into chemical products such as 2,3-BDO are disclosed. For example, genetically modified methanotrophs that are capable of generating 2,3-BDO at high titers from a methane source are disclosed. Methods of making these genetically modified microorganisms and methods of using them are also disclosed.

Genetically modified microorganisms that have the ability to convert carbon substrates into chemical products such as 2,3-BDO; 1,4-BDO; isobutyraldehyde; isobutanol; 1-butanol; n-butanol; ethanol; fatty alcohols; and fatty acid methyl ester are disclosed. For example, genetically modified methanotrophs that are capable of generating 2,3-BDO; 1,4-BDO; isobutyraldehyde; isobutanol; 1-butanol; n-butanol; ethanol; fatty alcohols; and fatty acid methyl ester at high titers from a methane source are disclosed. Methods of making these genetically modified microorganisms and methods of using them are also disclosed. These microorganisms and methods make use of molecular switches to regulate gene expression.

Provided herein is a genetically engineered microorganism comprising knock-in of DNA at an acetolactate decarboxylase gene locus. Replacement of the acetolactate decarboxylase gene with DNA encoding one or more native or nonnative enzymes confers certain advantages, including fermentation stability and increased production of native and nonnative products from gaseous substrates.

Provided herein is a genetically engineered microorganism comprising knock-in of DNA at an acetolactate decarboxylase gene locus. Replacement of the acetolactate decarboxylase gene with DNA encoding one or more native or nonnative enzymes confers certain advantages, including fermentation stability and increased production of native and nonnative products from gaseous substrates.

The present invention relates to a method for prevention and/or treatment of an autoimmune disease, comprising administering a composition, said composition comprising at least one beta cell autoantigen, to a subject The subject may have a serum vitamin-D level above 50 nanomole/liter or the composition may be administered by intralymphatic injection or injection directly into a lymph node, or over a period of weeks, months, or years. The invention also relates to a composition comprising a plurality of particles, each having immobilised on its surface at least one first and at least one second antigen, wherein the first antigen is a beta cell autoantigen, and the second antigen is either a tolerogen or a beta cell autoantigen, and to composition comprising i) at least one beta cell autoantigen, and at least one of iia) an IL-10 inducing compound selected from the group consisting of vitamin-D, vitamin-D analogs, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, gamma-amino butyric acid, and gamma-amino butyric acid analogs; and iib) a compound that reduces the dendritic cells' ability to activate naïve CD4+ T cells, such as a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, a CTLA-4 compound or a TNF alpha inhibitor. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical kits and to medical use of beta cell autoantigens.

The present disclosure provides methods, compositions, apparatuses and kits comprising ALDC enzymes having a better stability and/or activity, and, optionally, the yield of ALDC enzymes which can be recovered from microorganisms is improved. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides methods, apparatuses, compositions and kits for the use of metal ions to increase stability and/or activity, and which further can be used to recover the enzymes from microorganisms in improved yields.

Provided herein is a genetically engineered microorganism comprising knock-in of DNA at an acetolactate decarboxylase gene locus. Replacement of the acetolactate decarboxylase gene with DNA encoding one or more native or nonnative enzymes confers certain advantages, including fermentation stability and increased production of native and nonnative products from gaseous substrates.