The present invention generally relates to the biotechnology engineering, and specifically to genetically modified bacteria of the genus Methylobacillus which have improved properties making them particularly useful in large scale methanol fermentations. More specifically, the present invention provides a bacterium of the genus Methylobacillus which has been modified to have a decreased production of exopolysaccharides (EPS) compared to an otherwise identical bacterium that does not carry said modification. The present invention further provides a method for producing a biochemical compound using a genetically modified bacterium of the present invention.

Disclosed herein are bacteria engineered to treat diseases associated with hyperammonemia and methods of use thereof. Specifically, the bacteria are engineered to comprise a racemase to enable the detection of non-naturally occurring metabolites as an indication that the engineered bacteria are effectively converting ammonia.