Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Other

Timothy James Donohue

Daniel Noguera

Wayne S Kontur

Robert D Barber

Vern Witthuhn

Hoon Y Kim

John Ralph

Brian Fox

Craig A Bingman

German Eduardo Umana Chapeton

Weiping Zhang

Matthew Scarborough

Daniel Leo Gall

Jose Perez

Joshua J Coon

Roger O Williams

Jon A Hoshizaki

Michael S Westphall

Lawrence L Lee

Amelia Corinne Peterson

Julian Z Oshlag

Samantha L Austin

Jennifer Rachel Anthony

Kristin L Warczak

Kimberly Christensen Lemmer

Yann Dufour

Heather Green

Phil R Sommer

Ching-Ling Meng

John A Barber

Vernon Witthuhn

Robert Barber

Rachelle A S Lemke

Microbiome compositions and uses thereof. The microbiome compositions include a set of microbes. The sets of microbes contain members of, and. The number of individual physical microbes in the set constitutes a certain percentage of the total number of individual physical microbes in the microbiome composition. The microbiome compositions can be used for producing medium-chain fatty acids from organic substrates through anaerobic fermentation in a medium. The medium can include lignocellulosic stillage.

Microbiomes and methods for producing medium-chain fatty acids from organic substrates

Recombinant microorganisms configured for enhanced production of compounds such as 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid (PDC) and methods of using the recombinant microorganisms for the production of these compounds. The recombinant microorganisms include one or more modifications that reduce 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid (PDC) hydrolase activity, 4-carboxy-2-hydroxy-6-methoxy-6-oxohexa-2,4-dienoate (CHMOD) cis-trans isomerase activity, 4-carboxy-2-hydroxy-6-methoxy-6-oxohexa-2,4-dienoate (CHMOD) methyl esterase activity, and/or vanillate/3-O-methylgallate O-demethylase activity. The recombinant microorganisms can be used to generate PDC from media comprising plant-derived phenolics, such as syringyl phenolics, guaiacyl phenolics, and p-hydroxyphenyl phenolics. The plant-derived phenolics can be derived from pretreated lignin, including depolymerized lignin or other chemically altered lignin.

Microorganisms and methods for producing 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid and other compounds

Enzymes for depolymerizing lignin. The enzymes include dehydrogenases, &#x3b2;-etherases, and glutathione lyases. The dehydrogenases can comprise one or more or LigD, LigO, LigN, and LigL. The &#x3b2;-etherases can comprise one or more of LigE, LigF, LigP, and BaeA. The glutathione lyases can comprise any one or more of LigG and a number of non-stereospecific, optionally recombinant glutathione lyases derived fromsp. SYK-6,, and other microorganisms. The enzymes can be combined in compositions and/or used in methods of processing lignin or other aromatic compounds in vitro.

In vitro methods of chemical conversion using non-stereospecific glutathione lyases

Microbiome compositions and uses thereof. The microbiome compositions include a set of microbes. The sets of microbes contain members of Lactobacillaceae, Eubacteriaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Coriobacteriaceae. The number of individual physical microbes in the set constitutes a certain percentage of the total number of individual physical microbes in the microbiome composition. The microbiome compositions can be used for producing medium-chain fatty acids from organic substrates through anaerobic fermentation in a medium. The medium can include lignocellulosic stillage.

Recombinant microorganisms including one or more modifications that enhance lipid production and uses of same for producing lipid. The modifications alter cell surface functions, envelope functions, and other functions. The modifications are capable of converting non-oleaginous microorganisms into oleaginous microorganisms. The lipids produced by some of the recombinant microorganisms are excreted.

Oleaginous microorganisms and uses of same

In vitro methods for processing lignin and other aromatic compounds

Enzymes for producing non-straight-chain fatty acids, microorganisms comprising the enzymes, and in vivo and in vitro uses of the enzymes. Provided are enzymes capable of producing various non-straight-chain fatty acids, including branched-chain fatty acids, cyclic fatty acids, and furan-containing fatty acids. The enzymes include RSP2144, RSP1091, and RSP1090 fromand homologs thereof. The enzymes can be purified to produce non-straight-chain fatty acids in vitro or expressed in microorganisms to produce non-straight-chain fatty acids in vivo. The microorganisms can be fine-tuned to produce a specific type of non-straight-chain fatty acid by expressing, overexpressing, or deleting the enzymes in various combinations.

Enzymes for producing non-straight-chain fatty acids

A method of processing a solution comprising aromatic compounds. The method includes culturing a first microorganism in the solution for a time sufficient to reduce an amount of an aromatic compound and thereby generate a processed solution. The culturing may remove an aromatic compound deleterious to growth of a second microorganism without substantially reducing fermentable sugars, thereby permitting enhanced growth of the second microorganism in the processed solution. The culturing may additionally or alternatively convert an aromatic compound into a commodity chemical. The methods of the present invention are advantageous for processing lignocellulosic biomass for upgrading to biofuel or for generating commodity chemicals therefrom.

Methods of processing aromatic compounds

The physiological response of a phototroph to singlet oxygen is altered by modulating the interaction between an anti-sigma factor, ChrR, and a sigma factor, &#x3c3;, or by altering expression of a gene product required for viability in the presence of singlet oxygen.

Responses to singlet oxygen

A cool air inhaler for use in treating croup, having a body having at least one side wall and a bottom wall forming an enclosed space open at an upper portion of the body wherein the upper portion of the body is adapted to generally conform to contours of a lower part of a patient face. An air chamber is formed in an upper part of the body and has an exhaust vent for exhausting the patient's exhaled air to an exterior space while an ice reservoir is formed in a lower part of the body to contain ice and meltwater from the ice and an air passage is connected from the exterior space and passing through the ice reservoir to conduct air to the air chamber.

Cool air inhaler

A polishing media magazine for improved polishing. The polishing media magazine may include a conditioning element for rapid, uniform conditioning and cleaning of the polishing media. The polishing media magazine may include polishing media having sections of raised elevation to contain the fluid and may include a polishing support platen having features adapted to urge the edges of the polishing media upwards. The polishing media may be roll fed from a supply roll across a support platen and onto a take-up roll.

Polishing media magazine for improved polishing

Environmental formaldehyde can be detected and remediated in a biological system that incorporates a bacterial cell containing suitable genetic sequences encoding a formaldehyde-inducible regulatory system. The system includes a transcriptional promoter that can be specifically induced in the presence of formaldehyde to transcribe an operably linked gene.

Microbial system for formaldehyde sensing and remediation

Growing community of inventors

Middleton, WI, United States of America

Timothy James Donohue