Transgenic plants expressing CIVPS or intein modified proteins and related method

1. A method of processing plant biomass comprising:

obtaining a transgenic plant or part thereof including a modified protein having a lignocellulosic degrading protein and an intein fused within the lignocellulosic degrading protein, wherein the intein is thermally inducible to cause cis splicing of the modified protein by having a temperature of 50° C. or higher; and

inducing splicing of the modified protein by raising the temperature of the transgenic plant or part thereof to 50° C. or higher.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising exposing the transgenic plant or part thereof to yeast.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lignocellulosic degrading protein catalyzes a reaction selected from the group consisting of degrading lignin, degrading cellulose, and degrading hemicellulose.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lignocellulosic degrading protein is an enzyme selected from the group consisting of cellulases having the classification E.C. 3.2.1.4, exocellobiohydrolases having the classification E.C. 3.2.1.91, glucosidases having the classification E.C. 3.2.1.21, endocellulases, exocellulases, xylanases, hemi-cellulase, ligninase, and lignin peroxidase.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the lignocellulosic degrading protein is a cellulase.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the intein is a Pyrococcus spp. polymerase, Psp pol, intein.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the intein is a variant Psp pol intein.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the intein is a Psp pol intein having an amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleic acid having the sequence of nucleotides 1839-3449 of SEQ ID NO: 26.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modified protein includes a sequence encoded by a nucleic acid having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising adding at least one selected from the group consisting of other plant substrates, chemical substrates, municipal waste, manufacturing by-products, enzymes, prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells before, during, or after any one or more of the obtaining and inducing steps.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising adding a non-recombinant plant before, during, or after any one or more of the obtaining and inducing splicing of the modified protein steps.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transgenic plant or part thereof includes a second modified protein comprising a target protein fused to a second intein, wherein the second intein is thermally inducible to cause cis splicing of the second modified protein by haying a temperature of 50° C. or higher, the method further comprising inducing splicing of the second modified protein by raising the temperature of the transgenic plant or part thereof to 50° C. or higher.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the target protein is an enzyme or a segment thereof that catalyzes a reaction changing a sugar, and the method further comprising inducing splicing of the second modified protein.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the target protein is an enzyme or a segment thereof that catalyzes a reaction producing ethanol, and the method further comprising inducing splicing of the second modified protein.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the target protein is an enzyme or a segment thereof that catalyzes a reaction producing an intermediate in the production of ethanol, and the method further comprising inducing splicing of the second modified protein.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the target protein is an enzyme or a segment thereof that catalyzes a reaction selected from the group consisting of reactions producing butanediol, producing ethanol, producing phenol, producing glycerol, producing ethylene, producing propylene, producing toluene, producing ethyl benzene, producing styrene, producing xylene, producing ethylene, producing glycol, producing butadiene, producing formaldehyde, producing isopropanol, producing acetone, producing butanediol, producing methanol, producing propanol, producing butanol, producing propanediol, producing a vitamin, producing methane, producing ethane, producing propane, producing butane, producing pentane, producing hexane, producing heptane, producing octane, producing benzene, degrading dextrin, degrading pectin, degrading lipids, degrading protein, degrading chitin, and saccharification, and the method further comprising inducing splicing of the second modified protein.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising adding at least one selected from the group consisting of other plant substrates, chemical substrates, municipal waste, manufacturing by-products, enzymes, prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells before, during, or after any one or more of the obtaining, inducing splicing of the modified protein, and inducing splicing of the second modified protein steps.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising adding a non-recombinant plant before, during, or after any one or more of the obtaining, inducing splicing of the modified protein, and inducing splicing of the second modified protein steps.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modified protein includes a sequence encoded by a nucleic acid having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28, the transgenic plant or part thereof includes a second modified protein comprising a enzyme or a segment thereof that catalyzes a reaction oxidizing a sugar and the enzyme or segment thereof is fused to a second intein, and the second intein is inducible to cause cis splicing of the second modified protein by having a temperature of 50° C. or higher,

the method further comprising inducing splicing of the second modified protein by raising the temperature of the transgenic plant or part thereof to 50° C. or higher.