Modified bacteria for production of nitroaromatics

A method for producing a nitrated L-tryptophan or nitrated L-tryptophan analogue, the method comprising:

• (i) introducing into a bacterial cell culture comprising a recombinant bacterial cell comprising one or more isolated nucleic acids engineered to express:
• a fusion protein comprising a TxtE enzyme linked to a catalytic domain of a CYP102A1 (P450BM3) reductase enzyme via an amino acid linker sequence that is between 14 and 27 amino acids in length, wherein the fusion protein is a TB14 fusion protein having the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 1;
• a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enzyme;
• and, optionally
• a glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) enzyme, one or more L-Trp molecules and/or one or more L-Trp analogue molecules;
• (ii) growing the bacterial cell culture under conditions under which the fusion protein catalyzes a nitration reaction which produces one or more nitrated L-Trp molecules and/or one or more nitrated L-Trp analog molecules;
• and, optionally,
• (iii) isolating nitrated L-Trp molecules and/or nitrated L-Trp analog molecules.