NOVELTY - A Deinococcus or related bacterium comprising a reconstructed biomass degradation transcriptional unit inserted in its genome, is new. The unit comprises at least 2 genes under the control of a single promoter. The genes encode distinct biomass degradation enzymes involved in the degradation or hydrolysis of biomass into fermentable sugars.    USE - As Deinococcus or related bacterium selected from Deinococcus geothermalis (D. geothermalis), D. cellulolysiticus, D. radiodurans, D. proteolyticus, D. radiopugnans, D. radiophilus, D. grandis, D. indicus, D. frigens, D. saxicola, D. maricopensis, D. marmoris, D. deserti, D. murrayi, D. aerius, D. aerolatus, D. aerophilus, D. aetherius, D. alpinitundrae, D. altitudinis, D. apachensis, D. aquaticus, D. aquatilis, D. aquiradiocola, D. aquivivus, D. caeni, D. claudionis, D. ficus, D. gobiensis, D. hohokamensis, D. hopiensis, D. misasensis, D. navajonensis, D. papagonensis, D. peraridilitoris, D. pimensis, D. piscis, D. radiomollis, D. roseus, D. sonorensis, D. wulumuqiensis, D. xibeiensis, D. xinjiangensis, D. yavapaiensis or D. yunweiensis, used in a composition, an enzymatic extract, or a biotacalyst for transforming biomass for producing an alcohol, preferably ethanol (all claimed), methanol, propanol, isopropanol, propanediol, butanol, 2,3-butanediol, 1,4-butanediol, isobutanol, or glycerol. Also used for producing biofuels including vegetable oils, biodiesels, bioalcohols, biogas, syngas and solid biofuels.    ADVANTAGE - The improved Deinococcus or related bacterium has higher or remarkable biomass degradation properties. It has improved biomass degradation and biofuel production properties. These bacteria contain reconstructed functional transcriptional units and/or modified metabolic pathways, leading to improved biological performances. These bacteria are engineered with particular genes isolated, or modified to improve their expression, resulting in non-genetically modified organism (GMO), improved bacteria. These bacteria are compatible with industrial culture conditions, use raw biomass material, and have been engineered to maintain proper expression of integrated genes for optimal ethanol production. These bacteria can be cultivated, are viable and stably contain the inserted unit. Stability is preferably such that more than 95% of the bacteria still contain the unit after 2 growth cycles. Moreover, the biomass degradation transcription unit can be made entirely of Deinococcus derived genetic material. As a result, the bacterium is more stable, more effective, not a GMO, and more adapted to extreme culture conditions. Also, the particular enzymes identified exhibit potent and complementary activities which confer on the bacteria remarkable activities. Thus, these bacteria represent valuable products and biocatalysts and are particularly adapted to modify biomass with improved capacity.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following: 1) a composition comprising Deinococcus or related bacterium; and at least one other bacterium; 2) an enzymatic extract of Deinococcus or related bacterium; 3) a biotacalyst comprising the bacterium, or an extract; 4) transforming biomass, involving exposing biomass to Deinococcus or related bacterium, or the extract or the composition; and 5) process for producing an alcohol, preferably ethanol, involving exposing a sugar or biomass to Deinococcus or related bacterium, or the extract, or the composition.