Dsm IP Assets B.v.

Connie Lee

Masako Shinjoh

Alan Berry

Bertus Pieter Koekman

Nigel John Mouncey

Dick Schipper

Anne Françoise Mayer

Markus G Goese

Corina Hauk

Anne F Mayer

Anja Meury

Adrianus W H Vollebregt

Christine Toepfer

Manuela Dalluege

Marina Van Gelder

Marie-Gabrielle Beuzelin-Ollivier

Bastien Chevreux

Bastian Chevreux

The present invention relates to newly identified microorganisms capable of direct production of L-ascorbic acid (hereinafter also referred to as Vitamin C). The invention also relates to polynucleotide sequences comprising genes that encode proteins which are involved in the synthesis of Vitamin C. The invention also features polynucleotides comprising the full length polynucleotide sequences of the novel genes and fragments thereof, the novel polypeptides encoded by the polynucleotides and fragments thereof, as well as their functional equivalents. The present invention also relates to the use of said polynucleotides and polypeptides as biotechnological tools in the production of Vitamin C from microorganisms, whereby a modification of said polynucleotides and/or encoded polypeptides has a direct or indirect impact on yield, production, and/or efficiency of production of the fermentation product in said microorganism. Also included are methods/processes of using the polynucleotides and modified polynucleotide sequences to transform host microorganisms. The invention also relates to genetically engineered microorganisms and their use for the direct production of Vitamin C.

Fermentative Vitamin C production

The present invention discloses an isolated polynucleotide molecule derived from a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having L-sorbosone dehydrogenase activity comprising a partial nucleotide sequence of at least 20 consecutive nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:1. The present invention further relates to a process for the production of L-ascorbic acid in high yield, in particular a process using resting cells of a microorganism able to convert given carbon sources into vitamin C. The thus obtained vitamin C may be further processed by purification and/or separation steps.

Microbial production of L-ascorbic acid

Fermentative vitamin C production

Polypeptides and encoding polynucleotides for microbial production of L-ascorbic acid and associated methods

Growing community of inventors

Reykjavik, Iceland

Connie Lee