Dsm IP Assets B.v.

Markus G Goese

Masako Shinjoh

Bertus Pieter Koekman

Nigel John Mouncey

Dick Schipper

Connie Lee

Anne F Mayer

Anja Meury

Adrianus W H Vollebregt

Christine Toepfer

Corina Hauk

Marie-Gabrielle Beuzelin-Ollivier

Manuela Dalluege

Marina Van Gelder

John B Perkins

Bastien Chevreux

Ghislain Schyns

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 provides a method for producing thiamin products using a microorganism containing a mutation that causes it to overproduce and release thiamin products into the medium. Biologically pure cultures of the microorganisms and isolated polynucleotides containing the mutations are also provided. In addition, methods for detecting a pathogenic microorganism in a clinical sample, assays for identifying an antibiotic, as well as, antibiotics identified by such assays are provided.

Thiamin production by fermentation

Fermentative vitamin C production

Growing community of inventors

Basel, Switzerland

Markus G Goese