Roche Vitamins Inc.

Michel Tessier

Luis Pasamontes

Adolphus Van Loon

Hans-Peter Hohmann

Novel proteins of Flavobacterium sp. R1534 and the DNA sequences which encode these proteins are disclosed which provide an improved biosynthetic pathway from farnesyl pyrophosphate and isopentyl pyrophosphate to various carotenoid precursors and carotenoids, especially &bgr;-carotene, lycopene, zeaxanthin and cantaxanthin.

Fermentative carotenoid production

Novel proteins of Flavobacrerium sp. R1534 and the DNA sequences which encode these proteins are disclosed which provide an improved biosynthetic pathway from farnesyl pyrophosphate and isopentyl pyrophosphate to various carotenoid precursors and carotenoids, especially .beta.-carotene, lycopene, zeaxanthin and cantaxanthin. Processes are also provided for preparing zeaxanthin by culturing a transformed host cell containing an expression cassette that includes a polynucleotide having a DNA sequence which encodes the GGPP synthase of Flavobacterium sp. R1534 (crtE), the prephytoene synthase of Flavobacterium sp. R1534 (crtB), the phytoene desaturase of Flavobacterium sp. R1534 (crtI), the lycopene cyclase of Flavobacterium sp. R1534 (crtY), or the .beta.-carotene hydroxylase of Flavobacterium sp. R1534 (crtZ). The polynucleotide is substantially free of other polynucleotides of Flavobacterium sp. R1534. The process further includes isolating the zeaxanthin from such cells or the culture medium.

Novel proteins of Flavobacterium sp. R1534 and the DNA sequences which encode these proteins are disclosed which provide an improved biosynthetic pathway from farnesyl pyrophosphate and isopentyl pyrophosphate to various carotenoid precursors and carotenoids, especially .beta.-carotene, lycopene, zeaxanthin and cantaxanthin.

Growing community of inventors

Mulhouse, France

Michel Tessier