Genencor International, Inc.

Danisco US Inc.

Amoco Corporation

Ball Horticultural, Inc.

William H Eschenfeldt

Mark Donnelly

Jonathan Trent

Randal Hauptmann

Friedhelm L Brinkhaus

Robert B Eisenreich

Zubin Khambatta

Jami English

Described herein are novel nucleic acids, proteins and methods that can be used to provide new catalysts with desirable traits for industrial processes. In particular, novel reductases isolated from the environment using PCR methods are described.

2,5-diketo-L-gluconic acid reductases and methods of use

Methods for converting glucose to ascorbic acid

Method of using a polynucleotide encoding 2.5-diketo-D-gluconic acid reductase

Mutant 2,5-diketo-L-gluconic acid reductases

Mutant 2.5-diketo-L-gluconic acid reductases

The formation of a carotenoid compound containing a 4-keto-&#x3b2;-ionene ring such as astaxanthin or canthaxanthin in flowers, and particularly in the corolla and reproductive parts of a flower of a higher plant whose flowers produce a carotenoid compound containing a &#x3b2;-ionene ring such as &#x3b2;-carotene or zeaxanthin, but otherwise do not produce astaxanthin or canthaxanthin is disclosed. One or more genes controlled by a promoter are inserted (transformed) into a higher plant. The inserted gene encodes a chimeric enzyme including (a) a carotenoid-forming enzyme that is at least a ketolase. That gene is operatively linked to (b) a plastid-directed transit peptide. Some higher plants to be transformed produce at least zeaxanthin or &#x3b2;-carotene in their flowers prior to transformation, whereas other plants produce little if any colored carotenoid pigments prior to transformation and are transformed with a cassette of carotenoids-forming genes. Methods of transformation and use of the transformed plants are described.

4-ketocarotenoids in flower petals

A transgenic higher plant, seed containing the transgene, and methods of providing enhanced carotenoid accumulation are disclosed. The transgenic higher plant has a genomic structural gene that encodes a chimeric polypeptide conjugate and over accumulates a colored native carotenoid in a preselected storage organ relative to the accumulation in a non-transgenic plant of the same type. Expression of the chimeric polypeptide is driven by a promoter operatively linked to that structural gene that provides storage organ-enhanced expression. The chimeric polypeptide has an N-terminal plastid transit peptide portion whose C-terminus is linked to the N-terminus of a non-higher plant phytoene synthase enzyme.

Enhanced carotenoid accumulation in storage organs of genetically

Growing community of inventors

St. Charles, IL, United States of America

William H Eschenfeldt