Patent ID: 8951754
Filing Date: 2015-02-10
Classification: A61P,C12N,C12P

Abstract:
1. A method of making simvastatin comprising the steps of: (1) combining together monacolin J; an acyl thioester that donates a dimethylbutyryl moiety to the C8 hydroxyl group of monacolin J in the presence of functional LovD acyltransferase; and functional LovD acyltransferase, wherein the functional LovD acyltransferase comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 93% identity to SEQ ID NO:1; and (2) allowing the functional LovD acyltransferase to transfer the acyl group from the acyl thioester to regioselectively acylate the C8 hydroxyl group of monacolin J; wherein: a) simvastatin is made in vitro in the absence of an isolated organism, or b) simvastatin is made in vivo in a fermentation media in the presence of an isolated organism, and the acyl thioester is derived from an exogenous source and added to said fermentation media; so that simvastatin is made.