Patent ID: 8962299
Filing Date: 2015-02-24
Classification: C12N,C12P

Abstract:
1. A nucleic acid molecule comprising: a) a nucleic acid sequence encoding a thioesterase belonging to Pfam PF01643 or PF02551; b) a nucleic acid sequence encoding an acyl-CoA synthetase; c) a nucleic acid sequence encoding an alcohol-forming fatty acyl-CoA reductase selected from the group consisting of amino acid sequences having at least 85% sequence identity to any one of SEQ ID NOs:15-21; and d) a nucleic acid sequence encoding a wax ester synthase belonging to Pfam PF03007 or PF13813 selected from the group consisting of amino acid sequences having at least 85% sequence identity to any one of SEQ ID NOs:22-30; wherein the thioesterase belonging to Pfam PF01643 or PF02551 is capable of releasing a free fatty acid from an acyl-ACP substrate; and wherein the nucleic acid sequence encoding a wax ester synthase belonging to Pfam PF03007 or PF13813 and at least one of the nucleic acid sequence encoding a thioesterase belonging to Pfam PF01643 or PF02551, the nucleic acid sequence encoding an acyl-CoA synthetase, and the nucleic acid sequence encoding an alcohol-forming fatty acyl reductase are configured as a transcriptional unit; and further wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises at least one additional nucleic acid sequence of at least 50 nucleotides for mediating recombination of the transcriptional unit into a host genome, wherein the additional nucleic acid sequence of at least 50 nucleotides is derived from a 5′ region of a gene from a photosynthetic microorganism, and further wherein the additional nucleic acid sequence of at least 50 nucleotides comprises a promoter positioned upstream of the transcriptional unit in the nucleic acid molecule, wherein the promoter and the transcriptional unit are configured as an operon.