Patent ID: 6830901
Filing Date: 2004-12-14
Classification: C12N

Abstract:
A process for the production of vitamin B12 (cobalamin), the process comprising culturing a Propionibacterium host cell under conditions in which the vitamin is produced and, if necessary, isolating the vitamin, wherein the Propionibacterium host cell contains a polynucleotide comprising(a) a sequence that is selected from the group consisting of: (i) SEQ ID NO: 1 or the complement thereof, (ii) a sequence from SEQ ID NO: 1 that corresponds to either the 1.7 kb fragment of SEQ ID NO: 1 delineated by restriction sites Sal I and AlwNI or nucleotides 1 to 1800 of SEQ ID NO: 1; and (iii) a sequence that is at least 95% homologous to a sequence as defined under (i) or (ii) and which retains the ability to autonomously replicate in Propionibacterium; and (b) a sequence that is an endogenous gene of a Propionibacterium in belonging to the vitamin B12 biosynthesis pathway or a pathway directly linked to the vitamin B12 biosynthesis pathway operatively linked to a control sequence which is capable of providing for expression of the gene.