Patent ID: 7063956
Filing Date: 2006-06-20
Classification: C12N,C12P

Abstract:
1. A process for the preparation of canthaxanthin wherein the process comprises culturing a recombinant cell containing farnesyl pyrophosphate and isopentyl pyrophosphate under culture conditions sufficient for the expression of enzymes which catalyze the conversion of the farnesyl pyrophosphate and isopentyl pyrophosphate to canthaxanthin, the recombinant cell being a host cell transformed by an expression vector comprising a regulatory sequence and a polynucleotide containing the following DNA sequences which encode the enzymes: a) a DNA sequence which encodes the geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) synthase of b) a DNA sequence which encodes the prephytoene synthase of c) a DNA sequence which encodes the phytoene desaturase of d) a DNA sequence which encodes the lycopene cyclase of e) a DNA sequence which encodes the β-carotene β4-oxygenase of microorganism E-396 (crtW and isolating the canthaxanthin from such cells or the culture medium.