Patent ID: 7098000

Claim:
A method for the production of C 30 -aldehyde carotenoid compounds comprising: (a) providing a transformed host cell comprising: (i) suitable levels of farnesyl pyrophosphate; (ii) at least one isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding an enzyme having diapophytoene synthase activity under the control of suitable regulatory sequences wherein the isolated nucleic acid molecule is selected from the group consisting of 1) an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2; 2) an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:10; and 3) an isolated nucleic acid molecule that hybridizes with (1) or (2) under the following hybridization conditions:0.1× SSC, 0.1% SDS, 65° C. and washed with 2×SSC, 0.1% SDS followed by 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS; (iii) at least one isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding an enzyme having diapophytoene desaturase activity under the control of suitable regulatory sequences wherein the isolated nucleic acid molecule is selected from the group consisting of; 1) an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4; 2) an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:12; and 3) an isolated nucleic acid molecule that hybridizes with (1) or (2) under the following hybridization conditions: 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS, 65° C. and washed with 2×SSC, 0.1% SDS followed by 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS; and (iv) at least one isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding an enzyme having the ability to introduce an omega-aldehyde functional group on the omega carbon of a conjugated polyene carbon skeleton under the control of suitable regulatory sequences; wherein the isolated nucleic acid molecule is selected from the group consisting of; 1) an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:8; 2) an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:14; and 3) an isolated nucleic acid molecule that hybridizes with (1) or (2) under the following hybridization conditions: 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS, 65° C. and washed with 2×SSC, 0.1% SDS followed by 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS; and (b) contacting the host cell of step (a) under suitable growth conditions with an effective amount of fermentable carbon substrate whereby a C 30 -aldehyde carotenoid compound is produced.