Patent ID: 7132257

Claim:
A method for the production of aryl carotenoid compounds comprising: (a) providing an E. coli host cell which comprises a cyclic carotenoid having at least one β-ionone ring selected from the group consisting of β-carotene and γ-carotene; (b) transforming the E. coli host cell of (a) with a nucleic acid molecule that is a crtU gene selected from group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 18 and SEQ ID NO: 53 and encoding a carotene desaturase; said nucleic acid molecule being codon optimized for expression in the E. coli host cell; and (c) growing the transformed E. coli host cell of (b) under conditions whereby an aryl carotenoid, selected from the group consisting of isorenieratene, chlorobactene and β-isorenieratene is produced.