Patent ID: 8053218

Claim:
A process of using a polynucleotide or a vector containing the polynucleotide for production of Vitamin C, comprising overexpressing said polynucleotide or said vector, wherein said polynucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) nucleotide sequences encoding a polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 2; (b) nucleotide sequences comprising SEQ ID NO: 1; (c) nucleotide sequences obtainable by nucleic acid amplification using genomic DNA from Gluconobacter, Acetobacter or Gluconoacetobacter as a template and primers comprising SEQ ID NO: 3 and SEQ ID NO: 4 and encoding protein having activity of a periplasmic sorbitol binding protein; and (d) nucleotide sequences the complementary strand of which hybridizes under highly stringent conditions to a nucleotide sequence as defined in (a) or (b) and which encode a periplasmic sorbitol binding protein, wherein said highly stringent conditions comprise hybridization at about 42° C. for about 2 to 4 days followed by one or more washes in 2×SSC, 0.1% SDS at room temperature and one or more washes in 0.5×SSC, 0.1% SDS or 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS at about 65 to about 68° C.; and wherein the production of Vitamin C is increased by at least 20% compared to a process wherein said polynucleotide or said vector is not overexpressed.