Patent ID: 7300777

Claim:
A method of producing an amino acid, comprising: a) culturing a recombinant cell in a suitable media, wherein said recombinant cell comprises a vector comprising an isolated or purified nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: 1) the nucleotide sequence encoding amino acids 1 to 1157 of SEQ ID NO: 2; 2) a nucleotide sequence encoding the amino acid sequence encoded by the DNA plasmid encoding feedback-resistant pyruvate carboxylase enzyme, said plasmid contained in Deposit Number NRRL B-30293; 3) a nucleotide sequence encoding a pyruvate carboxylase enzyme desensitized to feedback inhibition by aspartic acid, said enzyme having an amino acid sequence that differs from SEQ ID NO: 19 by at least one but not more than six mutations, said at least one, but no more than six mutations selected from the group consisting of: i) glutamic acid at position 153 is replaced with an aspartic acid, ii) alanine at position 182 is replaced with a serine, iii) alanine at position 206 is replaced with a serine, iv) histidine at position 227 is replaced with an arginine, v) alanine at position 455 is replaced with a glycine, and vi) aspartic acid at position 1120 is replaced with a glutamic acid; and 4) a nucleotide sequence at least 95% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1 and which codes for a pyruvate carboxylase enzyme desensitized to feedback inhibition by aspartic acid, wherein said pyruvate carboxylase enzyme contains at least six mutations to SEQ ID NO: 19, wherein said at least six mutations to SEQ ID NO: 19 include: i) glutamic acid at position 153 is replaced with an aspartic acid, ii) alanine at position 182 is replaced with a serine, iii) alanine at position 206 is replaced with a serine, iv) histidine at position 227 is replaced with an arginine, v) alanine at position 455 is replaced with a glycine, and vi) aspartic acid at position 1120 is replaced with a glutamic acid; and b) separating said amino acid from said medium.