Patent ID: 7709620

Claim:
An isolated nucleic acid having a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (b) a nucleic acid sequence that hybridizes to a nucleotide sequence having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:3, said hybridization being performed under the following stringent conditions: 68° C. in 0.2×SSC; or 42° C. in 50% formamide; wherein the nucleotide sequence encodes an MppA protein capable of forming a non-ribosomal peptide synthase (NRPS) complex with the MppB protein of SEQ ID NO:4; and (c) an isolated nucleic acid fragment having a nucleotide sequence complementary to the full length of nucleotide sequence of (a) or (b).