Patent ID: 7927794

Claim:
A method of identifying a gene product having activity in a terpene biosynthetic pathway, the method comprising: a) producing a test cell by introducing into a genetically modified host cell an exogenous nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a candidate gene product, wherein the genetically modified host cell is genetically modified with one or more nucleic acids that comprise nucleotide sequences encoding one or more of acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase, hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase, hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase, mevalonate kinase, phosphomevalonate kinase, and mevalonate pyrophosphate decarboxylase, wherein said genetic modification results in production of a prenyl diphosphate intermediate in an amount effective to inhibit growth of the genetically modified host cell; and b) determining the effect, if any, of expression of the candidate gene product on growth of the test cell, wherein a reduction in growth inhibition indicates the candidate gene product has activity in the terpene biosynthetic pathway.