Patent ID: 7381544

Claim:
An isolated nucleic acid that encodes a fusion polypeptide, wherein the fusion polypeptide comprises: a) a β-1,4-galactosyltransferase that catalyzes the transfer of a galactose, from a UDP-galactose to an acceptor molecule, wherein the galactosyltransferase is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence with at least 95% identity to SEQ ID NO:1; and b) a Streptococcus thermophilus UDP-Glucose 4′ epimerase (UDP-Glu 4′ epimerase), wherein the UDP-Glu 4′ epimerase is encoded by a nucleic acid that is amplified by SEQ ID NO:9 and SEQ ID NO:10 from the genomic nucleic acid of Streptococcus thermophilus , and wherein the UDP-Glu 4′ epimerase catalyzes conversion of UDP-Glucose to UDP-galactose.