Lycopene

The biotechnological potential of the al-2 gene from Neurospra crassa for the production of monocyclic keto hydroxy carotenoids.

Sandmann G, Zhu C, Krubasik P, Fraser PD.

Biosynthesis Group, Molecular Biosciences 213, J. W. Goethe Universitat, P.O. Box 111932, D-60054 Frankfurt, Germany.

The al-2 cDNA from Neurospora crassa was cloned, expressed and functionally characterized. The enzyme comprised the two catalytic activities of a phytoene synthase and a lycopene cyclase. In contrast to most other lycopene cyclases, single cyclizations were preferentially catalyzed. This N. crassa enzyme is the first CrtYB-type monocyclic-acting lycopene cyclase. Therefore, this cDNA has been evaluated for the heterologous synthesis of monocyclic hydroxy-keto carotenoids by combination with other carotenogenic genes in Escherichia coli. Depending on the degree of desaturation, 4-keto derivatives of gamma-carotene and torulene with additional 2-hydroxy, 3-hydroxy and/or 1'-HO groups were generated and the following asymmetrical carotenoids identified and quantitated: 3-HO-4-keto-gamma-carotene, 2-HO-4-keto-gamma-carotene, 4-keto-1'-HO-gamma-carotene, 3,1'-(HO)(2)-4-keto-gamma-carotene, 3-HO-4-keto-torulene and 2-HO-4-keto-torulene. Among them all the monocyclic gamma-carotene derivatives with 9 conjugated double bonds were not found naturally before. Furthermore, 2-HO-4-keto-torulene with 10 conjugated double bonds is another novel carotenoid.

PMID: 16928467 [PubMed - in process]

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