title: A carotenoid synthesis gene cluster from Algoriphagus sp. KK10202C with a novel fusion-type lycopene beta-cyclase gene.
abstract: A carotenoid synthesis gene cluster was isolated from a marine bacterium Algoriphagus sp. strain KK10202C that synthesized flexixanthin. Seven genes were transcribed in the same direction, among which five of them were involved in carotenoid synthesis. This cluster had a unique gene organization, with an isoprenoid gene, ispH (previously named lytB), being present among the carotenoid synthesis genes. The lycopene beta-cyclase encoded by the crtY ( cd ) gene appeared to be a fusion of bacterial heterodimeric lycopene cyclase CrtY(c) and CrtY(d). This was the first time that a fusion-type of lycopene beta-cyclase was reported in eubacteria. Heterologous expression of the Algoriphagus crtY ( cd ) gene in lycopene-accumulating Escherichia coli produced bicyclic beta-carotene. A biosynthesis pathway for monocyclic flexixanthin was proposed in Algoriphagus sp. strain KK10202C, though several of the carotenoid synthesis genes not linked with the cluster have not yet been cloned.
authors.affiliation: Biological and Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Central Research and Development, E. I. DuPont. de Nemours Inc., Experimental Station, E328/B48, Wilmington, DE 19880-0328, USA.
authors.forename: Luan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kasai
authors.forename: Norihiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Misawa
authors.forename: Qiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D041964:Cytophagaceae / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D019753:Intramolecular Lyases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077276:Lycopene; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; D019753:Intramolecular Lyases; C070925:lycopene cyclase-isomerase; D000077276:Lycopene