title: Generation of lycopene-overproducing strains of the fungus Mucor circinelloides reveals important aspects of lycopene formation and accumulation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To generate lycopene-overproducing strains of the fungus Mucor circinelloides with interest for industrial production and to gain insight into the catalytic mechanism of lycopene cyclase and regulatory process during lycopene overaccumulation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three lycopene-overproducing mutants were generated by classic mutagenesis techniques from a β-carotene-overproducing strain. They carried distinct mutations in the carRP gene encoding lycopene cyclase that produced loss of enzymatic activity to different extents. In one mutant (MU616), the lycopene cyclase was completely destroyed, and a 43.8% (1.1 mg/g dry mass) increase in lycopene production was observed in comparison to that by the previously existing lycopene overproducer. In addition, feedback regulation of the end product was suggested in lycopene-overproducing strains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A lycopene-overaccumulating strain of the fungus M. circinelloides was generated that could be an alternative for the industrial production of lycopene. Vital catalytic residues for lycopene cyclase activity and the potential mechanism of lycopene formation and accumulation were identified.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yingtong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China. haiqinchen@jiangnan.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Haiqin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética y Microbiología (Unidad Asociada al IQFR-CSIC), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Eusebio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética y Microbiología (Unidad Asociada al IQFR-CSIC), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: López-García
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yong Q
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China.|Beijing Innovation Centre of Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology and Business University (BTBU), Beijing, 100048, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética y Microbiología (Unidad Asociada al IQFR-CSIC), Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain. vgarre@um.es.
authors.forename: Victoriano
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Garre
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D000077276:Lycopene; D009089:Mucor / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010858:Pigmentation
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D002338:Carotenoids; D000077276:Lycopene
keywords: CarRP; Feedback regulation; Lycopene; Lycopene cyclas; Mucor circinelloides