Abstract: Isolated nucleic acid molecules cloned from Artemisia annua encode artemisinic aldehyde double bond reductase and artemisinic/dihydroartemisinic aldehyde dehydrogenase. Artemisinic aldehyde double bond reductase enzymatically reduces artemisinic aldehyde to dihydroartemisinic aldehyde. Artemisinic/dihydroartemisinic aldehyde dehydrogenase enzymatically oxidizes dihydroartemisinic aldehyde to dihydroartemisinic acid and artemisinic aldehyde to artemisinic acid. The nucleic acid molecules, and the enzymes encoded thereby, may be used in processes to produce dihydroartemsinic aldehyde, dihydroartemisinic acid or artemisinic acid in a host cell. Dihydroartemisinic acid is a late precursor to the a antimalarial compound artemisinin.

Abstract: Naturally-occurring and modified recombinant nucleic acid molecules have been isolated that encode linear pre-cursors of cyclopeptides of the Caryophyllaceae (Ccps) and Caryophyllaceae-like (Clcps) type V1 class of cyclopeptides. Such nucleic acid molecules are useful for producing cyclopeptides and their linear precursors by recombinant methods.

Abstract: An isolated nucleic acid molecule cloned from Artemisia annua encodes an alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh1). Artemisia annua Adh1 enzymatically oxidizes artemisinic alcohol to artemisinic aldehyde. The nucleic acid molecule, and the enzyme encoded thereby, may be used in processes to produce artemisinic aldehyde, dihydroartemsinic aldehyde, artemisinic acid and/or dihydroartemisinic acid in a host cell. Artemisinic aldehyde, dihydroartemisinic aldehyde, artemisinic acid and/or dihydroartemisinic acid can be chemically converted to the antimalarial compound artemisinin.

Abstract: An isolated nucleic acid molecule cloned from Artemisia annua encodes an artemisinic aldehyde double bond reductase. Artemisinic aldehyde double bond reductase enzymatically reduces artemisinic aldehyde to (11R)-dihydroartemisinic aldehyde. The nucleic acid molecule, and the enzyme encoded thereby, may be used in processes to produce dihydroartemsinic aldehyde and/or dihydroartemisinic acid in a host cell. Dihydroartemisinic acid is a late precursor to the antimalarial compound artemisinin.

Abstract: Isolated nucleic acid molecules cloned from Artemisia annua encode artemisinic aldehyde double bond reductase and artemisinic/dihydroartemisinic aldehyde dehydrogenase. Artemisinic aldehyde double bond reductase enzymatically reduces artemisinic aldehyde to dihydroartemisinic aldehyde. Artemisinic/dihydroartemisinic aldehyde dehydrogenase enzymatically oxidizes dihydroartemisinic aldehyde to dihydroartemisinic acid and artemisinic aldehyde to artemisinic acid. The nucleic acid molecules, and the enzymes encoded thereby, may be used in processes to produce dihydroartemsinic aldehyde, dihydroartemisinic acid or artemisinic acid in a host cell. Dihydroartemisinic acid is a late precursor to the a antimalarial compound artemisinin.

Abstract: The invention provides DNA isolated from a plant species of the family Brassicaceae that can be introduced into the genomes of plants to produce genetically-modified plants having higher levels of squalene than the natural plants. The DNA corresponds to squalene epoxidase gene of the same or a related plant, and may have the sequence as shown by SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, or SEQ ID NO:5, or a sequence having at least 60% identity with such a sequence. The DNA is introduced into the genome in a way that results in down-regulation of an exogenous plant squalene gene to suppress the expression of squalene epoxidase. The invention also relates to a process of producing genetically-modified plants, plasmids and vectors used in the method, genetically-modified plants and seeds thereof and a method of producing squalene from the modified plants.