Abstract: A method of producing lycopene, with high productivity by means of a recombinant bacterial strain includes preparing the recombinant vector containing genes encoding proteins, which are required for lycopene biosynthesis. The genes involved in lycopene biosynthesis are crtE with the nucleotide SEQ ID NO: 8, crtB with the nucleotide SEQ ID NO: 3 and crtI with the nucleotide SEQ ID NO: 5 of the Sequence List. The said recombinant vector is transformed into Escherichia coli (hereafter E. coli). The E. coli transformant is cultured to recover lycopene from the culture medium.

Abstract: A method of producing lycopene, with high productivity by means of a recombinant bacterial strain includes preparing the recombinant vector containing genes encoding proteins, which are required for lycopene biosynthesis. The genes involved in lycopene biosynthesis are crtE, crtB and crtI, and at least one of the said three genes (crtE, crtB and crtI) is selected from the group consisting of crtE with the SEQ ID NO:1, crtB with the SEQ ID NO:3 and crtI with the SEQ ID NO:5, of the Sequence List. The said recombinant vector is transformed into Escherichia coli (hereafter E. coli). The E. coli transformant is cultured to recover lycopene from the culture medium.

Abstract: A method of producing lycopene with high productivity by means of a recombinant bacterial strain includes preparing the recombinant vector containing genes encoding proteins, which are required for lycopene biosynthesis. The genes involved in lycopene biosynthesis are crtE, crtB and crtI, and at least one of the said three genes (crtE, crtB and crtI) is selected from the group consisting of crtE with the nucleotide Sequence 1, crtB with the nucleotide Sequence 3 and crtI with the nucleotide Sequence 5, of the Sequence List. The said recombinant vector is transformed into Escherichia coli.

Abstract: There are provided genes involved in the biosynthesis of lycopene and having DNA sequences set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 3 and SEQ ID NO: 5 encoding proteins required for the biosynthesis of lycopene, a recombinant vector comprising at least one of the genes, and a mi croorganism transformed with the recombinant vector and having a high content of lycopene. The lycopene is obtained at a yield of 15.3 mg/L and a content of 4.2 mg/gDCW when the recombined E. coli with the crt genes is cultivated, and the lycopene is also obtained with the maximum content of 5.4 mg/gDCW when a microorganism is transformed with the combination of the gene of the present invention and the known genes. Therefore, provided is the lycopene-producing strain having a more increased content of lycopene per dry cell weight than the known lycopene-producing strain with the genes. Accordingly, the genes may be useful to mass-produce lycopene in microorganisms, and also to mass-produce carotenoids.

Abstract: A method of producing lycopene, with high productivity by means of a recombinant bacterial strain includes preparing the recombinant vector containing genes encoding proteins, which are required for lycopene biosynthesis. The genes involved in lycopene biosynthesis are crtE, crtB and crtI, and at least one of the said three genes (crtE, crtB and crtI) is selected from the group consisting of crtE with the nucleotide Sequence 1, crtB with the nucleotide Sequence 3 and crtI with the nucleotide Sequence 5, of the Sequence List. The said recombinant vector is transformed into Escherichia coli (hereafter E. coli). The E. coli transformant is cultured to recover lycopene from the culture medium.