Abstract: A recombinant cell of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that includes in its genome nucleic acids encoding cannabinoid biosynthetic pathway genes. A cannabinoid is produced by the recombinant cell in the presence of a cannabinoid precursor substrate and at least one of the cannabinoid biosynthetic pathway genes is from an organism other than Cannabis sativa, wherein the at least one of the cannabinoid biosynthetic pathway genes encodes a prenyltransferase. In an embodiment, the prenyltransferase is NphB from Streptomyces sp. having the amino acid sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 8-11. Also disclosed is a method for producing a cannabinoid with the recombinant cell and the cannabinoid precursor substrate.

Abstract: A method for producing a cannabinoid precursor by contacting a substrate and geranyl pyrophosphate or farnesyl pyrophosphate with an NphB orthologue. The NphB orthologue is from an organism other than Cannabis sativa, and the substrate can be 2,4-dihydroxy-6-pentylbenzoic acid or 2,4-dihydroxy-6-propylbenzoic acid. Also disclosed is a recombinant cell of Yarrowia lipolytica, carrying in its genome a nucleic acid encoding an NphB orthologue from an organism other than Cannabis sativa such that the NphB orthologue is expressed in the recombinant cell.