Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for synthesizing a carotenoid composition by a genetic recombination technique. A transformant in which a first promoter, an upstream gene of a carotenoid biosynthesis gene including a crtY and crtZ operably linked to the first promoter, a second promoter having higher promoter intensity than the first promoter, and a ZEP gene and a CCS gene operably linked to the second promoter have been introduced into a host cell.

Abstract: To extract, from plants such as freesia, a novel useful substance which is important in the food/pharmaceutical industry and which is expected to be useful for human health. The present inventors have found that an aromatic compound glycoside, which is a novel substance, is produced in a freesia cultivar having yellow petals such as “Ishikawa f2” in the flower thereof. The inventors have further confirmed that the glycoside exhibits an antioxidant effect, a lipid metabolism-improving effect, and a diabetes-ameliorating effect.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a carotenoid having 50 carbon atoms which comprises culturing, in a medium, a cell transformed with a mutant phytoene desaturase gene and obtaining the carotenoid having 50 carbon atoms from the culture. The mutant phytoene desaturase gene has an introduced mutation to encode a mutant phytoene desaturase having an enhanced activity to desaturate a carotenoid backbone compound of 50 carbon atoms.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a carotenoid having 50 carbon atoms which comprises culturing, in a medium, a cell transformed with a mutant phytoene desaturase gene and obtaining the carotenoid having 50 carbon atoms from the culture. The mutant phytoene desaturase gene has an introduced mutation to encode a mutant phytoene desaturase having an enhanced activity to desaturate a carotenoid backbone compound of 50 carbon atoms.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a carotenoid having 50 carbon atoms which comprises culturing, in a medium, a cell transformed with a mutant phytoene desaturase gene and obtaining the carotenoid having 50 carbon atoms from the culture. The mutant phytoene desaturase gene has an introduced mutation to encode a mutant phytoene desaturase having an enhanced activity to desaturate a carotenoid backbone compound of 50 carbon atoms.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a carotenoid having 50 carbon atoms which comprises culturing, in a medium, a cell transformed with a mutant phytoene desaturase gene and obtaining the carotenoid having 50 carbon atoms from the culture. The mutant phytoene desaturase gene has an introduced mutation to encode a mutant phytoene desaturase having an enhanced activity to desaturate a carotenoid backbone compound of 50 carbon atoms.

Abstract: To provide a microorganism or a plant transformed with a ?-ionone ring-4-ketolase gene and/or ?-ionone ring-3-hydroxylase gene derived from Brevundimonas sp. strain SD-212. The ?-ionone ring-4-ketolase gene and ?-ionone ring-3-hydroxylase gene produced by Brevundimonas sp. strain SD-212 each have a high activity compared with those of known enzymes, and therefore microorganisms transformed with the genes encoding these enzymes can efficiently produce astaxanthin.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Brevundimonas sp. strain SD212-derived peptide having ?-ionone ring-2-hydroxylase activity and a gene encoding the same, to thereby make it possible to produce rare carotenoids in which a hydroxyl group is introduced at the position 2(2?) carbon in their ?-ionone ring in large quantities. The present invention also provides a novel gene encoding an enzyme which introduces a hydroxyl group at the position 3(3?) carbon in the ?-ionone ring of carotenoids, and a novel gene encoding a geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase.

Abstract: To provide a microorganism or a plant transformed with a ?-ionone ring-4-ketolase gene and/or ?-ionone ring-3-hydroxylase gene derived from Brevundimonas sp. strain SD-212. The ?-ionone ring-4-ketolase gene and ?-ionone ring-3-hydroxylase gene produced by Brevundimonas sp. strain SD-212 each have a high activity compared with those of known enzymes, and therefore microorganisms transformed with the genes encoding these enzymes can efficiently produce astaxanthin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a picolinic acid compound. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method for producing a picolinic acid compound, which comprises reacting an aromatic compound that contains a phenyl group represented by the following formula (I), (II), or (III) with aromatic ring dioxygenase, aromatic ring dihydrodiol dehydrogenase, and aromatic ring diol dioxygenase, and obtaining a picolinic acid compound (I?), (II?), or (III?). wherein, H1 is an optionally substituted heterocyclic group, A1 is a single bond or an optionally substituted C1-4 alkylene group or alkenylene group, P2 is an optionally substituted phenyl group, and C1 is an optionally substituted cyclic hydrocarbon group (excluding a phenyl group), and where formula II does not represent diphenylacetylene.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preparing a hybrid gene. The method includes a step of amplifying a P450 gene fragment contained in a sample using primers designed on the basis of regions of a plurality of P450 in which amino acid sequences are highly conserved and a step of preparing the hybrid gene using the amplified fragments and a known P450 gene. The method includes no culturing step or a step of normalizing extracted DNAs and is useful in isolating a P450 gene from various microbial resources. The present invention further provides a fused cytochrome P450 monooxygenase containing a peptide which is linked to the C-terminus of a P450 protein with a linker portion disposed therebetween and which has the same function as that of a reductase domain contained in a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase originating from Rhodococcus sp. strain NCIMB 9784.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Brevundimonas sp. strain SD212-derived peptide having ?-ionone ring-2-hydroxylase activity and a gene encoding the same, to thereby make it possible to produce rare carotenoids in which a hydroxyl group is introduced at the position 2 (2?) carbon in their ?-ionone ring in large quantities. The present invention also provides a novel gene encoding an enzyme which introduces a hydroxyl group at the position 3 (3?) carbon in the ?-ionone ring of carotenoids, and a novel gene encoding a geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase.

Abstract: The production of carotenoid is accomplished using a DNA molecule that encodes a polypeptide as obtained from Haematococcus pluvialis, Phaffia rhodozyma, or Saccharomyces cerevisiae, having isopentonyl pyrophosphate (IPP) isomerase activity, or DNA molecule having a nucleotide sequence that hybridizes thereto. In particular, one can introduce such a DNA molecule into a carotenoid-producing microorganism, culture the microorganism thus transformed, and then obtain carotenoids in the culture broth and cells.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide a method of producing hydroxylated heterocyclic compounds and hydroxylated aromatic carboxylic acids by bioengineering technique, and modified enzymes which can be used for this method. A method of producing hydroxylated heterocyclic compounds or hydroxylated aromatic carboxylic acids comprises reacting an aromatic ring dioxygenase with heterocyclic compounds or aromatic carboxylic acids to hydroxylate these compounds. An enzyme according to the present invention is an aromatic ring dioxygenase comprising an &agr;-subunit consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, which is modified according to the &agr;-subunit of the biphenyl dioxygenase derived from the strain Burkholderia cepacia LB400, a &bgr;-subunit consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, and a ferredoxin consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6, and a ferredoxin reductase consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8.

Abstract: Disclosed are the following DNA strands relating to the synthesis of keto group-containing xanthophylls such as astaxanthin and the like, and the techniques relating to the production of xanthophylls by genetic engineering:A DNA strand having a nucleotide sequence which encodes a polypeptide having an enzyme activity for converting a methylene group at the 4-position of a .beta.-ionone ring into a keto group.A DNA strand having a nucleotide sequence which encodes a polypeptide having an enzyme activity for converting a methylene group at the 4-position of a 3-hydroxy-.beta.-ionone ring into a keto group.A DNA strand having a nucleotide sequence which encodes a polypeptide having an enzyme activity for adding a hydroxyl group to the 3-carbon of a 4-keto-.beta.-ionone ring.It is possible to produce a variety of xanthophylls such as canthaxanthin, astaxanthin and the like by introducing the DNA strands into an appropriate microorganism such as Escherichia coli and the like.

Abstract: Disclosed are the following DNA strands relating to the synthesis of keto group-containing xanthophylls such as astaxanthin and the like, and the techniques relating to the production of xanthophylls by genetic engineering:A DNA strand having a nucleotide sequence which encodes a polypeptides having and enzyme activity for converting a methylene group at the 4-position of a .beta.-ionone ring into a keto group.A DNA strand having a nucleotide sequence which encodes a polypeptide having an enzyme activity for converting a methylene group at the 4-position of a 3-hydroxy-.beta.-ionone ring into a keto group.A DNA strand having a nucleotide sequence which encodes a polypeptide having an enzyme activity for adding a hydroxyl group to the 3-carbon of a 4-keto-.beta.-ionone ring.It is possible to produce a variety of xanthophylls such as canthaxanthin, astaxanthin and the like by introducing the DNA strands into an appropriate microorganism such as Escherichia coli and the like.

Abstract: DNA sequences are described that encode genes for synthesizing ketocarotenoids such as astaxanthin. The DNA sequences, microorganisms containing them and encoded polypeptides are described. Also described are methods to obtain related sequences and to make host cells that contain such sequences. These genes and methods are useful to impart red coloration during culture of fish and crustaceans, as coloring in food, and as antioxidants.

Abstract: An reproducible transformation system of a yeast of Candida utilis, a process for expressing a heterologous gene in the transformation system, a vector which can be used in the transformation system and the expression method, and a novel DNA group are disclosed. In particular, the process for expressing a heterologous gene in Candida utilis comprises transforming Candida utilis with a vector comprising a drug-resistance marker, a sequence homologous to the chromosomal DNA of the Candida utilis yeast, and the heterologous gene, culturing the transformant, and isolating the expression product of the heterologous gene.

Abstract: Disclosed are the following DNA strands relating to the synthesis of keto group-containing xanthophylls such as astaxanthin and the like, and the techniques relating to the production of xanthophylls by genetic engineering:A DNA strand having a nucleotide sequence which encodes a polypeptide having an enzyme activity for converting a methylene group at the 4-position of .beta.-ionone ring into a keto group.A DNA strand having a nucleotide sequence which encodes a polypeptide having an enzyme activity for converting a methylene group at the 4-position of a 3-hydroxy-.beta.-ionone ring into a keto group.A DNA strand having a nucleotide sequence which encodes a polypeptide having an enzyme activity for adding a hydroxyl group to the 3-carbon of a 4-keto-.beta.-ionone ring.It is possible to produce a variety of xanthophylls such as canthaxanthin, astaxanthin and the like by introducing the DNA strands into an appropriate microorganism such as Escherichia coli and the like.

Abstract: Disclosed are DNA sequences which are useful for the synthesis of carotenoids such as lycopene, .beta.-carotene, zeaxanthin or zeaxanthin-diglucoside, that is, DNA sequences encoding carotenoid biosynthesis enzymes. These DNA sequences are the sequences 1- 6, respectively, shown in the specification.Also disclosed is a process for producing a carotenoid compound which is selected from the group consisting of prephytoene pyrophosphate, phytoene, lycopene, .beta.-carotene, zeaxanthin and zeaxanthin-diglucoside, which comprises transforming a host with at least one of the DNA sequences 1- 6 described above and culturing the transformant.