Abstract: The present invention relates to an isolated DNA sequence encoding an enzyme in the mevalonate pathway or the pathway from isopentenyl pyrophosphate to farnesyl pyrophosphate (i.e., HMG-CoA synthase, HMG-CoA reductase, mevalonate kinase, mevalonate pyrophosphate decarboxylase, and FPP synthase). Vectors and plasmids including such DNA, are also set forth. The invention also includes host cells transformed by such DNAs, or vectors or plasmids containing such DNAs. A process for the production of isoprenoids and carotenoids using such transformed host cells is also provided.

Abstract: A new aldehyde dehydrogenase having the physico-chemical properties: molecular weight: 150,000±6,000 or 230,000±9,000; substrate specificity:active on aldehyde compounds; cofactors:pyrroloquinoline quinone and heme c; optimum pH: 7.0-8.5; and inhibitors: Co2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, monoiodoacetate and EDTA, is derived from a microorganism belonging to the genus Gluconobacter. Said aldehyde dehydrogenase can be produced by cultivating a microorganism of the genus Gluconobacter which is capable of producing an aldehyde dehydrogenase having the above properties, in an aqueous nutrient medium under aerobic conditions, disrupting the cells of the microorganism and isolating and purifying the aldehyde dehydrogenase from the cell-free extract of the disrupted cells of the microorganism.

Abstract: A process for producing riboflavin glucoside comprises cultivating a microorganism belonging to the genus Bacillus, such as Bacillus brevis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus circulans, Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus pumilus or Bacillus subtilis, which is capable of producing riboflavin glucosides, in an aqueous medium containing a starch under aerobic conditions. Amongst the preferred strains are Bacillus subtilis RB50::[pRF69]60Ade+ and Bacillus subtilis RB50::[pRF69]60[pRF93]120Ade+. The so-produced riboflavin glucoside can be used as a more soluble substitute for riboflavin to prepare clear drinks and injection solutions.

Abstract: A process for producing L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) from 2-keto-L-gulonic acid or D-erythorbic acid from 2-keto-D-gluconic acid by contacting 2-keto-L-gulonic acid or 2-keto-D-gluconic acid, respectively, in solution with a lactonase, particularly one belonging to the enzyme class EC 3.1.1.x, according to the classification of Enzyme Nomenclature. The solvent for this reaction can be water, an aqueous alcohol, a non-alcoholic organic solvent or a mixture of an aqueous alcohol and a non-alcoholic organic solvent. The contacting is generally performed in a temperature range of 0.degree. C. to 120.degree. C. and a pH range of 1.5 to 12. In each case the starting material can be in the form of the free acid, the sodium salt, or the calcium salt. The so-produced vitamin C has very well known uses, and the alternatively produced D-erythorbic acid is useful as an antioxidant for food additives.

Abstract: Polynucleotides encoding proteins with D-sorbitol dehydrogenase activity or which function to activate D-sorbitol dehydrogenase proteins, in vivo, vectors and recombinant organisms which contain such polynucleotides, and methods of making D-sorbitol dehydrogenase and L-sorbose.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the production process of biotin by fermentation using a genetically engineered microorganism, and DNA sequences and vectors to be used in such process.

Abstract: A process for the enzymatic production of vitamin B.sub.6 which includes incubating 1-deoxy-D-threo-pentulose and 4-hydroxy-L-threonine with an enzyme system that is cell free or essentially cell free and prepared from the cells of a microorganism belonging to the genus Rhizobium, Sinorhizobium, Flavobacterium, Chryseobacterium, Lactobacillus, Arthrobacter, Bacillus, Klebsiella, Escherichia, Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, Enterobacter, Serratia, Corynebacterium, Brevibacterium, Exiguobacterium, Saccharomyces, Yamadazyma, Pichia or Candida, in the presence of NADP.sup.+, NAD.sup.+, ATP. Manganese and magnesium ions stimulate the above reaction. This process affords high yields of vitamin B.sub.6, a vitamin essential for the nutrition of animals, plants and microorganisms, and which is also useful as a medicine or food additive. In addition, an enzyme reaction system for producing vitamin B.sub.6 and a process for making the enzyme reaction system are also provided.

Abstract: This invention is directed to cytochrome c.sub.551 polypeptides and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel alcohol/aldehyde dehydrogenase (hereinafter referred to as AADH), a process for producing the same and a process for producing aldehydes, carboxylic acids and ketones, especially 2-keto-L-gulonic acid (hereinafter referred to as 2-KGA) utilizing said enzyme.

Abstract: A process for producing d-biotin comprises cultivating a microorganism of the genus Kurthia and which is resistant to biotin antimetabolites and capable of producing d-biotin in a medium under aerobic conditions, and separating the resulting d-biotin from the fermentation broth. The cultivation medium suitably contains an assimilable carbon source, a digestible nitrogen source, inorganic salts and other nutrients necessary for the growth of the microorganism at a pH of about 5-9, temperature of about 10-40.degree. C. and for a duration of about 1-10 days. The preferred microorganism are Kurthia sp. 538-KA26, 538-17H4, 538-51F9 and 538-2A 13 (DSM No. 10609, 10608, 10610 and 10607, respectively), which are also new, and as such represent a further aspect of the present invention. The so-produced d-biotin is one of the essential vitamins for the nutrition of animals, plants and microorganisms, and is important as a medicine or food additive.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel alcohol/aldehyde dehydro-genase (hereinafter referred to as AADH), a process for producing the same and a process for producing aldehydes, carboxylic acids and ketones, especially 2-keto-L-gulonic acid (hereinafter referred to as 2-KGA) utilizing said enzyme.

Abstract: An aldehyde dehydrogenase having the physico-chemical properties: molecular weight: 91,000.+-.5,000; substrate specificity:active on aldehyde compounds; inhibition: by Cu.sup.2+, Zn.sup.2+, Ni.sup.2 + and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid; optimum pH: 6.0-8.5; optimum temperature: 20.degree.-40.degree. C.; and stimulator: Ca.sup.2+ and pyrroloquinoline quinone, is derived from a microorganism belonging to the genus Gluconobacter. Said aldehyde dehydrogenase can be produced by cultivating a microorganism of the genus Gluconobacter which is capable of producing an aldehyde dehydrogenase having the above properties, in an aqueous nutrient medium under aerobic conditions, disrupting the cells of the microorganism and isolating and purifying the aldehyde dehydrogenase from the cell-free extract of the disrupted cells of the microorganism.

Abstract: A process for producting vitamin B.sub.6 comprises cultivating a microorganism belonging to the genus Rhizobium and being capable of producing vitamin B.sub.6 in a culture medium under aerobic conditions, and separating the resulting vitamin B.sub.6 from the fermentation broth. As well as containing assimilable carbon sources, digestible nitrogen sources, inorganic salts and other nutrients necessary for the growth of the microorganism, the culture medium preferably additionally contains pyruvate, D-glyceraldehyde, glycolaldehyde, glycine, 1-deoxy-D-threo-pentulose, 4-hydroxy-L-threonine or a mixture thereof. This process affords high yields of vitamin B.sub.6, a vitamin essential for the nutrition of animals, plants and microorganisms and useful as a medicine and in foodstuffs.

Abstract: A D-sorbitol dehydrogenase in homogenous form, which catalyzes the oxidation of D-sorbitol to L-sorbose, has a molecular structure consisting of homologous subunits of molecular weight 79,000.+-.5,000 each, a substrate specificity for polyols and an optimum pH of 6.0-7.0. Said D-sorbitol dehydrogenase is producible by a process comprising cultivating a microorganism belonging to the genus Gluconobacter or Acetobacter, or a mutant or variant thereof, which is capable of producing the D-sorbitol dehydrogenase in the cells and isolating it from the cells, e.g. by disrupting the cells and isolation from cell-free extract of the disrupted cells. The so-isolated D-sorbitol dehydrogenase is useful for catalyzing the oxidation of D-sorbitol to L-sorbose, the latter being an important intermediate for the production of vitamin C.

Abstract: A process for producing 2-keto-L-gulonic acid which comprises converting L-sorbose and/or D-sorbitol into 2-keto-L-gulonic acid with the aid of a microorganism or its cell free extract, said microorganism belonging to the species Gluconobacter oxydans capable of producing 2-keto-L-gulonic acid and having L-sorbose dehydrogenase activity. Also disclosed are specific microorganisms useful in such process.

Abstract: A homogeneous alcohol/aldehyde dehydrogenase isolated from Gluconobacter oxydans DSM 4025 FERM BP-3812 is disclosed. The enzyme is capable in the presence of an electron acceptor, of catalyzing the conversion of L-sorbose to 2-keto-L-gulonic acid via L-sorbosone. The enzyme has a molecular weight of 130,000-140,000 daltons as determined by gel filtration column chromatography, a pyrroloquinoline quinone prosthetic group, an optimum pH for enzyme activity of 7.0 to 9.0, an optimum temperature for enzyme activity from about 20.degree. C. to 40.degree. C. and an isoelectric point of about 4.4. Also disclosed is a process for producing the enzyme and a process for producing aldehydes, carboxylic acids and ketones, especially 2-keto-L-gulonic acid utilizing the enzyme.

Abstract: Novel shuttle vectors which are useful as shuttle vectors among microorganisms belonging to Escherichia coli, Gluconobacter and Acetobacter comprising one or more marker genes, a replication origin functional in Escherichia coli, a replication origin functional in Gluconobacter oxydans and a Mob site.

Abstract: A novel coenzyme independent L-sorbosone dehydrogenase originating from a microorganism belonging to the genus Gluconobacter oxydans which acts on L-sorbosone to produce 2-keto-L-gulonic acid.The enzyme has the following physico-chemical properties:a) optimum pH: about 7.0,b) optimum temperature: about 30.degree. C. to about 40.degree. C.,c) molecular sturucture: consisting of one type of unit having a molecular weight of about 47,500.+-.5,000 as measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis,d) thermostability: stable below 30.degree. C., ande) inhibition: by Cu.sup.2+ -ions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing 2-keto-L-gulonic acid by fermentative conversion of D-sorbitol in high yield. 2-Keto-L-gulonic acid is an important intermediate for the production of L-ascorbic acid into which it can be converted.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a novel process for the microbiological manufacture of L-ascorbic acid from L-gulono-gamma-lactone, a process for preparing the enzyme being responsible for the microbiological oxidation of L-gulono-gamma-lactone, and said enzyme as a homogeneous protein, which is a L-gulono-gamma-lactone dehydrogenase.