DITERPENE PRODUCTION IN YARROWIA

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for the production of a diterpene or a glycosylated diterpene, which method comprises: a. fermenting a recombinant microorganism of the genus Yarrowia in a suitable fermentation medium at a temperature of about 29° C. or higher, wherein the microorganism comprises one or more nucleotide sequence(s) encoding: a polypeptide having ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase activity; a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene synthase activity; a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene oxidase activity; and a polypeptide having kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase activity and whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence(s) confer(s) on the microorganism the ability to produce at least steviol; and b. recovering the diterpene or glycosylated diterpene.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/906,497, filed 20 Jan. 2016, which is a § 371 National Stage Application of PCT/EP2014/065858, filed 23 Jul. 2014, which claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 13/949,079, filed 23 Jul. 2013. The disclosures of the priority applications are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING SUBMITTED AS A COMPLIANT ASCII TEXT FILE (.TXT)

Pursuant to the EFS-Web legal framework and 37 CFR §§ 1.821-825 (see MPEP § 2442.03(a)), a Sequence Listing in the form of an ASCII-compliant text file (entitled “Sequence_Listing_2919208-368001_ST25.txt” created on 8 Mar. 2019, and 1,060,395 bytes in size) is submitted concurrently with the instant application, and the entire contents of the Sequence Listing are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a process for the production of a diterpene and/or a glycosylated diterpene using a recombinant microorganism of the genus Yarrowia. The invention further relates to a fermentation broth comprising a diterpene and/or glycosylated diterpene obtainable by such a process.

Background to the Invention

The worldwide demand for high potency sweeteners is increasing and, with blending of different artificial sweeteners, becoming a standard practice. However, the demand for alternatives is expected to increase. The leaves of the perennial herb, Stevia rebaudiana Bert., accumulate quantities of intensely sweet compounds known as steviol glycosides. Whilst the biological function of these compounds is unclear, they have commercial significance as alternative high potency sweeteners, with the added advantage that Stevia sweeteners are natural plant products.

These sweet steviol glycosides have functional and sensory properties that appear to be superior to those of many high intensity sweeteners. In addition, studies suggest that stevioside can reduce blood glucose levels in Type II diabetics and can as reduce blood pressure in mildly hypertensive patients.

Steviol glycosides accumulate in Stevia leaves where they may comprise from 5 to 20% of the leaf dry weight. Stevioside and rebaudioside A are both heat and pH stable and suitable for use in beverages and many other foods. Stevioside is between 110 and 270 times sweeter than sucrose, rebaudioside A between 150 and 320 times sweeter than sucrose. In addition, rebaudioside D with a better taste profile is also a high-potency diterpene glycoside sweetener which accumulates in Stevia leaves. It may be about 200 times sweeter than sucrose Currently. steviol glycosides are extracted from the Stevia plant. In Stevia, (−)-kaurenoic acid, an intermediate in gibberellic acid (GA) biosynthesis, is converted into the tetracyclic dipterepene steviol, which then proceeds through a multi-step glucosylation pathway to form the various steviol glycosides. However, yields may be variable and affected by agriculture and environmental conditions. Also, Stevia cultivation requires substantial land area, a long time prior to harvest, intensive labour and additional costs for the extraction and purification of the glycosides.

New, more standardized, clean single composition, no after-taste, sources of glycosides are required to meet growing commercial demand for high potency, natural sweeteners.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In Stevia, steviol is synthesized from GGPP. which is formed by the deoxyxylulose 5-phosphate pathway. The activity of two diterpene cyclases (−)-copalyl diphosphate synthase (CPS) and (−)-kaurene synthase (KS) results in the formation of (−)-Kaurene which is then oxidized in a three step reaction by (−)-kaurene oxidase (KO) to form (−)-kaurenoic acid.

In Stevia leaves, (−)-kaurenoic acid is then hydroxylated, by ent-kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase (KAH) to form steviol. Steviol is then glucosylated by a series of UDP-glucosyltransferases (UGTs).

This invention relates to a process for the production of a diterpene or a glycosylated diterpene using a microorganism which is capable of producing a diterpene, such as steviol, or a glycosylated diterpene (i.e. a diterpene glycoside), such as steviolmonoside, steviolbioside, stevioside, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside M, rubusoside or dulcoside A. The microorganism is of the genus Yarrowia.

According to the invention, there is thus provided method for the production of a diterpene or a glycosylated diterpene, which method comprises:

• • a. fermenting a recombinant microorganism of the genus Yarrowia in a suitable fermentation medium at a temperature of about 29° C. or higher,
  • wherein the microorganism comprises one or more nucleotide sequence(s) encoding: a polypeptide having ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase activity; a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene synthase activity; a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene oxidase activity; and a polypeptide having kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase activity and whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence(s) confer(s) on the microorganism the ability to produce at least steviol; and
  • b. recovering the diterpene or glycosylated diterpene.

That is to say, the process of the invention is a process for production of a diterpene or a glycosylated diterpene in the genus Yarrowia wherein the fermentation is carried out at a temperature higher than that of a typical fermentation for that genus. A diterpene or a glycosylated diterpene is produced by the host microorganism of the genus Yarrowia and then physically and/or chemically recovered from the microorganism and/or fermentation medium.

In a process of the invention, the recombinant microorganism of the genus Yarrowia may comprise one or more nucleotide sequence(s) encoding one or more polypeptides having UDP-glucosyltransferase activity (UGT),

whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence confers on the microorganism the ability to produce at least one of steviolmonoside, steviolbioside, stevioside, rebaudioside A. rebaudioside B. rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside M, rubusoside or dulcoside A.

According to the invention, there is also provided:

• • a fermentation broth comprising a diterpene or glycosylated diterpene obtainable by the process of the invention;
  • a diterpene or glycosylated diterpene obtained by a process of the invention or obtainable from a fermentation broth of the invention;
  • a foodstuff, feed or beverage which comprises a diterpene or glycosylated diterpene of the invention; and
  • use of a recombinant microorganism of the genus Yarrowia in the fermentative production of a diterpene or glycosylated diterpene at a temperature of about 29° C. or higher.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 sets out a schematic representation of the plasmid MB6754.

FIG. 2 sets out a schematic representation of the plasmid MB6761.

FIG. 3 sets out a schematic representation of the plasmid MB6762.

FIG. 4 sets out a schematic representation of the plasmid MB6775.

FIG. 5 sets out a schematic diagram of the potential pathways leading to biosynthesis of steviol glycosides.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SEQUENCE LISTING

A description of the sequences is set out in Table 1. Sequences described herein may be defined with reference to the sequence listing or with reference to the database accession numbers also set out in Table 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Throughout the present specification and the accompanying claims, the words “comprise”, “include” and “having” and variations such as “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes” and “including” are to be interpreted inclusively. That is, these words are intended to convey the possible inclusion of other elements or integers not specifically recited, where the context allows.

The articles “a” and “an” are used herein to refer to one or to more than one (i.e. to one or at least one) of the grammatical object of the article. By way of example, “an element” may mean one element or more than one element.

We have shown that a recombinant microorganism of the genus Yarrowia as described herein is capable of producing a diterpene or glycosylated diterpene and preferentially does so at a temperature of about 29° C. or higher.

Accordingly, the invention relates to a process for the production of a diterpene or a glycosylated diterpene which method comprises the use of a recombinant microorganism of the genus Yarrowia.

The process of the invention is typically a fermentation process in which the recombinant microorganism produces a diterpene or glycosylated. This, diterpene or glycosylated diterpene may be recovered from the microorganism and/or fermentation broth. The recombinant microorganism of the genus Yarrowia used in the process is one that is capable of producing a diterpene or a glycosylated diterpene, typically steviol or a steviol glycoside respectively.

For the purposes of this invention, a diterpene typically means an organic compound composed of four isoprene units. Such a compound may be derived from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate. A glycosylated diterpene or diterpene glycoside is a diterpene in which a sugar is bound, typically to a non-carbohydrate moiety. Typically, in a diterpene glycoside, the sugar group may be bonded through its anomeric carbon to another group via a glycosidic bond. A preferred diterpene and diterpene glycoside is steviol and steviol glycoside respectively. Thus, in particular, the invention relates to a recombinant microorganism which is capable of producing steviol or a steviol glycoside.

Herein glycosylation and glucosylation should be taken to mean the same thing.

According to the invention, there is provided a method for the production of a diterpene or a glycosylated diterpene, which method comprises:

a. fermenting a recombinant microorganism of the genus Yarrowia in a suitable fermentation medium at a temperature of 29° C. or higher,

wherein the microorganism comprises one or more nucleotide sequence(s) encoding:

a polypeptide having ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase activity;

a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene synthase activity;

a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene oxidase activity; and

a polypeptide having kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase activity and whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence(s) confer(s) on the microorganism the ability to produce at least steviol; and

b. recovering the diterpene or glycosylated diterpene.

The recombinant microorganism used in the invention may be one of the genus Yarrowia, for example Yarrowia lipolytica.

The recombinant microorganism of the genus Yarrowia used in the invention comprises one or more nucleotide sequence(s) encoding:

• • a polypeptide having ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase activity;
  • a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene synthase activity;
  • a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene oxidase activity; and a polypeptide having kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase activity,

whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence(s) confer(s) on the microorganism the ability to produce at least steviol

For the purposes of this invention, a polypeptide having ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase (EC 5.5.1.13) is capable of catalyzing the chemical reaction:

This enzyme has one substrate, geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, and one product, ent-copalyl pyrophosphate. This enzyme participates in gibberellin biosynthesis. This enzyme belongs to the family of isomerase, specifically the class of intramolecular lyases. The systematic name of this enzyme class is ent-copalyl-diphosphate lyase (decyclizing). Other names in common use include having ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase, ent-kaurene synthase A, and ent-kaurene synthetase A.

For the purposes of this invention, a polypeptide having ent-kaurene synthase activity (EC 4.2.3.19) is a polypeptide that is capable of catalyzing the chemical reaction:

ent-copalyl diphosphateent-kaurene+diphosphate

Hence, this enzyme has one substrate, ent-copalyl diphosphate, and two products, ent-kaurene and diphosphate.

This enzyme belongs to the family of lyases, specifically those carbon-oxygen lyases acting on phosphates. The systematic name of this enzyme class is ent-copalyl-diphosphate diphosphate-lyase (cyclizing, ent-kaurene-forming). Other names in common use include ent-kaurene synthase B, ent-kaurene synthetase B, ent-copalyl-diphosphate diphosphate-lyase, and (cyclizing). This enzyme participates in diterpenoid biosynthesis.

ent-copalyl diphosphate synthases may also have a distinct ent-kaurene synthase activity associated with the same protein molecule. The reaction catalyzed by ent-kaurene synthase is the next step in the biosynthetic pathway to gibberellins. The two types of enzymic activity are distinct, and site-directed mutagenesis to suppress the ent-kaurene synthase activity of the protein leads to build up of ent-copalyl pyrophosphate.

Accordingly, a single nucleotide sequence used in the invention may encode a polypeptide having ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase activity and ent-kaurene synthase activity. Alternatively, the two activities may be encoded two distinct, separate nucleotide sequences.

For the purposes of this invention, a polypeptide having ent-kaurene oxidase activity (EC 1.14.13.78) is a polypeptide which is capable of catalysing three successive oxidations of the 4-methyl group of ent-kaurene to give kaurenoic acid. Such activity typically requires the presence of a cytochrome P450.

For the purposes of the invention, a polypeptide having kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase activity (EC 1.14.13) is one which is capable of catalyzing the formation of steviol (ent-kaur-16-en-13-ol-19-oic acid) using NADPH and O₂. Such activity may also be referred to as ent-ka 13-hydroxylase activity.

A recombinant microorganism for use in the method of the invention may comprise one or more nucleotide sequences encoding a polypeptide having UDP-glucosyltransferase (UGT) activity, whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence(s) confer(s) on the microorganism the ability to produce at least one of steviolmonoside, steviolbioside, stevioside or rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside M, rubusoside, dulcoside A.

For the purposes of this invention, a polypeptide having UGT activity is one which has glycosyltransferase activity (EC 2.4), i.e. that can act as a catalyst for the transfer of a monosaccharide unit from an activated nucleotide sugar (also known as the “glycosyl donor”) to a glycosyl acceptor molecule, usually an alcohol. The glycosyl donor for a UGT is typically the nucleotide sugar uridine diphosphate glucose (uracil-diphosphate glucose, UDP-glucose).

The UGTs used may be selected so as to produce a desired diterpene glycoside, such as a steviol glycoside. Schematic diagrams of steviol glycoside formation are set out in Humphrey et al., Plant Molecular Biology (2006) 61: 47-62 and Mohamed et al., J. Plant Physiology 168 (2011) 1136-1141. In addition, FIG. 5 sets out a schematic diagram of steviol glycoside formation.

The biosynthesis of rebaudioside A involves glucosylation of the aglycone steviol. Specifically, rebaudioside A can be formed by glucosylation of the 13-OH of steviol which forms the 13-O-steviolmonoside, glucosylation of the C-2′ of the 13-O-glucose of steviolmonoside which forms steviol-1,2-bioside, glucosylation of the C-19 carboxyl of steviol-1,2-bioside which forms stevioside, and glucosylation of the C-3′ of the C-13-O-glucose of stevioside. The order in which each glucosylation reaction occurs can vary—see FIG. 5. One UGT may be capable of catalyzing more than one conversion as set out in this scheme.

Conversion of steviol to rebaudioside A or rebaudioside D may be accomplished in a recombinant host by the expression of gene(s) encoding the following functional UGTs: UGT74G1, UGT85C2, UGT76G1 and UGT2. Thus, a recombinant microorganism for use in the method of the invention which expresses these four UGTs can make rebaudioside A if it produces steviol or when fed steviol in the medium. Typically, one or more of these genes are recombinant genes that have been transformed into a microorganism that does not naturally possess them. Examples of all of these enzymes are set out in Table 1. A microorganism of the invention may comprise any combination of a UGT74G1, UGT85C2, UGT76G1 and UGT2. In Table 1 UGT64G1 sequences are indicated as UGT1 sequences, UGT74G1 sequences are indicated as UGT3 sequences and UGT76G1 sequences are indicated as UGT4 sequences. UGT2 sequences are indicated as UGT2 sequences in Table 1.

We have shown that conversion of steviol to rebaudioside M may be accomplished in a recombinant host by the expression of gene(s) encoding the following functional UGTs: UGT74G1, UGT85C2, UGT76G1 and UGT2.

Thus, a recombinant microorganism expressing these four UGTs can make rebaudioside M if it produces steviol or when fed steviol in the medium. Typically, one or more of these genes are recombinant genes that have been transformed into a microorganism that does not naturally possess them.

A recombinant microorganism suitable for use in the invention which comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having UGT activity may comprise a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a C-13-glucose to steviol. That is to say, a microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention may comprise a UGT which is capable of catalyzing a reaction in which steviol is converted to steviolmonoside. Accordingly, expression of such a nucleotide sequence may confer on the microorganism the ability to produce at least steviolmonoside.

Such a microorganism may comprise a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having the activity shown by UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT) UGT85C2, whereby the nucleotide sequence upon transformation of the microorganism confers on the cell the ability to convert steviol to steviolmonoside.

UGT85C2 activity is transfer of a glucose unit to the 13-OH of steviol. Thus, a suitable UGT85C2 may function as a uridine 5′-diphospho glucosyl: steviol 13-OH transferase, and a uridine 5′-diphospho glucosyl: steviol-19-0-glucoside 13-OH transferase. A functional UGT85C2 polypeptide may also catalyze glucosyl transferase reactions that utilize steviol glycoside substrates other than steviol and steviol-19-O-glucoside. Such sequences are indicated as UGT1 sequences in Table 1.

A recombinant microorganism for use in a method of the invention which comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having UGT activity may comprise a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a C-13-glucose to steviol or steviolmonoside. That is to say, a suitable microorganism may comprise a UGT which is capable of catalyzing a reaction in which steviolmonoside is converted to steviolbioside. Accordingly, such a microorganism may be capable of converting steviolmonoside to steviolbioside. Expression of such a nucleotide sequence may confer on the microorganism the ability to produce at least steviolbioside.

A microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention may also comprise a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having the activity shown by UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT) UGT74G1, whereby the nucleotide sequence upon transformation of the microorganism confers on the cell the ability to convert steviolmonoside to steviolbioside.

A microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention may also comprise a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having the activity shown by UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT) UGT2, whereby the nucleotide sequence upon transformation of the microorganism confers on the cell the ability to convert steviolmonoside to steviolbioside.

A suitable UGT2 polypeptide functions as a uridine 5′-diphospho glucosyl: steviol-13-O-glucoside transferase (also referred to as a steviol-13-monoglucoside 1,2-glucosylase), transferring a glucose moiety to the C-2′ of the 13-O-glucose of the acceptor molecule, steviol-13-O-glucoside. Typically, a suitable UGT2 polypeptide also functions as a uridine 5′-diphospho glucosyl: rubusoside transferase transferring a glucose moiety to the C-2′ of the 13-O-glucose of the acceptor molecule, rubusoside.

Functional UGT2 polypeptides may also catalyze reactions that utilize steviol glycoside substrates other than steviol-13-O-glucoside and rubusoside, e.g., functional UGT2 polypeptides may utilize stevioside as a substrate, transferring a glucose moiety to the C-2 of the 19-O-glucose residue to produce Rebaudioside E. A functional UGT2 polypeptides may also utilize Rebaudioside A as a substrate, transferring a glucose moiety to the C-2′ of the 19-O-glucose residue to produce Rebaudioside D. However, a functional UGT2 polypeptide typically does not transfer a glucose moiety to steviol compounds having a 1,3-bound glucose at the C-13 position, i.e., transfer of a glucose moiety to steviol 1,3-bioside and 1,3-stevioside does not occur.

Functional UGT2 polypeptides may also transfer sugar moieties from donors other than uridine diphosphate glucose. For example, a functional UGT2 polypeptide may act as a uridine 5′-diphospho D-xylosyl: steviol-13-O-glucoside transferase, transferring a xylose moiety to the C-2′ of the 13-O-glucose of the acceptor molecule, steviol-13-O-glucoside. As another example, a functional UGT2 polypeptide can act as a uridine 5′-diphospho L-rhamnosyl: steviol-13-O-glucoside transferase, transferring a rhamnose moiety to the C-2′ of the 13-O-glucose of the acceptor molecule, steviol-13-O-glucoside. Such sequences are indicated as UGT2 sequences in Table 1.

A recombinant microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention which comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having UGT activity may comprise a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a C-19-glucose to steviolbioside. That is to say, such a microorganism may comprise a UGT which is capable of catalyzing a reaction in which steviolbioside is converted to stevioside. Accordingly, such a microorganism may be capable of converting steviolbioside to stevioside. Expression of such a nucleotide sequence may confer on the microorganism the ability to produce at least stevioside.

A microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention may also comprise a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having the activity shown by UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT) UGT74G1, whereby the nucleotide sequence upon transformation of the microorganism confers on the cell the ability to convert steviolbioside to stevioside.

Suitable UGT74G1 polypeptides may be capable of transferring a glucose unit to the 13-OH or the 19-COOH, respectively, of steviol. A suitable UGT74G1 polypeptide may function as a uridine 5′-diphospho glucosyl: steviol 19-COOH transferase and a uridine 5′-diphospho glucosyl: steviol-13-O-glucoside 19-COOH transferase. Functional UGT74G1 polypeptides also may catalyze glycosyl transferase reactions that utilize steviol glycoside substrates other than steviol and steviol-13-O-glucoside, or that transfer sugar moieties from donors other than uridine diphosphate glucose. Such sequences are indicated as UGT1 sequences in Table 1.

A recombinant microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention which comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having UGT activity may comprise a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing glucosylation of the C-3′ of the glucose at the C-13 position of stevioside. That is to say, such a microorganism may comprise a UGT which is capable of catalyzing a reaction in which stevioside to rebaudioside A. Accordingly, such a microorganism may be capable of converting stevioside to rebaudioside A. Expression of such a nucleotide sequence may confer on the microorganism the ability to produce at least rebaudioside A.

A microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention may also comprise a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having the activity shown by UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT) UGT76G1, whereby the nucleotide sequence upon transformation of the microorganism confers on the cell the ability to convert stevioside to rebaudioside A and/or the ability to convert rebaudioside D to rebaudioside M.

A suitable UGT76G1 adds a glucose moiety to the C-3′ of the C-13-O-glucose of the acceptor molecule, a steviol 1,2 glycoside. Thus, UGT76G1 functions, for example, as a uridine 5′-diphospho glucosyl: steviol 13-0-1,2 glucoside C-3′ glucosyl transferase and a uridine 5′-diphospho glucosyl: steviol-19-0-glucose, 13-0-1,2 bioside C-3′ glucosyl transferase. Functional UGT76G1 polypeptides may also catalyze glucosyl transferase reactions that utilize steviol glycoside substrates that contain sugars other than glucose, e.g., steviol rhamnosides and steviol xylosides. Such sequences are indicated as UGT4 sequences in Table 1.

A microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention may comprise nucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides having one or more of the four UGT activities described above. Preferably, a microorganism of the invention may comprise nucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides having all four of the UGT activities described above. A given nucleic acid may encode a polypeptide having one or more of the above activities. For example, a nucleic acid encode for a polypeptide which has two, three or four of the activities set out above. Preferably, such a recombinant microorganism of the invention comprises UGT1, UGT2 and UGT3 activity. More preferably, such a recombinant microorganism will also comprise UGT4 activity.

A microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention which comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having UGT activity may comprise a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the glucosylation of stevioside or rebaudioside A. That is to say, such a microorganism may comprise a UGT which is capable of catalyzing a reaction in which stevioside or rebaudioside A is converted to rebaudioside D. Accordingly, such a microorganism may be capable of converting stevioside or rebaudioside A to rebaudioside D. Expression of such a nucleotide sequence may confer on the microorganism the ability to produce at least rebaudioside D. Such a microorganism may be capable of further converting rebaudioside D to rebaudioside M.

A microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention may comprises nucleotide sequences so that the microorganism is capable of expression a combination of UGT85C2, UGT2, UGT74G1 and UGT76G1 polypeptides and thus capable of rebaudioside M production.

A microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention which comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having UGT activity may comprise a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the glucosylation of stevioside. That is to say, such a microorganism may comprise a UGT which is capable of catalyzing a reaction in which stevioside is converted to rebaudioside E. Accordingly, such a microorganism may be capable of converting stevioside to rebaudioside E. Expression of such a nucleotide sequence may confer on the microorganism the ability to produce at least rebaudioside E.

A microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention which comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having UGT activity may comprise a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the glucosylation of rebaudioside E. That is to say, such a microorganism may comprise a UGT which is capable of catalyzing a reaction in which rebaudioside E is converted to rebaudioside D. Accordingly, such a microorganism may be capable of converting stevioside or rebaudioside A to rebaudioside D. Expression of such a nucleotide sequence may confer on the microorganism the ability to produce at least rebaudioside D. Such a microorganism may be capable of further converting rebaudioside D to rebaudioside M.

A recombinant microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention may be capable of expressing a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having NADPH-cytochrome p450 reductase activity. That is to say, such a recombinant microorganism may comprise sequence encoding a polypeptide having NADPH-cytochrome p450 reductase activity.

For the purposes of the invention, a polypeptide having NADPH-Cytochrome P450 reductase activity (EC 1.6.2.4; also known as NADPH:ferrihemoprotein oxidoreductase, NADPH:hemoprotein oxidoreductase, NADPH:P450 oxidoreductase, P450 reductase, POR, CPR, CYPOR) is typically one which is a membrane-bound enzyme allowing electron transfer to cytochrome P450 in the microsome of the eukaryotic cell from a FAD- and FMN-containing enzyme NADPH:cytochrome P450 reductase (POR; EC 1.6.2.4).

Preferably, a recombinant microorganism suitable for use in a method according to any one of the preceding claims, which is capable of expressing one or more of:

• • a. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having NADPH-cytochrome p450 reductase activity, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises:
    • i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having NADPH-cytochrome p450 reductase activity, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20%, preferably at least 25, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99%, sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 54, 56, 58 or 78;
    • ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15%, preferably at least 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99%, sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 53, 55, 57 or 77;
    • iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or
    • iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code,

Preferably, a recombinant microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention is one which is capable of expressing one or more of:

• • a. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase activity, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises:
    • i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase activity, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20%, preferably at least 25, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99%, sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 2, 4, 6, 8, 18, 20, 60 or 62;
    • ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15%, preferably at least 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99%, sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 3, 5, 7, 17, 19, 59 or 61, 141, 142, 151, 152, 153, 154, 159, 160, 182 or 184;
    • iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or
    • iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code,
  • b. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene synthase activity, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises:
    • i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene synthase activity, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20%, preferably at least 25, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99%, sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 64 or 66;
    • ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15%, preferably at least 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99%, sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 63, 65, 143, 144, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 183 or 184;
    • iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or
    • iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code,
  • c. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene oxidase activity, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises:
    • i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene oxidase activity, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20%, preferably at least 25, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99%, sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 22, 24, 26, 68 or 86;
    • ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15%. preferably at least 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99%, sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 21, 23, 25, 67, 85, 145, 161, 162, 163, 180 or 186;
    • iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or
    • iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code; or
  • d. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase activity, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises:
    • i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase activity, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20%, preferably at least 25, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99%, sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 28, 30, 32, 34, 70, 90, 92, 94, 96 or 98;
    • ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15%, preferably at least 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99%, sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 27, 29, 31, 33, 69, 89, 91, 93, 95, 97, 146, 164, 165, 166, 167 or 185;
    • iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or
    • iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code.

In a recombinant microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention, which is capable of expressing a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a C-13-glucose to steviol, said nucleotide may comprise:

• • i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a C-13-glucose to steviol, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20%, preferably at least 25, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99%, sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 36, 38 or 72;
  • ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15%, preferably at least 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99%, sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 35, 37, 71, 147, 168, 169 or 189;
  • iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or
  • iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code.

In a recombinant microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention, which is capable of expressing a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a glucose at the C-13 position of steviolmonoside (this typically indicates glucosylation of the C-2′ of the C-13-glucose/13-O-glucose of steviolmonoside). said nucleotide sequence may comprise:

• • i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a C-13-glucose to steviol or steviolmonoside, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20%, preferably at least 25, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99%. sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 88, 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110 or 112;
  • ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15%, preferably at least 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99%, sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 87, 99, 101, 103, 105, 107, 109, 111, 181 or 192;
  • iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or
  • iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code.

In a recombinant microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention, which is capable of expressing a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a glucose at the C-19 position of steviolbioside, said nucleotide sequence may comprise:

• • i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a glucose at the C-19 position of steviolbioside, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 or 74;
  • ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 73, 148, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174 or 190;
  • iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or
  • iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code.

In a recombinant microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention, which expresses a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing glucosylation of the C-3′ of the glucose at the C-13 position of stevioside, said nucleotide sequence may comprise:

• • i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing glucosylation of the C-3′ of the glucose at the C-13 position of stevioside, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20%, preferably at least 25, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99%, sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 50, 52 or 76;
  • ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15%, preferably at least 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99%, sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 49, 51, 75, 149, 175, 176 or 191;
  • iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or
  • iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code.

In a recombinant microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention, which expresses a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalysing one or more of: the glucosylation of stevioside or rebaudioside A to rebaudioside D; the glucosylation of stevioside to rebaudioside E; the glucosylation of rebaudioside E to rebaudioside D; or the glucosylation of rebaudioside D to rebaudioside M, said nucleotide sequence may comprise:

• • i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalysing one or more of: the glucosylation of stevioside or rebaudioside A to rebaudioside D; the glucosylation of stevioside to rebaudioside E; the glucosylation of rebaudioside E to rebaudioside D; or the glucosylation of rebaudioside D to rebaudioside M, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 88, 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112;
  • ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 87, 99, 101, 103, 105, 107, 109, 111, 181 or 192;
  • iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or
  • iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code.

A microorganism suitable for use in a method according to the invention, may be one in which the ability of the microorganism to produce geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) is upregulated. Upregulated in the context of this invention implies that the microorganism produces more GGPP than an equivalent non-transformed strain.

Accordingly, a microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention may comprise one or more nucleotide sequence(s) encoding hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase, famesyl-pyrophosphate synthetase and geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase, whereby the nucleotide sequence(s) upon transformation of the microorganism confer(s) on the microorganism the ability to produce elevated levels of GGPP.

Preferably, a microorganism suitable for use in a method according to the invention is one which is capable of expressing one or more of:

• • a. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises:
    • i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80;
    • ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 79;
    • iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or
    • iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code,
  • b. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having famesyl-pyrophosphate synthetase activity, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises:
    • i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having famesyl-pyrophosphate synthetase activity, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 82;
    • ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 81;
    • iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or
    • iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code; or
  • c. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase activity, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises:
    • i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase activity, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 84;
    • ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 83;
    • iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or
    • iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code.

The process of the invention comprises the use of a recombinant microorganism. A microorganism or microbe, for the purposes of this invention, is typically an organism that is not visible to the human eye (i.e. microscopic). A microorganism may be from bacteria, fungi, archaea or protists. Typically a microorganism will be a single-celled or unicellular organism.

As used herein a recombinant microorganism of the genus Yarrowia is defined as such a microorganism which is genetically modified or transformed/transfected with one or more of the nucleotide sequences as defined herein. The presence of the one or more such nucleotide sequences alters the ability of the microorganism to produce a diterpene or diterpene glycoside, in particular steviol or steviol glycoside. A microorganism that is not transformed/transfected or genetically modified, is not a recombinant microorganism and does typically not comprise one or more of the nucleotide sequences enabling the cell to produce a diterpene or diterpene glycoside. Hence, a non-transformed/non-transfected microorganism is typically a microorganism that does not naturally produce a diterpene, although a microorganism which naturally produces a diterpene or diterpene glycoside and which has been modified according to the invention (and which thus has an altered ability to produce a diterpene/diterpene gylcoside) is considered a recombinant microorganism according to the invention.

Sequence identity is herein defined as a relationship between two or more amino acid (polypeptide or protein) sequences or two or more nucleic acid (polynucleotide) sequences, as determined by comparing the sequences. Usually, sequence identities or similarities are compared over the whole length of the sequences compared. In the art, “identity” also means the degree of sequence relatedness between amino acid or nucleic acid sequences, as the case may be, as determined by the match between strings of such sequences. “Identity” and “similarity” can be readily calculated by various methods, known to those skilled in the art. Preferred methods to determine identity are designed to give the largest match between the sequences tested. Typically then, identities and similarities are calculated over the entire length of the sequences being compared. Methods to determine identity and similarity are codified in publicly available computer programs. Preferred computer program methods to determine identity and similarity between two sequences include e.g. the BestFit, BLASTP, BLASTN, and FASTA (Altschul, S. F. et al., J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410 (1990), publicly available from NCBI and other sources (BLAST Manual, Altschul, S., et al., NCBI NLM NIH Bethesda, Md. 20894). Preferred parameters for amino acid sequences comparison using BLASTP are gap open 10.0, gap extend 0.5, Blosum 62 matrix. Preferred parameters for nucleic acid sequences comparison using BLASTP are gap open 10.0, gap extend 0.5, DNA full matrix (DNA identity matrix).

Nucleotide sequences encoding the enzymes expressed in the cell of the invention may also be defined by their capability to hybridize with the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO.'s 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81 or 84 ir any other sequence mentioned herein respectively, under moderate, or preferably under stringent hybridisation conditions. Stringent hybridisation conditions are herein defined as conditions that allow a nucleic acid sequence of at least about 25, preferably about 50 nucleotides, 75 or 100 and most preferably of about 200 or more nucleotides, to hybridise at a temperature of about 65° C. in a solution comprising about 1 M salt, preferably 6×SSC or any other solution having a comparable ionic strength, and washing at 65° C. in a solution comprising about 0.1 M salt, or less, preferably 0.2×SSC or any other solution having a comparable ionic strength. Preferably, the hybridisation is performed overnight, i.e. at least for 10 hours and preferably washing is performed for at least one hour with at least two changes of the washing solution. These conditions will usually allow the specific hybridisation of sequences having about 90% or more sequence identity.

Moderate conditions are herein defined as conditions that allow a nucleic acid sequences of at least 50 nucleotides, preferably of about 200 or more nucleotides, to hybridise at a temperature of about 45° C. in a solution comprising about 1 M salt, preferably 6×SSC or any other solution having a comparable ionic strength, and washing at room temperature in a solution comprising about 1 M salt, preferably 6×SSC or any other solution having a comparable ionic strength. Preferably, the hybridisation is performed overnight, i.e. at least for 10 hours, and preferably washing is performed for at least one hour with at least two changes of the washing solution. These conditions will usually allow the specific hybridisation of sequences having up to 50% sequence identity. The person skilled in the art will be able to modify these hybridisation conditions in order to specifically identify sequences varying in identity between 50% and 90%.

The nucleotide sequences encoding an ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase; ent-Kaurene synthase; ent-Kaurene oxidase; kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase; UGT; hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase, famesyl-pyrophosphate synthetase; geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase; NADPH-cytochrome p450 reductase, may be from prokaryotic or eukaryotic origin.

A nucleotide sequence encoding an ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase may for instance comprise a sequence as set out in SEQ ID. NO: 1, 3, 5, 7, 17, 19, 59, 61, 141, 142, 151, 152, 153, 154, 159, 160, 182 or 184.

A nucleotide sequence encoding an ent-Kaurene synthase may for instance comprise a sequence as set out in SEQ ID. NO: 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 63, 65, 143, 144, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 183 or 184.

A nucleotide sequence encoding an ent-Kaurene oxidase may for instance comprise a sequence as set out in SEQ ID. NO: 21, 23, 25, 67, 85, 145, 161, 162, 163, 180 or 186. A preferred KO is the polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid set out in SEQ ID NO: 85.

A nucleotide sequence encoding a kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase may for instance comprise a sequence as set out in SEQ ID. NO: 27, 29, 31, 33, 69, 89, 91, 93, 95, 97, 146, 164, 165, 166, 167 or 185. A preferred KAH sequence is the polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid set out in SEQ ID NO: 33.

A further preferred recombinant microorganism of the invention may express a combination of the polypeptides encoded by SEQ ID NO: 85 and SEQ ID NO: 33 or a variant of either thereof as herein described. A preferred recombinant microorganism of the invention may expression the combination of sequences set out in Table 8 (in combination with any UGT2, but in particular that encoded by SEQ ID NO: 87).

A nucleotide sequence encoding a UGT may for instance comprise a sequence as set out in SEQ ID. NO: 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 71, 73, 75, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 147, 148, 149, 87, 181, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 189, 190, 191 or 192.

A nucleotide sequence encoding a hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase may for instance comprise a sequence as set out in SEQ ID. NO: 79.

A nucleotide sequence encoding a famesyl-pyrophosphate synthetase may for instance comprise a sequence as set out in SEQ ID. NO: 81.

A nucleotide sequence encoding a geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase may for instance comprise a sequence as set out in SEQ ID. NO:83.

A nucleotide sequence encoding a NADPH-cytochrome p450 reductase may for instance comprise a sequence as set out in SEQ ID. NO: 53, 55, 57 or 77.

In the case of the UGT sequences, combinations of at least one from each of: (i) SEQ ID NOs: 35, 37, 168, 169, 71, 147 or 189; (ii) SEQ ID NOs: 87, 99, 101, 103, 105, 107, 109, 111, 181 or 192; (iii) SEQ ID NOs: 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 73, 148 or 190; and (iv) SEQ ID NOs: 49, 51, 175, 176, 75, 149 or 191 may be preferred. Typically, at least one UGT from group (i) may be used. If at least one UGT from group (iii) is used, generally at least one UGT from group (i) is also used. If at least one UGT from group (iv) is used, generally at least one UGT from group (i) and at least one UGT from group (iii) is used. Typically, at least one UGT form group (ii) is used.

A sequence which has at least about 10%. about 15%, about 20%, preferably at least about 25%, about 30%, about 40%, about 50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, or about 99% sequence identity with a sequence as mentioned may be used in the invention.

To increase the likelihood that the introduced enzymes are expressed in active form in a cell, the corresponding encoding nucleotide sequence may be adapted to optimise its codon usage to that of the chosen eukaryote host cell. The adaptiveness of the nucleotide sequences encoding the enzymes to the codon usage of the chosen host cell may be expressed as codon adaptation index (CAI). The codon adaptation index is herein defined as a measurement of the relative adaptiveness of the codon usage of a gene towards the codon usage of highly expressed genes. The relative adaptiveness (w) of each codon is the ratio of the usage of each codon, to that of the most abundant codon for the same amino acid. The CAI index is defined as the geometric mean of these relative adaptiveness values. Non-synonymous codons and termination codons (dependent on genetic code) are excluded. CAI values range from 0 to 1, with higher values indicating a higher proportion of the most abundant codons (see Sharp and Li, 1987, Nucleic Acids Research 15: 1281-1295; also see: Jansen et al., 2003, Nucleic Acids Res. 31(8):2242-51). An adapted nucleotide sequence preferably has a CAI of at least 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6 or 0.7.

In a preferred embodiment the eukaryotic cell according to the present invention is genetically modified with (a) nucleotide sequence(s) which is (are) adapted to the codon usage of the eukaryotic cell using codon pair optimisation technology as disclosed in PCT/EP2007/05594. Codon-pair optimisation is a method for producing a polypeptide in a host cell, wherein the nucleotide sequences encoding the polypeptide have been modified with respect to their codon-usage, in particular the codon-pairs that are used, to obtain improved expression of the nucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide and/or improved production of the polypeptide. Codon pairs are defined as a set of two subsequent triplets (codons) in a coding sequence.

Further improvement of the activity of the enzymes in vivo in a eukaryotic host cell of the invention, can be obtained by well-known methods like error prone PCR or directed evolution. A preferred method of directed evolution is described in WO03010183 and WO03010311.

A recombinant microorganism suitable for use in a method according to the invention may be modified so that the ERG9 gene is down-regulated and or the ERG5/ERG6 genes are deleted. Corresponding genes may be modified in this way in other microorganisms.

Such a microorganism may be transformed as set out herein, whereby the nucleotide sequence(s) with which the microorganism is transformed confer(s) on the cell the ability to produce a diterpene or glycoside thereof.

A preferred microorganism for use in the invention is a Yarrowia lipolytica cell. A recombinant Yarrowia lipolytica cell may comprise one or more nucleotide sequence(s) from each of the following groups;

(i) SEQ ID. NO: 1, 3, 5, 7, 17, 19, 59, 61, 141, 142, 152, 153, 154, 159, 160, 182 or 184.

(ii) SEQ ID. NO: 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 63, 65, 143, 144, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 183 or 184.

(iii) SEQ ID. NO: 21,23, 25, 67 85, 145, 161, 162, 163, 180 or 186.

(iv) SEQ ID. NO: 27, 29, 31, 33, 69, 89, 91, 93, 95, 97, 146, 164, 165, 166, 167 or 185.

Such a microorganism will typically also comprise one or more nucleotide sequence(s) as set out in SEQ ID. NO: 53, 55, 57 or 77.

Such a microorganism may also comprise one or more nucleotide sequences as set out in 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 71, 73, 75, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 147, 148, 149, 87, 181, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 189, 190, 191 or 192. In the case of these sequences, combinations of at least one from each of (i) SEQ ID NOs: 35, 37, 168, 169, 71, 147 or 189; (ii) SEQ ID NOs: 87, 99, 101, 103, 105, 107, 109, 111, 181 or 192; (iii) SEQ ID NOs: 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 73, 148 or 190: and (iv) SEQ ID NOs: 49, 51, 175, 176, 75, 149 or 191 may be preferred. Typically, at least one UGT from group (i) may be used. If at least one UGT from group (iii) is used, generally at least one UGT from group (i) is also used. If at least one UGT from group (iv) is used, generally at least one UGT from group (i) and at least one UGT from group (iii) is used. Typically, at least one UGT form group (ii) is used.

Such a microorganism may also comprise the following nucleotide sequences: SEQ ID. NO: 79; SEQ ID. NO: 81; and SEQ ID. NO: 83.

For each sequence set out above (or any sequence mentioned herein), a variant having at least about 15%, preferably at least about 20, about 25, about 30, about 40, about 50, about 55, about 60, about 65, about 70, about 75, about 80, about 85, about 90, about 95, about 96, about 97, about 98, or about 99%, sequence identity with the stated sequence may be used.

The nucleotide sequences encoding the ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase, ent-Kaurene synthase, ent-Kaurene oxidase, kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase, UGTs. hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase, farnesyl-pyrophosphate synthetase, geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase and NADPH-cytochrome p450 reductase may be ligated into one or more nucleic acid constructs to facilitate the transformation of the microorganism according to the present invention.

A nucleic acid construct may be a plasmid carrying the genes encoding enzymes of the diterpene, eg. steviol/steviol glycoside, pathway as described above, or a nucleic acid construct may comprise two or three plasmids carrying each three or two genes, respectively, encoding the enzymes of the diterpene pathway distributed in any appropriate way.

Any suitable plasmid may be used, for instance a low copy plasmid or a high copy plasmid.

It may be possible that the enzymes selected from the group consisting of ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase, ent-Kaurene synthase, ent-Kaurene oxidase, and kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase, UGTs, hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase, famesyl-pyrophosphate synthetase, geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase and NADPH-cytochrome p450 reductase are native to the host microorganism and that transformation with one or more of the nucleotide sequences encoding these enzymes may not be required to confer the host cell the ability to produce a diterpene or diterpene glycosidase. Further improvement of diterpene/diterpene glycosidase production by the host microorganism may be obtained by classical strain improvement.

The nucleic acid construct may be maintained episomally and thus comprise a sequence for autonomous replication, such as an autosomal replication sequence sequence. If the host cell is of fungal origin, a suitable episomal nucleic acid construct may e.g. be based on the yeast 2p or pKD1 plasmids (Gleer et al., 1991, Biotechnology 9: 968-975), or the AMA plasmids (Fierro et al., 1995, Curr Genet. 29:482-489).

Alternatively, each nucleic acid construct may be integrated in one or more copies into the genome of the host cell. Integration into the host cell's genome may occur at random by non-homologous recombination but preferably the nucleic acid construct may be integrated into the host cell's genome by homologous recombination as is well known in the art (see e.g. WO90/14423, EP-A-0481008, EP-A-0635 574 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,265,186).

Optionally, a selectable marker may be present in the nucleic acid construct. As used herein, the term “marker” refers to a gene encoding a trait or a phenotype which permits the selection of, or the screening for, a microorganism containing the marker. The marker gene may be an antibiotic resistance gene whereby the appropriate antibiotic can be used to select for transformed cells from among cells that are not transformed. Alternatively or also, non-antibiotic resistance markers are used, such as auxotrophic markers (URA3, TRP1, LEU2). The host cells transformed with the nucleic acid constructs may be marker gene free. Methods for constructing recombinant marker gene free microbial host cells are disclosed in EP-A-0 635 574 and are based on the use of bidirectional markers. Alternatively, a screenable marker such as Green Fluorescent Protein, lacZ, luciferase, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, beta-glucuronidase may be incorporated into the nucleic acid constructs of the invention allowing to screen for transformed cells. A preferred marker-free method for the introduction of heterologous polynucleotides is described in WO0540186.

In a preferred embodiment, the nucleotide sequences encoding ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase, ent-Kaurene synthase, ent-Kaurene oxidase, and kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase, UGTs, hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase, farnesyl-pyrophosphate synthetase, geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase and NADPH-cytochrome p450 reductase, are each operably linked to a promoter that causes sufficient expression of the corresponding nucleotide sequences in the eukaryotic cell according to the present invention to confer to the cell the ability to produce a diterpene or diterpene glycoside.

As used herein, the term “operably linked” refers to a linkage of polynucleotide elements (or coding sequences or nucleic acid sequence) in a functional relationship. A nucleic acid sequence is “operably linked” when it is placed into a functional relationship with another nucleic acid sequence. For instance, a promoter or enhancer is operably linked to a coding sequence if it affects the transcription of the coding sequence.

As used herein, the term “promoter” refers to a nucleic acid fragment that functions to control the transcription of one or more genes, located upstream with respect to the direction of transcription of the transcription initiation site of the gene, and is structurally identified by the presence of a binding site for DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, transcription initiation sites and any other DNA sequences, including, but not limited to transcription factor binding sites, repressor and activator protein binding sites, and any other sequences of nucleotides known to one of skilled in the art to act directly or indirectly to regulate the amount of transcription from the promoter. A “constitutive” promoter is a promoter that is active under most environmental and developmental conditions. An “inducible” promoter is a promoter that is active under environmental or developmental regulation.

The promoter that could be used to achieve the expression of the nucleotide sequences coding for an enzyme as defined herein above, may be not native to the nucleotide sequence coding for the enzyme to be expressed, i.e. a promoter that is heterologous to the nucleotide sequence (coding sequence) to which it is operably linked. Preferably, the promoter is homologous, i.e. endogenous to the host cell. Suitable promoters in microorganisms of the invention may be GAL7, GAL10, or GAL 1, CYC1, HIS3, ADH1, PGL, PH05, GAPDH, ADC1, TRP1, URA3, LEU2, ENO, TPI, and AOX1. Other suitable promoters include PDC, GPD1, PGK1, TEF1, and TDH. Further suitable promoters are set out in the Examples.

Any terminator, which is functional in the cell, may be used in the present invention. Preferred terminators are obtained from natural genes of the host cell. Suitable terminator sequences are well known in the art. Preferably. such terminators are combined with mutations that prevent nonsense mediated mRNA decay in the host cell of the invention (see for example: Shirley et al., 2002, Genetics 161:1465-1482).

Nucleotide sequences used in the invention may include sequences which target them to desired compartments of the microorganism. For example, in a preferred microorganism of the invention, all nucleotide sequences, except for ent-Kaurene oxidase, kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase and NADPH-cytochrome p450 reductase encoding sequences may be targeted to the cytosol. This approach may be used in a cell of the genus Yarrowia.

The term “homologous” when used to indicate the relation between a given (recombinant) nucleic acid or polypeptide molecule and a given host organism or host cell, is understood to mean that in nature the nucleic acid or polypeptide molecule is produced by a host cell or organisms of the same species, preferably of the same variety or strain.

The term “heterologous” when used with respect to a nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) or protein refers to a nucleic acid or protein that does not occur naturally as part of the organism, cell, genome or DNA or RNA sequence in which it is present, or that is found in a cell or location or locations in the genome or DNA or RNA sequence that differ from that in which it is found in nature. Heterologous nucleic acids or proteins are not endogenous to the cell into which it is introduced, but have been obtained from another cell or synthetically or recombinantly produced.

Typically, a recombinant microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention will comprise heterologous nucleotide sequences. Alternatively, a recombinant microorganism suitable for use in a method of the invention may comprise entirely homologous sequence which has been modified as set out herein so that the microorganism produces increased amounts of a diterpene and/or diterpene glycoside in comparison to a non-modified version of the same microorganism.

One or more enzymes of the diterpene pathway as described herein may be overexpressed to achieve a sufficient diterpene production by the cell.

There are various means available in the art for overexpression of enzymes in the host cells of the invention. In particular, an enzyme may be overexpressed by increasing the copy number of the gene coding for the enzyme in the host cell, e.g. by integrating additional copies of the gene in the host cell's genome.

A preferred host cell according to the present invention may be a recombinant cell which is naturally capable of producing GGPP.

A recombinant microorganism suitable for use in a method according to the present invention may be able to grow on any suitable carbon source known in the art and convert it to a diterpene or a diterpene glycoside. The recombinant microorganism may be able to convert directly plant biomass, celluloses, hemicelluloses, pectines, rhamnose, galactose, fucose, maltose, maltodextrines, ribose, ribulose, or starch, starch derivatives, sucrose, lactose and glycerol. Hence, a preferred host organism expresses enzymes such as cellulases (endocellulases and exocellulases) and hemicellulases (e.g. endo- and exo-xylanases, arabinases) necessary for the conversion of cellulose into glucose monomers and hemicellulose into xylose and arabinose monomers, pectinases able to convert pectines into glucuronic acid and galacturonic acid or amylases to convert starch into glucose monomers. Preferably, the host cell is able to convert a carbon source selected from the group consisting of glucose, xylose, arabinose, sucrose, lactose and glycerol. The host cell may for instance be a eukaryotic host cell as described in WO03/062430, WO06/009434, EP1499708B1, WO2006096130 or WO04/099381.

The present invention relates to a process for the production of a diterpene or diterpene glycoside comprising fermenting a recombinant microorganism as described herein in a suitable fermentation medium, and recovering the diterpene and/or diterpene glycoside from the fermentation medium.

The fermentation medium used in the process for the production of a diterpene or diterpene glycoside may be any suitable fermentation medium which allows growth of the recombinant cell. The essential elements of suitable fermentation media are known to the person skilled in the art and may be adapted to the specific cell which is used.

Preferably, the fermentation medium comprises a carbon source selected from the group consisting of plant biomass, celluloses, hemicelluloses, pectines, rhamnose, galactose, fucose, fructose, maltose, maltodextrines, ribose, ribulose, or starch, starch derivatives, sucrose, lactose, fatty acids, triglycerides and glycerol. Preferably, the fermentation medium also comprises a nitrogen source such as ureum, or an ammonium salt such as ammonium sulphate, ammonium chloride, ammoniumnitrate or ammonium phosphate.

The fermentation process according to the present invention may be carried out in batch, fed-batch or continuous mode. A separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) process or a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) process may also be applied. A combination of these fermentation process modes may also be possible for optimal productivity. A SSF process may be particularly attractive if starch, cellulose, hemicelluose or pectin is used as a carbon source in the fermentation process, where it may be necessary to add hydrolytic enzymes, such as cellulases, hemicellulases or pectinases to hydrolyse the substrate.

The recombinant microorganism used in the process for the preparation of a diterpene or diterpene glycoside may be any suitable microorganism as defined herein above. The cells may be grown at low pH to prevent bacterial contamination.

The fermentation process for the production of a diterpene according to the present invention may be an aerobic or an anaerobic fermentation process.

An anaerobic fermentation process may be herein defined as a fermentation process run in the absence of oxygen or in which substantially no oxygen is consumed, preferably less than 5, 2.5 or 1 mmol/L/h, and wherein organic molecules serve as both electron donor and electron acceptors. The fermentation process according to the present invention may also first be run under aerobic conditions and subsequently under anaerobic conditions.

The fermentation process may also be run under oxygen-limited, or micro-aerobical, conditions. Alternatively, the fermentation process may first be run under aerobic conditions and subsequently under oxygen-limited conditions. An oxygen-limited fermentation process is a process in which the oxygen consumption is limited by the oxygen transfer from the gas to the liquid. The degree of oxygen limitation is determined by the amount and composition of the ingoing gasflow as well as the actual mixing/mass transfer properties of the fermentation equipment used.

The production of a diterpene in the process according to the present invention may occur during the growth phase of the host cell, during the stationary (steady state) phase or during both phases. It may be possible to run the fermentation process at different temperatures.

The process for the production of a diterpene or diterpene glycoside may be run at a temperature which is optimal for the eukaryotic cell. The optimum growth temperature may differ for each transformed eukaryotic cell and is known to the person skilled in the art. The optimum temperature might be higher than optimal for wild type organisms to grow the organism efficiently under non-sterile conditions under minimal infection sensitivity and lowest cooling cost. Alternatively, the process may be carried out at a temperature which is not optimal for growth of the recombinant microorganism. Indeed, we have shown that a process for the preparation of a diterpene or diterpene glycoside may be carried out beneficially at a sub-optimal growth temperature of a recombinant microorganism.

In the process for the production of a diterpene or diterpene glycoside according to the invention, it may be possible to achieve a concentration of above 5 mg/l fermentation broth, preferably above 10 mg/l, preferably above 20 mg/l, preferably above 30 mg/l fermentation broth, preferably above 40 mg/l, more preferably above 50 mg/l, preferably above 60 mg/l, preferably above 70, preferably above 80 mg/l, preferably above 100 mg/l, preferably above 1 g/l, preferably above 5 g/l, preferably above 10 g/l, but usually below 70 g/l.

Critically, in the process of the invention, one or more diterpene or glycosylated diterpene is produced extracellularly. That is to say, the process is such that the one or more diterpene or glycosylated diterpene is present in the fermentation medium. For the purposes of the invention, extracellular production is typically indicated where at at least about 30% of one or more diterpene or glycosylated diterpene is produced extracellularly (i.e. present in the fermentation medium). The percentage given indicates how much of the one or more diterpene or glycosylated diterpene is present in the fermentation medium as compared with how much remains within the recombinant microorganism. That is to say, at least about 30% of all of the one or more diterpene or glycosylated diterpene produced by the recombinant microorganism is produced extracellularly.

The amount of one or more diterpene or glycosylated diterpene produced extracellular

In the process of the invention, at least about 40%, at least about 50%, at least about 60%, at least about 70%, at least about 80%, at least about 90%, at least about 95% or more of one or more diterpenes or glycosylated diterpenes is produced extracellulary.

The temperature for growth of the recombinant microorganism in a process for production of a diterpene or diterpene glycoside may be above 20° C., 22° C., 25° C., 28° C., or above 30° C., 35° C., or above 37° C., 40° C., 42° C., and preferably below 45° C. During the production phase of a diterpene or diterpene glycoside however, the optimum temperature might be lower than average in order to optimize biomass stability. The temperature during this phase may be below 45° C., for instance below 42° C., 40° C., 37° C., for instance below 35° C., 30° C., or below 28° C., 25° C., 22° C. or below 20° C. preferably above 15° C.

The invention thus provides a process for the preparation of a diterpene or glycosylated diterpene which process comprises fermenting a recombinant microorganism capable of producing a diterpene or glycosylate diterpene in a suitable fermentation medium at a temperature of about 29° C. or higher, and optionally recovering the diterpene or glycosylated diterpene. The microorganism is a microorganism of the genus Yarrowia.

The temperature of fermentation in such a process may be about 29° C. or higher, about 30° C. or higher, about 31° C. or higher, about 32° C. or higher, about 33° C. or higher or about 34° C. or higher. Thus the fermentation temperature may be from about 29° C. to about 34° C., for example from about 300° C. to about 34° C., such as from about 32° C. to about 34° C.

During the production phase of a diterpene or diterpene glycoside however, the optimum temperature might be lower than average in order to optimize biomass stability. The temperature during this phase may be at from about 29° C. to about 30° C.

The temperature may then be raised during the steviol glycoside production phase to from about 32° C. to about 34° C.

The process for the production of a diterpene or diterpene glycoside according to the present invention may be carried out at any suitable pH value. If the recombinant microorganism is of the genus Yarrowia, the pH in the fermentation medium preferably has a value of below 6, preferably below 5.5, preferably below 5, preferably below 4,5. preferably below 4, preferably below pH 3,5 or below pH 3,0, or below pH 2,5, preferably above pH 2. An advantage of carrying out the fermentation at these low pH values is that growth of contaminant bacteria in the fermentation medium may be prevented.

Such a process may be carried out on an industrial scale.

The product of such a process may be one or more of steviolmonoside, steviolbioside, stevioside or rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside M, rubusoside, dulcoside A. Preferably, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside D or rebaudioside M is produced.

Recovery of the diterpene or diterpene glycoside from the fermentation medium may be performed by known methods in the art, for instance by distillation, vacuum extraction, solvent extraction, or evaporation.

The present invention also relates to a fermentation broth comprising a diterpene and/or diterpene glycoside obtainable by the process according to the present invention. The diterpene or glycosylated diterpene may be a steviol glycoside, in particular rebaudioside A, rebaudioside D or rebaudioside M.

In the event that a diterpene or diterpene glycoside is expressed within the microorganism, such cells may need to be treated so as to release the diterpene/diterpene glycoside.

The diterpene or diterpene glycoside, for example rebaudioside A, rebuadioside D or rebaudioside M, produced by the fermentation process according to the present invention may be used in any application known for such compounds. In particular, they may for instance be used as a sweetener, for example in a food or a beverage. For example steviol glycosides may be formulated in soft drinks, juices, as a tabletop sweetener, chewing gum, dairy product such as yoghurt (eg. plain yoghurt), cake, cereal or cereal-based food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, edible gel, confectionery product, cosmetic, toothpastes or other oral cavity composition, etc. In addition, a diterpene or diterpene glycoside can be used as a sweetener not only for drinks, foodstuffs, and other products dedicated for human consumption, but also in animal feed and fodder with improved characteristics.

Accordingly, the invention provides, inter alia, a foodstuff, feed or beverage which comprises a diterpene or glycosylated prepared according to a process of the invention.

During the manufacturing of foodstuffs, drinks, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, table top products, chewing gum the conventional methods such as mixing, kneading, dissolution, pickling, permeation, percolation, sprinkling, atomizing, infusing and other methods can be used.

The diterpene or diterpene glycoside obtained in this invention can be used in dry or liquid forms. It can be added before or after heat treatment of food products. The amount of the sweetener depends on the purpose of usage. It can be added alone or in the combination with other compounds.

Compounds produced according to the method of the invention may be blended with one or more further non-calorific or calorific sweeteners. Such blending may be used to improve flavour or temporal profile or stability. A wide range of both non-calorific and calorific sweeteners may be suitable for blending with steviol glycosides. For example, non-calorific sweeteners such as mogroside, monatin, aspartame, acesulfame salts, cyclamate, sucralose, saccharin salts or erythritol. Calorific sweeteners suitable for blending with steviol glycosides include sugar alcohols and carbohydrates such as sucrose, glucose, fructose, invert sugar and HFCS. Sweet tasting amino acids such as glycine, alanine or serine may also be used.

The diterpene or diterpene glycoside can be used in the combination with a sweetener suppressor, such as a natural sweetener suppressor. It may be combined with an umami taste enhancer, such as an amino acid or a salt thereof.

A diterpene or diterpene glycoside can be combined with a polyol or sugar alcohol, a carbohydrate, a physiologically active substance or functional ingredient (for example a carotenoid, dietary fiber, fatty acid, saponin, antioxidant, nutraceutical, flavonoid, isothiocyanate, phenol, plant sterol or stanol (phytosterols and phytostanols), a polyols, a prebiotic, a probiotic, a phytoestrogen, soy protein, sulfides/thiols, amino acids, a protein, a vitamin, a mineral, and/or a substance classified based on a health benefits, such as cardiovascular, cholesterol-reducing or anti-inflammatory.

A composition with a diterpene or diterpene glycoside may include a flavoring agent, an aroma component, a nucleotide, an organic acid, an organic acid salt, an inorganic acid, a bitter compound, a protein or protein hydrolyzate, a surfactant, a flavonoid, an astringent compound, a vitamin, a dietary fiber, an antioxidant, a fatty acid and/or a salt.

A diterpene or diterpene glycoside of the invention may be applied as a high intensity sweetener to produce zero calorie, reduced calorie or diabetic beverages and food products with improved taste characteristics. Also it can be used in drinks, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, and other products in which sugar cannot be used.

In addition, a diterpene or diterpene glycoside of the invention may be used as a sweetener not only for drinks, foodstuffs, and other products dedicated for human consumption, but also in animal feed and fodder with improved characteristics.

The examples of products where a diterpene or diterpene glycoside of the invention composition can be used as a sweetening compound can be as alcoholic beverages such as vodka, wine, beer, liquor, sake, etc; natural juices, refreshing drinks, carbonated soft drinks, diet drinks, zero calorie drinks, mid and reduced calorie drinks and foods, yogurt drinks, instant juices, instant coffee, powdered types of instant beverages, canned products, syrups, fermented soybean paste, soy sauce, vinegar, dressings, mayonnaise, ketchups, curry, soup, instant bouillon, powdered soy sauce, powdered vinegar, types of biscuits, rice biscuit, crackers, bread, chocolates, caramel, candy, chewing gum, jelly, pudding, preserved fruits and vegetables, fresh cream, jam, marmalade, flower paste, powdered milk, ice cream, sorbet, vegetables and fruits packed in bottles, canned and boiled beans, meat and foods boiled in sweetened sauce, agricultural vegetable food products, seafood, ham, sausage, fish ham, fish sausage, fish paste, deep fried fish products, dried seafood products, frozen food products, preserved seaweed, preserved meat, tobacco, medicinal products, and many others. In principal it can have unlimited applications.

The sweetened composition comprises a beverage, non-limiting examples of which include non-carbonated and carbonated beverages such as colas, ginger ales, root beers, tonic water, ciders, fruit-flavored soft drinks (e.g., citrus-flavored soft drinks such as lemon-lime or orange), powdered soft drinks, and the like; fruit juices originating in fruits or vegetables, fruit juices including squeezed juices or the like, fruit juices containing fruit particles, fruit beverages, fruit juice beverages, beverages containing fruit juices, beverages with fruit flavorings, vegetable juices, juices containing vegetables, and mixed juices containing fruits and vegetables; sport drinks, energy drinks, near water and the like drinks (e.g., water with natural or synthetic flavorants); tea type or favorite type beverages such as coffee, cocoa, black tea, green tea, oolong tea and the like; beverages containing milk components such as milk beverages, coffee containing milk components, cafe au lait, milk tea, fruit milk beverages, drinkable yogurt, lactic acid bacteria beverages or the like; and dairy products.

Generally, the amount of sweetener present in a sweetened composition varies widely depending on the particular type of sweetened composition and its desired sweetness. Those of ordinary skill in the art can readily discern the appropriate amount of sweetener to put in the sweetened composition.

The diterpene or diterpene glycoside of the invention obtained in this invention can be used in dry or liquid forms. It can be added before or after heat treatment of food products. The amount of the sweetener depends on the purpose of usage. It can be added alone or in the combination with other compounds.

During the manufacturing of foodstuffs, drinks, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, table top products, chewing gum the conventional methods such as mixing, kneading, dissolution, pickling, permeation, percolation, sprinkling, atomizing, infusing and other methods can be used.

Thus, compositions of the present invention can be made by any method known to those skilled in the art that provide homogenous even or homogeneous mixtures of the ingredients. These methods include dry blending, spray drying, agglomeration, wet granulation, compaction, co-crystallization and the like.

In solid form a diterpene or diterpene glycoside of the invention of the present invention can be provided to consumers in any form suitable for delivery into the comestible to be sweetened, including sachets, packets, bulk bags or boxes, cubes, tablets, mists, or dissolvable strips. The composition can be delivered as a unit dose or in bulk form.

For liquid sweetener systems and compositions convenient ranges of fluid, semi-fluid, paste and cream forms, appropriate packing using appropriate packing material in any shape or form shall be invented which is convenient to carry or dispense or store or transport any combination containing any of the above sweetener products or combination of product produced above.

The composition may include various bulking agents, functional ingredients, colorants, flavors.

A reference herein to a patent document or other matter which is given as prior art is not to be taken as an admission that that document or matter was known or that the information it contains was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of any of the claims.

The disclosure of each reference set forth herein is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The present invention is further illustrated by the following Examples:

EXAMPLES

General

Standard genetic techniques, such as overexpression of enzymes in the host cells, as well as for additional genetic modification of host cells, are known methods in the art, such as described in Sambrook and Russel (2001) “Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (3^rd edition), Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, or F. Ausubel et al, eds., “Current protocols in molecular biology”, Green Publishing and Wiley Interscience, New York (1987). Methods for transformation and genetic modification of fungal host cells are known from e.g. EP-A-0 635 574, WO 98/46772, WO 99/60102 and WO 00/37671.

A description of the sequences is set out in Table 1. Sequences described herein may be defined with reference to the sequence listing or with reference to the database accession numbers also set out in Table 1.

Example 1. Construction of Steviol Producina Strains of Recombinant Yarrowia lipolytica

Plasmids pMB6754, pMB6761, and pMB6762 (see Table 1 and FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) encoding genes for the synthesis of steviol were constructed as follows. Open reading frames for tCPS (SEQ ID NO: 182), tKS (SEQ ID NO: 183), CPSKS (SEQ ID NO: 184), KOGib (SEQ ID NO: 186), KAH4 (SEQ ID NO: 185), CPR1 (SEQ ID NO: 187) and CPR3 (SEQ ID NO: 188) were codon pair optimized using codon pair optimisation technology as disclosed in PCT/EP2007/05594, for expression in Yarrowia lipolytica.

The optimized sequences, flanked by 60 bp of the desired promoter and terminator, were synthesized by GenScript (SEQ ID NOS: 182-188), and amplified by PCR using appropriate primers. DNA fragments encoding terminator-promoter sequences, TPI promoter, or Yarrowia lipolytica markers were amplified by PCR from existing constructs (SEQID 193-197 and 199). Vector DNA (SEQID 198), consisting of the S. cerevisiae centromere-based URA3 plasmid YCp50 (Rose et al., Gene 1987; 60(2-3):237-43) with ENOp from Yarrowia replacing the tet gene using standard techniques, was prepared from E. coli and digested with XbaI and SnaBI. All fragments were purified by gel electrophoresis using a QiaQuick kit (Qiagen). S. cerevisiae strain 10556-23C (W303 background; G. R. Fink) was transformed (Gietz and Schiestl, Nat. Protoc. 2007; 2(1): 31-4) with 250 ng of each DNA fragment and selected for prototrophy on minimal glucose aspartate medium. Plasmids were rescued from prototrophic transformants (Nucleic Acids Research, Vol. 20, No. 14, p. 3790 (1992)) and used to transform E. coli DH5α to ampicillin resistance (100 mg/L) on LB agar plates.

Yarrowia strain ML2597 with increased expression of geranylgeranyldiphosphate synthase was obtained by transformation of MF350 with pMB4591 (tef1-GGS URA2) (U.S. Pat. No. 7,851,199). Plasmids pMB6754, pMB6761, and pMB6762 were digested with SfiI and used to transform ML2597 to leucine prototrophy on minimal glucose aspartate medium containing adenine (0.2 mM). Transformants were restreaked to selective medium and subsequently inoculated to 0.8 ml YPD in 24 well microtiter plates (MTP). Plates were sealed with a BugStopper mat (Whatman) and strains were grown for steviol production at 30° C. with shaking at 800 rpm for six days in a Multitron incubator (Infors)—see Table 2.

TABLE 1
Steviol & RebA pathway plasmids
Plasmid	SEQIDs	Genotype (partial)
pMB6754	184, 185, 186, 187, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199	CPSKS, KAH_4, KO_Gib, CPR_1, LEU2
pMB6761	184, 185, 186, 188, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199	tCPS, tKS, KAH_4, KO_Gib, CPR_1,
		LEU2
pMB6762	182, 183, 185, 186, 188, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199	tCPS, tKS, KAH_4, KO_Gib, CPR_3,
		LEU2
pMB6775	189, 190, 191, 192, 194, 195, 196, 198, 199, 200	UGT1, UGT3, UGT4, UGT2, HPH

TABLE 2
Steviol production strains
Strain  Plasmid
ML12925 pMB6754
ML12927 pMB6754
ML12929 pMB6162
ML12930 pMB6162
ML12931 pMB6761
ML12932 pMB6761

Example 2: Construction of RebA Producina Strains of Recombinant Yarrowia lipolytica

Plasmid pMB6775 (see Table 1 and FIG. 4) encoding genes for the synthesis of RebA was constructed as follows. Open reading frames for a UGT1, UGT3, UGT4, and UGT2 were codon pair optimized using codon pair optimisation technology as disclosed in PCT/EP2007/05594, for expression in Yarrowia lipolytica. The optimized sequences, flanked by 60 bp of the desired promoter and terminator, were synthesized by GenScript (SEQ ID NOs 189-192), and amplified by PCR using appropriate primers. DNA fragments encoding terminator-promoter sequences or Yarrowia lipolytica markers were amplified by PCR from existing constructs (SEQ ID NOS: 194-196,199 and 200). The vector (SEQ ID NO: 198), consisting of the S. cerevisiae centromere-based URA3 plasmid YCp50 (Rose et al., supra) with ENOp from Yarrowia replacing the tet gene using standard techniques, was prepared from E. coli and digested with XbaI and SnaBI. All fragments were purified by gel electrophoresis using a QiaQuick kit (Qiagen). S. cerevisiae strain 10556-23C (W303 background; G. R. Fink) was transformed (Gietz and Schistl, supra) with 250 ng of each DNA fragment and selected for prototrophy on minimal glucose aspartate medium. Plasmids were rescued from prototrophic transformants (Nucleic Acids Research, Vol. 20, No. 14, p. 3790 (1992)) and used to transform E. coli DH5a to ampicillin resistance (100 mg/l) on LB agar plates.

Plasmid MB6775 was digested with SfiI and used to transform Steviol producing Yarrowia strains ML12925, ML12929, and ML12931 to hygromycin resistance (100 mg/L) on YPD agar plates. Transformants were restreaked to selective medium and subsequently inoculated to 0.8 ml YPD in 24 well microtiter plates (MTP). Plates were sealed with a BugStopper mat (Whatman) and strains are grown for steviol production at 30° C. with shaking at 800 rpm for six days in a Multitron incubator (Infors).

A RebA producing transformant of ML12929 was denoted ML12986Protrophic strains were generated from ML12986 in one of two ways. ML12986 was transformed to prototrophy with HaeIII digested pMP4637 (WO2006/102342) on YNB plates, yielding strain ML12987. Alternately, ML12986 was mated to ML5929. ML5929 {MATA ura2 ADE1-tHMG LEU2-CarRP} was constructed by the introduction of heterologous genes under the control of the endogenous TEF1 promoter, coupled with several generations of crossbreeding. Protrophic spores were screened for RebA production, resulting in the isolation of ML13113.

Example 3: Production of RebA by Yarrowia

The Y. lipolytica strain ML13113 constructed as described above, was cultivated in shake-flasks (2 l with 200 ml medium) for 1 days at 30° C. and 200 rpm. The medium was based on Verduyn et al. (Verduyn C, Postma E, Scheffers W A, Van Dijken J P. Yeast, 1992 July; 8(7):501-517), with modifications in the carbon and nitrogen sources, as described in Tables 12 and 13.

TABLE 13
Preculture medium composition Y. lipolytica strain ML13113
		Concentration
Raw material	Formula	(g/kg)
Glucose.1aq	C6H12O6•1H2O	22.0
Urea	(NH2)2CO	2.3
Potassium dihydrogen phosphate	KH2PO4	3.0
Magnesium sulphate	MgSO4•7H2O	0.5
Trace element solution		1
Vitamin solution		1
		Concentration
Component	Formula	(g/kg)
aTrace elements solution
EDTA	C10H14N2Na2O8•2H2O	15.00
Zincsulphate•7H2O	ZnSO4•7H2O	4.50
Manganesechloride•2H2O	MnCl2•2H2O	0.84
Cobalt (II) chloride•6H2O	CoCl2•6H2O	0.30
Cupper (II) sulphate•5H2O	CuSO4•5H2O	0.30
Sodium molybdenum•2H2O	Na2MoO4•2H2O	0.40
Calciumchloride•2H2O	CaCl2•2H2O	4.50
Ironsulphate•7H2O	FeSO4•7H2O	3.00
Boric acid	H3BO3	1.00
Potassium iodide	KI	0.10
bVitamin solution
Biotin (D−)	C10H16N2O3S	0.05
Ca D(+) panthothenate	C18H32CaN2O10	1.00
Nicotinic acid	C6H5NO2	1.00
Myo-inositol	C6H12O6	25.00
Thiamine chloride	C12H18Cl2N4OS•xH2O	1.00
hydrochloride
Pyridoxol hydrochloride	C8H12ClNO3	1.00
p-aminobenzoic acid	C7H7NO2	0.20

Subsequently, 12 ml of the content of the shake-flask was transferred into a fermenter (starting volume 0.3 L) for Y. lipolytica strain ML13113, which contained the medium as set out in Table 14.

TABLE 14
Composition fermentation medium
		Final
		Concentration
Raw material	Formula	(g/kg)
Glucose.1aq	C6H12O6•1H2O	4.4
Ammonium sulphate	(NH4)2SO4	1
Potassium dihydrogen phosphate	KH2PO4	10
Magnesium sulphate	MgSO4•7H2O	5
Trace element solution	—	8
Vitamin solution	—	8

The pH was controlled at 5.0 by addition of ammonia (10 wt %). Temperature was controlled at 27° C. for Y. lipolytica strain ML13113. p02 was controlled at 40% by adjusting the stirrer speed. Glucose concentration was kept limited by controlled feed to the fermenter as set out in Table 15.

TABLE 15
Composition of the fermentation feed medium
		Final Concentration
Raw material	Formula	(g/kg)
Glucose.1aq	C6H12O6•1H2O	550
Potassium dihydrogen	KH2PO4	15.1
phosphate
Magnesium sulphate	MgSO4•7H2O	7.5
heptahydrate
Verduyn trace elements		12
solution
Verduyn vitamin solution		12

A whole broth sample was washed twice with physiologic salt solution containing 8.5 g/l NaCl. The RebA concentration in whole broth and washed broth show that for the Y. lipolytica strain 93% of the RebA can be removed by washing.

TABLE 16
RebA in whole broth and washed broth.
			RebA [g/l]	RebA [g/l]	RebA
	Time	RebA [g/l]	Whole	Washed	removed by
Strain	[h]	Supernatant	Broth	Broth	washing [—]
ML13113	117	0.46	0.38	0.02	93%

Example 4: Effect of Temperature on the Production of RebA by Yarrowia

The Y. lipolytica strain ML13113 constructed as described above, was cultivated in shake-flask (2 l with 200 ml medium) for 1 days at 30° C. and 200 rpm. The medium was based on Verduyn et al. (Verduyn C, Postma E, Scheffers W A, Van Dijken J P. Yeast, 1992 July; 8(7):501-517), with modifications in the carbon and nitrogen sources, as described in Table 17.

TABLE 17
Preculture medium composition Y. lipolytica strain ML13113
		Concentration
Raw material	Formula	(g/kg)
Glucose.1aq	C6H12O6•1H2O	22.0
Urea	(NH2)2CO	2.3
Potassium dihydrogen phosphate	KH2PO4	3.0
Magnesium sulphate	MgSO4•7H2O	0.5
Trace element solution		1
Vitamin solution		1
		Concentration
Component	Formula	(g/kg)
aTrace elements solution
EDTA	C10H14N2Na2O8•2H2O	15.00
Zincsulphate•7H2O	ZnSO4•7H2O	4.50
Manganesechloride•2H2O	MnCl2•2H2O	0.84
Cobalt (II) chloride•6H2O	CoCl2•6H2O	0.30
Cupper (II) sulphate•5H2O	CuSO4•5H2O	0.30
Sodium molybdenum•2H2O	Na2MoO4•2H2O	0.40
Calciumchloride•2H2O	CaCl2•2H2O	4.50
Ironsulphate•7H2O	FeSO4•7H2O	3.00
Boric acid	H3BO3	1.00
Potassium iodide	KI	0.10
bVitamin solution
Biotin (D−)	C10H16N2O3S	0.05
Ca D(+) panthothenate	C18H32CaN2O10	1.00
Nicotinic acid	C6H5NO2	1.00
Myo-inositol	C6H12O6	25.00
Thiamine chloride	C12H18Cl2N4OS•xH2O	1.00
hydrochloride
Pyridoxol hydrochloride	C8H12ClNO3	1.00
p-aminobenzoic acid	C7H7NO2	0.20

Subsequently, 12 ml of the content of the shake-flask was transferred into a fermenter (starting volume 0.3 L), which contained the medium as set out in Table 18.

TABLE 18
Composition fermentation medium
		Final
		Concentration
Raw material	Formula	(g/kg)
Glucose.1aq	C6H12O6•1H2O	4.4
Ammonium sulphate	(NH4)2SO4	1
Potassium dihydrogen phosphate	KH2PO4	10
Magnesium sulphate	MgSO4•7H2O	5
Trace element solution	—	8
Vitamin solution	—	8

The pH was controlled at 5.0 by addition of ammonia (10 wt %). Temperature was controlled at 26° C., 28° C., 30° C., 32° C. pO₂ was controlled at 40% by adjusting the stirrer speed. Glucose concentration was kept limited by controlled feed to the fermenter (Table 19).

TABLE 19
Composition of the fermentation feed medium
		Final Concentration
Raw material	Formula	(g/kg)
Glucose.1aq	C6H12O6•1H2O	550
Potassium dihydrogen	KH2PO4	15.1
phosphate
Magnesium sulphate	MgSO4•7H2O	7.5
heptahydrate
Verduyn trace elements		12
solution
Verduyn vitamin solution		12

The results set out in Table 20 show that the production of RebA by recombinant Yarrowia lipolytica increases as the fermentation temperature is increased.

TABLE 20
Concentration of RebA present in pellet at 117 hours at different
operating temperatures
This is steviol glycoside production phase.
Temperature	RebA	RebA
(° C.)	broth (g/l)	sup (g/l)
26	0.37	0.27
28	0.46	0.38
30	0.62	0.47
32	0.66	0.53

Claims

1. A method for the production of a diterpene or a glycosylated diterpene, which method comprises:

a. fermenting a recombinant microorganism of the genus Yarrowia in a suitable fermentation medium at a temperature of about 29° C. or higher,

wherein the microorganism comprises one or more nucleotide sequence(s) encoding: a polypeptide having ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase activity; a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene synthase activity; a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene oxidase activity; and a polypeptide having kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase activity and whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence(s) confer(s) on the microorganism the ability to produce at least steviol; and

b. recovering the diterpene or glycosylated diterpene.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the recombinant microorganism comprises one or more nucleotide sequences encoding a polypeptide having UDP-glucosyltransferase activity,

whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence(s) confer(s) on the microorganism the ability to produce at least one of steviolmonoside, steviolbioside, stevioside or rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside M, rubusoside, dulcoside A.

3. A process according to claim 2, wherein the recombinant microorganism comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a C-13-glucose to steviol,

whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence confers on the microorganism the ability to produce at least steviolmonoside.

4. A process according to claim 2, wherein the recombinant microorganism comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a glucose at C-13 position of steviol or steviolmonoside,

whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence confers on the microorganism the ability to produce at least steviolbioside.

5. A process according to claim 2, wherein the recombinant microorganism comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a C-19-glucose to steviolbioside,

whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence confers on the microorganism the ability to produce at least stevioside.

6. A process according to claim 2, wherein the recombinant microorganism comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing glucosylation of the C-3′ of the glucose at the C-13 position of stevioside,

whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence confers on the microorganism the ability to produce at least rebaudioside A.

7. A process according to claim 2, wherein the recombinant microorganism comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the glucosylation of stevioside or rebaudioside A,

whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence confers on the microorganism the ability to produce at least rebaudioside D.

8. A process according to claim 2, wherein the recombinant microorganism comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the glucosylation of stevioside,

whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence confers on the microorganism the ability to produce at least rebaudioside E.

9. A process according to claim 2, wherein the recombinant microorganism comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the glucosylation of rebaudioside E,

whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence confers on the microorganism the ability to produce at least rebaudioside D.

10. A process according to claim 2, wherein the recombinant microorganism comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the glucosylation of rebaudioside D,

whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence confers on the microorganism the ability to produce at least rebaudioside M.

11. A process according to claim 1, wherein the recombinant microorganism is capable of expressing a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having NADPH-cytochrome p450 reductase activity.

12. A process according to claim 1, wherein the recombinant microorganism is capable of expressing one or more of:

a. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase activity, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises: i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase activity, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 2, 4, 6, 8, 18, 20, 60 or 62; ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 141, 142, 151, 152, 153, 154, 159, 160, 182 or 184; iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code,

b. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene synthase activity, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises: i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene synthase activity, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 64 or 66; ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 143, 144, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 183 or 184; iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code,

c. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene oxidase activity, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises: i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene oxidase activity, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 22, 24, 26, 68 or 86; ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 145, 161, 162, 163, 180 or 186; iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code; or

d. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase activity, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises: i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase activity, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 28, 30, 32, 34, 70, 90, 92, 94, 96 or 98; ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 146, 164, 165, 166, 167 or 185; iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code.

13. A process according to claim 2, wherein the recombinant microorganism is capable of expressing a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a glucose at the C-13 position of steviol, wherein said nucleotide comprises:

i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a glucose at the C-13 position of steviol, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 36, 38 or 72;

ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 147, 168, 169 or 189;

iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or

iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code.

14. A process according to-claim 2, wherein the recombinant microorganism is capable of expressing a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a glucose at the C-13 position of steviolmonoside, wherein said nucleotide comprises:

i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a glucose at the C-13 position of steviolmonoside, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 88, 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112;

ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 181 or 192;

iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or

iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code.

15. A process according to claim 2, wherein the recombinant microorganism is capable of expressing a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a glucose at the C-19 position of steviolbioside, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises:

i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the addition of a glucose at the C-19 position of steviolbioside, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 or 74;

ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 148, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174 or 190;

iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or

iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code.

16. A process according to claim 2, wherein the recombinant microorganism expresses a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing glucosylation of the C-3′ of the glucose at the C-13 position of stevioside, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises:

i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalyzing glucosylation of the C-3′ of the glucose at the C-13 position of stevioside, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 50, 52 or 76;

ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 149, 175, 176 or 191;

iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or

iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code.

17. A process according to claim 2, wherein the recombinant microorganism expresses a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalysing one or more of: the glucosylation of stevioside or rebaudioside A to rebaudioside D; the glucosylation of stevioside to rebaudioside E; the glucosylation of rebaudioside E to rebaudioside D; or the glucosylation of rebaudioside D to rebaudioside M, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises:

i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of catalysing one or more of: the glucosylation of stevioside or rebaudioside A to rebaudioside D; the glucosylation of stevioside to rebaudioside E; the glucosylation of rebaudioside E to rebaudioside D; or the glucosylation of rebaudioside D to rebaudioside M, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 88, 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112;

ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 181 or 192;

iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or

iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code.

18. A process according to claim 1, wherein the ability of the recombinant microorganism to produce geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) is upregulated.

19. A process according to claim 18, wherein the recombinant microorganism comprises one or more nucleotide sequence(s) encoding hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase, farnesyl-pyrophosphate synthetase and geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase, whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence(s) confer(s) on the microorganism the ability to produce elevated levels of GGPP.

20. A process according to claim 18, wherein the recombinant microorganism is capable of expressing one or more of:

a. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises: i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 80; ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 79; iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code,

b. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having farnesyl-pyrophosphate synthetase activity, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises: i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having farnesyl-pyrophosphate synthetase activity, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 82; ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 81; iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code; or

c. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase activity, wherein said nucleotide sequence comprises: i. a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase activity, said polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that has at least about 20% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 84; ii. a nucleotide sequence that has at least about 15% sequence identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NOs: 83; iii. a nucleotide sequence the complementary strand of which hybridizes to a nucleic acid molecule of sequence of (i) or (ii); or iv. a nucleotide sequence which differs from the sequence of a nucleic acid molecule of (i), (ii) or (iii) due to the degeneracy of the genetic code.

21. A process according to claim 1, wherein fermentation is carried out at a temperature of at least about 30° C., at least about 31° C., at least about 32° C., at least about 33° C. or at least about 34° C.

22. A process according to claim 21, wherein the microorganism is a Yarrowia lipolytica cell.

23. A process according to claim 1, wherein the process is carried out on an industrial scale.

24. A fermentation broth comprising a diterpene or glycosylated diterpene obtainable by the process according to claim 1.

25. A fermentation broth according to claim 24 which comprises rebaudioside A, rebaudioside D or rebaudioside M.

26. A diterpene or glycosylated diterpene obtained by a process according to or obtainable from a fermentation broth according to claim 23.

27. A diterpene or glycosylated diterpene according to claim 26 which is rebaudioside A, rebaudioside D or rebaudioside M.

28. A foodstuff, feed or beverage which comprises a diterpene or glycosylated according to claim 26.

29. A recombinant microorganism as defined in claim 1 capable of being used in fermentative production of a diterpene or glycosylated diterpene at a temperature of about 29° C. or higher.