IP Library Granted Patent US 9,404,130
Granted Patent B2
US 9,404,130 · App. 14/552,676 · Granted Aug 2, 2016

Microbial engineering for the production of chemical and pharmaceutical products from the isoprenoid pathway

Inventors: Parayil K. Ajikumar (Cambridge, MA); Gregory Stephanopoulos (Winchester, MA); Heng Phon Too (Singapore, SG)
Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology; National University of Singapore
C12P7/42C12P5/007C12P15/00C12P17/02C12P19/56C12P23/00
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,404,130
App. No.
14/552,676
Granted
Aug 2, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to the production of one or more terpenoids through microbial engineering, and relates to the manufacture of products comprising terpenoids.

Claims (24)

1. A method for making a product containing steviol or steviol glycoside, the method comprising:

providing an Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) that produces isopentyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) through an upstream methylerythritol pathway (MEP) and converts the IPP and DMAPP to steviol or steviol glycoside through a recombinantly expressed downstream synthesis pathway comprising geranylgeranylpyrophosphate synthase, ent-copalyl diphosphate synthase, ent-kaurene synthase, ent-kaurene oxidase, and ent-kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase, and optionally one or more UDP glycosyltransferases;

culturing the E. coli to produce the steviol or steviol glycoside, wherein the accumulation of indole in the culture is controlled to below 100 mg/L to thereby increase steviol or steviol glycoside production; and

incorporating the steviol or steviol glycoside into a food product, food additive, beverage, chewing gum, candy, or oral care product.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein accumulation of indole in the culture is controlled by balancing the upstream MEP pathway with the downstream synthesis pathway.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, measuring the amount of concentration of indole continuously or intermittently.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein accumulation of indole in the culture is maintained to below 50 mg/L.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein accumulation of indole in the culture is maintained to below 10 mg/L.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steviol or steviol glycoside is produced at 10 mg/L or more.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the E. coli has additional copies of one or more of the dxs, idi, ispD and ispF genes of the MEP pathway.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the E. coli has an additional dxs-idi-ispD-ispF module.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steviol or steviol glycoside is recovered from the culture in an organic layer.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the product is a flavor enhancer or sweetener.

11. A method for making steviol or steviol glycoside, the method comprising:

providing an Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) that produces isopentyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) through an upstream methylerythritol pathway (MEP) and converts the IPP and DMAPP to steviol or steviol glycoside through a recombinantly expressed downstream synthesis pathway comprising geranylgeranylpyrophosphate synthase, ent-copalyl diphosphate synthase, ent-kaurene synthase, ent-kaurene oxidase, and ent-kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase, and optionally one or more UDP glycosyltransferases;

culturing the E. coli to produce the steviol or steviol glycoside, wherein the accumulation of indole in the culture is controlled to below 100 mg/L to thereby increase steviol or steviol glycoside production.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein accumulation of indole in the culture is controlled by balancing the upstream MEP pathway with the downstream synthesis pathway.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising, measuring the amount of concentration of indole continuously or intermittently.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein accumulation of indole in the culture is maintained to below 50 mg/L.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein accumulation of indole in the culture is maintained to below 10 mg/L.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the steviol or steviol glycoside is produced at 10 mg/L or more.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the E. coli has additional copies of one or more of the dxs, idi, ispD and ispF genes of the MEP pathway.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the E. coli has an additional dxs-idi-ispD-ispF module.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the steviol or steviol glycoside is recovered from the culture in an organic layer.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 10, 2015
From: TOO, HENG-PHON
To: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE
Reel/Frame 035816/0925 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 10, 2015
From: AJIKUMAR, PARAYIL K.; STEPHANOPOULOS, GREGORY
To: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 035880/0260 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 13249388 · Sep 30, 2011
Continuation In Part 12943477 · Nov 10, 2010
Provisional Application 61388543 · Sep 30, 2010
Provisional Application 61280877 · Nov 10, 2009
Related Publication 20150152446A1 · Jun 4, 2015