IP Library Granted Patent US 10,633,675
Granted Patent B2
US 10,633,675 · App. 16/031,509 · Granted Apr 28, 2020

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
C12P5/007C12N15/70C12P7/42C12P9/00C12P15/00C12P17/02C12P19/56C12P23/00C12Q1/689C12Q2600/158H05K999/99
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,633,675
App. No.
16/031,509
Granted
Apr 28, 2020
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 (39)

1. A method for making a product containing limonene, or derivative thereof, the method comprising:

providing an Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) that produces isopentyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) through an upstream methylerythritol (MEP) pathway and converts the IPP and DMAPP to limonene, or derivative thereof, through a recombinantly expressed downstream terpenoid synthesis pathway comprising geranyl pyrophosphate synthase and limonene synthase;

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

incorporating the limonene, or derivative thereof, into a product.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the product is a food product, food additive, beverage, chewing gum, candy, or oral care product.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the product is a fragrance product, a cosmetic, a cleaning product, or a soap.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the product is an insecticide, pesticide, or pest control agent.

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

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

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

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

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the limonene or derivative is produced at 10 mg/L or more.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the limonene or derivative is produced at 100 mg/L or more.

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

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the E. coli has a heterologous dxs-idi-ispDF operon.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the E. coli further expresses a P450 enzyme.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the limonene derivative is carvone, carvacrol, and/or carveol.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the E. coli further expresses 4S-limonene synthase, limonene-6-hydroxylase, and carveol dehydrogenase.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the E. coli further expresses (−)-limonene-3-hydroxylase, (−)-isopiperitenol dehydrogenase, and (−)-isopiperitenone reductase to produce a limonene derivative, wherein the limonene derivative is thymol.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the E. coli further expresses (−)-limonene-3-hydroxylase, (−)-isopiperitenol dehydrogenase, (−)-isopiperitenone reductase, (+)-cis-isopulegone isomerase, and (−)-menthone reductase to produce a limonene derivative, wherein the limonene derivative is menthone.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the E. coli further expresses (−)-limonene-3-hydroxylase, (−)-isopiperitenol dehydrogenase, (−)-isopiperitenone reductase, (+)-cis-isopulegone isomerase, (−)-menthone reductase, and (−)-menthol reductase to produce a limonene derivative, wherein the limonene derivative is menthol.

19. A method for making limonene, or derivative thereof, the method comprising:

providing an Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) that produces isopentyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) through an upstream methylerythritol (MEP) pathway and converts the IPP and DMAPP to limonene, or derivative thereof, through a recombinantly expressed downstream terpenoid synthesis pathway comprising geranyl pyrophosphate synthase and limonene synthase;

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

recovering the limonene, or derivative thereof.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein accumulation of indole in the culture is controlled by balancing the upstream MEP pathway with the downstream terpenoid synthesis pathway.

21. The method of claim 19 , further comprising measuring the amount or concentration of indole continuously or intermittently.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein accumulation of indole in the culture is maintained to below 50 mg/L.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein accumulation of indole in the culture is maintained to below 10 mg/L.

24. The method of claim 19 , wherein the limonene or derivative is produced at 10 mg/L or more.

25. The method of claim 19 , wherein the limonene or derivative is produced at 100 mg/L or more.

26. The method of claim 19 , wherein the E. coli has additional copies of one or more of dxs, idi, ispD and ispF genes of the MEP pathway.

27. The method of claim 19 , wherein the E. coli has a heterologous dxs-idi-ispDF operon.

28. The method of claim 19 , wherein the E. coli further expresses a P450 enzyme.

29. The method of claim 19 , wherein the limonene derivative is selected from carvone, carvacrol, and/or carveol.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the E. coli further expresses 4S-limonene synthase, limonene-6-hydroxylase, and carveol dehydrogenase.

31. The method of claim 19 , wherein the E. coli further expresses (−)-limonene-3-hydroxylase, (−)-isopiperitenol dehydrogenase, and (−)-isopiperitenone reductase to produce a limonene derivative, wherein the limonene derivative is thymol.

32. The method of claim 19 , wherein the E. coli further expresses (−)-limonene-3-hydroxylase, (−)-isopiperitenol dehydrogenase, (−)-isopiperitenone reductase, (+)-cis-isopulegone isomerase, and (−)-menthone reductase to produce a limonene derivative, wherein the limonene derivative is menthone.

33. The method of claim 19 , wherein the E. coli further expresses (−)-limonene-3-hydroxylase, (−)-isopiperitenol dehydrogenase, (−)-isopiperitenone reductase, (+)-cis-isopulegone isomerase, (−)-menthone reductase, and (−)-menthol reductase to produce a limonene derivative, wherein the limonene derivative is menthol.

Assignments (3)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Aug 2, 2022
From: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
To: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH), U.S. DEPT. OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (DHHS), U.S. GOVERNMENT
Reel/Frame 061045/0374 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2018
From: HENG-PHON TOO
To: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE
Reel/Frame 047465/0126 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2018
From: AJIKUMAR, PARAYIL K.; STEPHANOPOULOS, GREGORY
To: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 047465/0225 →
Continuity (8)
Continuation 15924700 · Mar 19, 2018
Continuation 15208099 · Jul 12, 2016
Continuation 14552676 · Nov 25, 2014
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 20190017077A1 · Jan 17, 2019