Fusion proteins useful for modifying terpenes

1. A fusion protein comprising: (a) a terpene synthase (TS) comprising an amino acid sequence having (i) at least 90% identity with SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, or SEQ ID NO:16, and (ii) the amino acid sequence Asp-Asp-Xaa-Xaa-Asp (DDXXD) (SEQ ID NO:17) or the amino acid sequence Asp-Asp-Xaa-Xaa-Glu (DDXXE) (SEQ ID NO:18), (b) a peptide linker, and (c) a P450 enzyme comprising (i) an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity with SEQ ID NO:19 or SEQ ID NO:20, and (ii) a CXG motif or EXXR motif.

2. The fusion protein of claim 1 , wherein the TS comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 95% identity with SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, or SEQ ID NO:16.

3. The fusion protein of claim 1 , wherein the TS comprises the amino acid sequence Asp-Asp-Xaa-Xaa-Asp (DDXXD) (SEQ ID NO:17).

4. The fusion protein of claim 1 , wherein the TS comprises the amino acid sequence Asp-Asp-Xaa-Xaa-Glu (DDXXE) (SEQ ID NO:18).

5. The fusion protein of claim 1 , wherein the P450 enzyme comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 95% identity with SEQ ID NO:19 or SEQ ID NO:20.

6. The fusion protein of claim 1 , wherein the P450 enzyme comprises the amino acid sequence FXXGXRXCXG (SEQ ID NO:21).

7. The fusion protein of claim 1 , wherein the peptide linker comprises of 0-1000 amino acid residues.

8. The fusion protein of claim 7 , wherein the peptide linker comprises of 1-5 repeats of the amino acid sequence GSG.

9. A genetically modified host cell capable of producing a modified terpenes, said genetically modified host cell comprising the fusion protein of claim 1 .

10. A nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding the fusion protein of claim 1 operatively linked to a promoter.

11. A vector comprising the nucleic acid of claim 10 .

12. A genetically modified host cell capable of producing a modified terpenes, said genetically modified host cell comprising the nucleic acid of claim 10 or a vector of claim 11 .

13. The genetically modified host cell of claim 12 , wherein the genetically modified host cell is a bacterium.

14. The genetically modified host cell of claim 13 , wherein the bacterium is of the genus Escherichia, Enterobacter, Azotobacter, Erwinia, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Klebsielia, Proteus, Salmonella, Serratia, Shigella, Rhizobia, Vitreoscilla , or Paracoccus.

15. The genetically modified host cell of claim 12 , wherein the genetically modified host cell is a eukaryotic cell.

16. The genetically modified host cell of claim 15 , wherein the eukaryotic cell is a yeast.

17. A method for producing a modified terpene comprising: (a) providing the genetically modified host cell of claim 1 , or a culture thereof, (b) culturing or growing the genetically modified host cell to produce the modified terpene, (c) and/or extracting or separating the modified terpene from the culture, and (d) and/or introducing a fuel additive to the extracted or separated the modified terpene.

18. A fuel composition comprising: (a) a modified terpene produced by the fusion protein of claim 1 ; and (b) a fuel additive.

19. The fusion protein of claim 2 , wherein the TS comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 99% identity with SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, or SEQ ID NO:16.

20. The fusion protein of claim 19 , wherein the TS comprises an amino acid sequence comprising SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, or SEQ ID NO:16.

21. The fusion protein of claim 5 , wherein the P450 enzyme comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 99% identity with SEQ ID NO:19 or SEQ ID NO:20.

22. The fusion protein of claim 21 , wherein the P450 enzyme comprises an amino acid sequence comprising SEQ ID NO:19 or SEQ ID NO:20.