IP Library Granted Patent US 11,566,265
Granted Patent B2
US 11,566,265 · App. 17/314,561 · Granted Jan 31, 2023

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 11,566,265
App. No.
17/314,561
Granted
Jan 31, 2023
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 (23)

1. A method for making a pharmaceutical product, the method comprising:

providing an Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) that produces isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) through an upstream methylerythritol pathway (MEP) and converts the IPP and DMAPP to squalene or derivative thereof through a recombinantly expressed downstream synthesis pathway comprising farnesyl diphosphate synthase and squalene synthase;

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

incorporating the squalene or derivative thereof, into a pharmaceutical 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 terpenoid synthesis pathway.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring the amount or 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 squalene or derivative thereof is produced at 10 mg/L or more.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the squalene or derivative thereof is produced at 100 mg/L or more.

8. 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.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the E. coli has a heterologous dxs-idi-ispDF operon.

10. A method for making a terpenoid, the method comprising:

providing an Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) that produces isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) through an upstream methylerythritol pathway (MEP) and converts the IPP and DMAPP to squalene or derivative thereof through a recombinantly expressed downstream synthesis pathway comprising farnesyl diphosphate synthase and squalene synthase; and

culturing the E. coli to produce the squalene 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 squalene or derivative thereof.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein accumulation of indole in the culture is controlled by balancing the upstream MEP pathway with the downstream terpenoid synthesis pathway.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising, measuring the amount or concentration of indole continuously or intermittently.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein accumulation of indole in the culture is maintained to below 50 mg/L.

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

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the squalene or derivative thereof is produced at 10 mg/L or more.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the squalene or derivative thereof is produced at 100 mg/L or more.

17. The method of claim 10 , 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 10 , wherein the E. coli has a heterologous dxs-idi-ispDF operon.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2021
From: AJIKUMAR, PARAYIL K.; STEPHANOPOULOS, GREGORY
To: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 057167/0859 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2021
From: TOO, HENG-PHON
To: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE
Reel/Frame 057167/0880 →
Continuity (10)
Continuation 16809838 · Mar 5, 2020
Continuation 16031509 · Jul 10, 2018
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 20210340577A1 · Nov 4, 2021