IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,522,848
Granted Patent B2
US 12,522,848 · App. 17/779,561 · Granted Jan 13, 2026

Host cells and their use for producing ribitol and further monosaccharides

Inventors: Astrid Schäfer (Reinach, CH); Yiming Chang (Reinach, CH); Sumire Honda Malca (Reinach, CH)
Assignee: DANSTAR FERMENT AG
C12P7/18C12N1/16C12N9/0006C12N15/80
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,522,848
App. No.
17/779,561
Granted
Jan 13, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to host cells and their use wherein the host cells are capable of producing D-ribulose and incapable of or have a reduced capability of converting D-ribulose to a molecule other than ribitol, wherein the host cells comprise a heterologous nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide capable of converting D-ribulose to ribitol with a cofactor preference for NADPH.

Claims (20)

1 . A host cell that is capable of producing D-ribulose, wherein the host cell comprises one or more heterologous nucleic acids encoding a polypeptide capable of converting D-ribulose to ribitol selected from:

(a) a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of converting D-ribulose to ribitol comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 85% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 7, wherein said polypeptide has a serine and an arginine at the positions corresponding to positions 45 and 46 of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 7, respectively;

(b) a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of converting D-ribulose to ribitol comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 85% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein said polypeptide has a serine and an arginine at the positions corresponding to positions 45 and 46 of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 9, respectively; and

(c) a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of converting D-ribulose to ribitol comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 85% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 11, wherein said polypeptide has a serine and an arginine at the positions corresponding to positions 38 and 39 of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 11, respectively;

wherein the host cell comprises an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide that is capable of converting D-ribulose to D-arabitol, wherein said endogenous gene is inactivated through deletion of the gene, and wherein the host cell is a yeast cell.

2 . The host cell of claim 1 , wherein the host cell is capable of producing D-ribulose from D-glucose.

3 . The host cell of claim 1 , wherein the host cell comprises a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of converting D-ribulose to ribitol comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 7, and wherein said polypeptide has a serine and an arginine at the positions corresponding to positions 45 and 46 of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 7, respectively.

4 . The host cell of claim 1 , wherein the host cell comprises a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of converting D-ribulose to ribitol comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 9, and wherein said polypeptide has a serine and an arginine at the positions corresponding to positions 45 and 46 of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 9, respectively.

5 . The host cell of claim 1 , wherein the host cell comprises a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of converting D-ribulose to ribitol comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 11, and wherein said polypeptide has a serine and an arginine at the positions corresponding to positions 38 and 39 of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 11, respectively.

6 . The host cell of claim 1 , wherein the yeast cell is Pichia ohmeri.

7 . The host cell of claim 1 , wherein the host cell comprises a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of converting D-ribulose to ribitol comprising SEQ ID NO 7.

8 . The host cell of claim 1 , wherein the host cell comprises a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of converting D-ribulose to ribitol comprising SEQ ID NO 9.

9 . The host cell of claim 1 , wherein the host cell comprises a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of converting D-ribulose to ribitol comprising SEQ ID NO 11.

10 . The host cell of claim 1 , wherein the host cell comprises more than one of the heterologous nucleic acids encoding a polypeptide capable of converting D-ribulose to ribitol.

11 . The host cell of claim 10 , wherein the host cell comprises (a) a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of converting D-ribulose to ribitol comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 85% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:7, wherein said polypeptide has a serine and an arginine at the positions corresponding to positions 45 and 46 of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 7, respectively, and (b) a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of converting D-ribulose to ribitol comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 85% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 9, wherein said polypeptide has a serine and an arginine at the positions corresponding to positions 45 and 46 of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 9, respectively.

12 . The host cell of claim 1 , wherein the host cell comprises a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of converting D-ribulose to ribitol comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 85% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 7, and wherein said polypeptide has a serine and an arginine at the positions corresponding to positions 45 and 46 of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 7, respectively.

13 . The host cell of claim 1 , wherein the host cell comprises a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of converting D-ribulose to ribitol comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 85% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 9, and wherein said polypeptide has a serine and an arginine at the positions corresponding to positions 45 and 46 of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 9, respectively.

14 . The host cell of claim 1 , wherein the host cell comprises a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of converting D-ribulose to ribitol comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 85% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 11, and wherein said polypeptide has a serine and an arginine at the positions corresponding to positions 38 and 39 of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 11, respectively.

15 . A method for producing ribitol comprising culturing the host cell of claim 1 under cell culture conditions, wherein ribitol is produced by the host cell.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising isolating the produced ribitol.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Jun 27, 2024
From: EVOLVA SA
To: DANSTAR FERMENT AG
Reel/Frame 067863/0857 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 12, 2022
From: SCHÄFER, ASTRID; CHANG, YIMING; MALCA, SUMIRE HONDA
To: EVOLVA SA
Reel/Frame 060479/0204 →
Priority Claims (1)
DK PA 2019 01504 · Dec 18, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230068713A1 · Mar 2, 2023
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