Tropane Alkaloid Transporters and Methods of Making Tropane Alkaloids Using the Same

1 . An engineered non-plant cell that produces a precursor of a tropane alkaloid product, a tropane alkaloid product, or a derivative of a tropane alkaloid product, wherein the engineered non-plant cell comprises a plurality of heterologous coding sequences encoding a plurality of enzymes within a pathway for producing the precursor of a tropane alkaloid product, the tropane alkaloid product, or the derivative of a tropane alkaloid product;

wherein the cell comprises a plurality of heterologous coding sequences encoding a plurality of transporter proteins selected from the group of multidrug resistance transporter, pleiotropic drug resistance transporter, ATP-binding cassette transporter, multidrug and toxin extrusion transporter, nitrate transporter 1/peptide transporter family transporter, purine uptake permease-like transporter, and major facilitator superfamily transporter.

2 . The cell of claim 1 , wherein the cell is a microbial cell.

3 . The cell of claim 2 , wherein the cell is a fungal cell.

4 . The cell of claims 1-3 , wherein the cell comprises one or more alterations to one or more endogenous metabolic pathways or regulatory mechanisms selected from the group of endogenous arginine metabolism, endogenous phenylalanine and phenylpropanoid metabolism, endogenous polyamine regulatory mechanisms and metabolism, endogenous acetate metabolism, and endogenous glycoside metabolism.

5 . The cell of claims 1-4 , wherein the engineered cell comprises one or more heterologous coding sequences for one or more enzymes, wherein at least one of the enzymes is selected from the group consisting of arginine decarboxylase, agmatine ureohydrolase, agmatinase, putrescine N-methyltransferase, N-methylputrescine oxidase, pyrrolidine ketide synthase, tropinone synthase, cytochrome P450 reductase, tropinone reductase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, tyrosine ammonia-lyase, phenylpyruvate reductase, 4-coumarate-CoA ligase, 3-phenyllactic acid UDP-glucosyltransferase 84A27, littorine synthase, littorine mutase, hyoscyamine dehydrogenase, hyoscyamine 6β-hydroxylase/dioxygenase, cocaine synthase, a metazoan hepatic cytochrome P450, senecionine N-oxygenase, pyrrolizidine N-oxygenase, and a tropane alkaloid-detoxifying enzyme.

6 . The cell of any of claims 1-5 , wherein the engineered cell comprises one or more heterologous coding sequences encoding one or more multidrug resistance (MDR) transporters or pleiotropic drug resistance (PDR) transporters that individually or collectively alter the movement of one or more precursors of a tropane alkaloid product, tropane alkaloid products, or derivatives of a tropane alkaloid product between cellular compartments or across cellular membranes, or that alter the spatial distribution of such molecules across cellular compartments or across cellular membranes, in a manner which is conducive to the accumulation of one or more precursors of a tropane alkaloid product, tropane alkaloid products, or derivatives of a tropane alkaloid product.

7 . The cell of any of claims 1-6 , wherein the engineered cell comprises one or more heterologous coding sequences encoding one or more ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters that individually or collectively alter the movement of one or more precursors of a tropane alkaloid product, tropane alkaloid products, or derivatives of a tropane alkaloid product between cellular compartments or across cellular membranes, or that alter the spatial distribution of such molecules across cellular compartments or across cellular membranes, in a manner which is conducive to the accumulation of one or more precursors of a tropane alkaloid product, tropane alkaloid products, or derivatives of a tropane alkaloid product.

8 . The cell of any of claims 1-7 , wherein the engineered cell comprises one or more heterologous coding sequences encoding one or more multidrug and toxin extrusion (MATE) transporters that individually or collectively alter the movement of one or more precursors of a tropane alkaloid product, tropane alkaloid products, or derivatives of a tropane alkaloid product between cellular compartments or across cellular membranes, or that alter the spatial distribution of such molecules across cellular compartments or across cellular membranes, in a manner which is conducive to the accumulation of one or more precursors of a tropane alkaloid product, tropane alkaloid products, or derivatives of a tropane alkaloid product.

9 . The cell of any of claims 1-8 , wherein the engineered cell comprises one or more heterologous coding sequences encoding one or more nitrate transporter 1/peptide transporter family (NPF/NRT) transporters that individually or collectively alter the movement of one or more precursors of a tropane alkaloid product, tropane alkaloid products, or derivatives of a tropane alkaloid product between cellular compartments or across cellular membranes, or that alter the spatial distribution of such molecules across cellular compartments or across cellular membranes, in a manner which is conducive to the accumulation of one or more precursors of a tropane alkaloid product, tropane alkaloid products, or derivatives of a tropane alkaloid product.

10 . The cell of any of claims 1-9 , wherein the engineered cell comprises one or more heterologous coding sequences encoding one or more purine uptake permease-like (PUP) transporters that individually or collectively alter the movement of one or more precursors of a tropane alkaloid product, tropane alkaloid products, or derivatives of a tropane alkaloid product between cellular compartments or across cellular membranes, or that alter the spatial distribution of such molecules across cellular compartments or across cellular membranes, in a manner which is conducive to the accumulation of one or more precursors of a tropane alkaloid product, tropane alkaloid products, or derivatives of a tropane alkaloid product.

11 . The cell of any of claims 1-10 , wherein the engineered cell comprises one or more heterologous coding sequences encoding one or more major facilitator superfamily (MFS) transporters that individually or collectively alter the movement of one or more precursors of a tropane alkaloid product, tropane alkaloid products, or derivatives of a tropane alkaloid product between cellular compartments or across cellular membranes, or that alter the spatial distribution of such molecules across cellular compartments or across cellular membranes, in a manner which is conducive to the accumulation of one or more precursors of a tropane alkaloid product, tropane alkaloid products, or derivatives of a tropane alkaloid product.

12 . The cell of any of claims 1-11 , wherein endogenous arginine metabolism is altered in the cell by modifications to one or more coding sequences of one or more endogenous enzymes, wherein at least one of the enzymes is selected from the group consisting of glutamate N-acetyltransferase, acetylglutamate kinase, N-acetyl-γ-glutamyl-phosphate reductase, acetylomithine aminotransferase, omithine acetyltransferase, ornithine carbamoyltransferase, argininosuccinate synthase, argininosuccinate lyase, and arginase.

13 . The cell of any of claims 1-12 , wherein endogenous phenylalanine and phenylpropanoid metabolism is altered in the cell by modifications to one or more coding sequences of one or more endogenous enzymes, wherein at least one of the enzymes is selected from the group consisting of pentafunctional AROM polypeptide, chorismate synthase, chorismate mutase, prephenate dehydratase, aromatic aminotransferase, and phenylacrylic acid decarboxylase.

14 . The cell of any of claims 1-13 , wherein endogenous polyamine regulatory mechanisms are altered in the cell by modifications to one or more coding sequences of one or more endogenous proteins, wherein at least one of the proteins is selected from the group consisting of methylthioadenosine phosphorylase, ornithine decarboxylase, ornithine decarboxylase antizyme, polyamine oxidase, spermidine synthase, spermine synthase, polyamine transporter, and polyamine permease.

15 . The cell of any of claims 1-14 , wherein endogenous acetate metabolism is altered in the cell by modifications to one or more coding sequences of one or more endogenous enzymes, wherein at least one of the enzymes is selected from the group consisting of alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase.

16 . The cell of any of claims 1-15 , wherein endogenous glycoside metabolism is altered in the cell by modifications to one or more coding sequences of one or more endogenous enzymes, wherein at least one of the enzymes is selected from the group consisting of glucan 1,3-β-glucosidase and steryl-β-glucosidase.

17 . The cell of any of claims 4-16 , wherein the modifications to one or more coding sequences is selected from the group consisting of a feedback inhibition alleviating mutation in a biosynthetic enzyme or regulatory protein gene native to the cell, a transcriptional modulation modification of a biosynthetic enzyme gene or transporter protein gene native to the cell, and an inactivating mutation in an enzyme, transporter, or protein native to the cell.

18 . The cell of any of claims 1-17 , wherein the engineered cell comprises one or more heterologous coding sequences encoding one or more enzymes which comprise one or more soluble protein domains fused to the N-terminus of a serine carboxypeptidase-like acyltransferase domain for the purpose of enabling functional expression of the acyltransferase domain in a sub-cellular compartment of the engineered cell.

19 . The cell of any of claims 1-18 , wherein the cell produces a precursor of a tropane alkaloid product selected from the group consisting of an agmatine, N-carbamoylputrescine, N-methylputrescine, 4-methylaminobutanal, N-methylpyrrolinium, 4-(1-methyl-2-pyrrodinyl)-3-oxobutanoic acid, tropinone, tropine, pseudotropine, ecgonine, methylecgonine, coenzyme A covalently bonded to phenyllactic acid by means of a thioester linkage, or a sugar covalently bonded to cinnamic acid, ferulic acid, coumaric acid, or phenyllactic acid by means of a glycosidic linkage.

20 . The cell of any of claims 1-19 , wherein the cell produces a tropane alkaloid product selected from the group consisting of a littorine, hyoscyamine, atropine, anisodamine, scopolamine, calystegine, cocaine, or a non-natural tropane alkaloid.

21 . The cell of any of claims 1-20 , wherein the cell produces a derivative of a tropane alkaloid product selected from the group consisting of p-hydroxyatropine, p-hydroxyhyoscyamine, p-fluorohyoscyamine, p-chlorohyoscyamine, p-bromohyoscyamine, p-fluoroscopolamine, p-chloropscopolamine, p-bromoscopolamine, N-methylhyoscyamine, N-butylhyoscyamine, N-methylscopolamine, N-butylscopolamine, N-acetylhyoscyamine, N-acetylscopolamine, nortropine, norpseudotropine, norlittorine, norhyoscyamine, noratropine, noranisodamine, norscopolamine, tropine N-oxide, pseudotropine N-oxide, littorine N-oxide, hyoscyamine N-oxide, atropine N-oxide, anisodamine N-oxide, and scopolamine N-oxide.

22 . The cell of claim 20 , wherein the cell produces a tropane alkaloid product selected from the group consisting of a hyoscyamine, atropine, or a scopolamine.

23 . The cell of any of claims 20-21 , wherein the cell produces a derivative of a tropane alkaloid product selected from the group consisting of norhyoscyamine, noratropine, norscopolamine, hyoscyamine N-oxide, atropine N-oxide, or scopolamine N-oxide.

24 . An engineered non-plant cell that produces a tropane alkaloid product or a derivative of a tropane alkaloid product, wherein the engineered non-plant cell comprises a plurality of heterologous coding sequences encoding a plurality of enzymes and a plurality of transporters within a pathway for producing the tropane alkaloid product or the derivative of a tropane alkaloid product.

25 . The cell of claim 24 , wherein the cell is a microbial cell.

26 . The cell of claim 25 , wherein the cell is a fungal cell.

27 . The cell of claims 24-26 , wherein the engineered cell comprises one or more heterologous coding sequences for one or more enzymes, wherein at least one of the enzymes is selected from the group consisting of arginine decarboxylase, agmatine ureohydrolase, agmatinase, putrescine N-methyltransferase, N-methylputrescine oxidase, pyrrolidine ketide synthase, tropinone synthase, cytochrome P450 reductase, tropinone reductase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, tyrosine ammonia-lyase, phenylpyruvate reductase, 4-coumarate-CoA ligase, 3-phenyllactic acid UDP-glucosyltransferase 84A27, littorine synthase, littorine mutase, hyoscyamine dehydrogenase, hyoscyamine 60-hydroxylase/dioxygenase, cocaine synthase, a metazoan hepatic cytochrome P450, senecionine N-oxygenase, pyrrolizidine N-oxygenase, and a tropane alkaloid-detoxifying enzyme.

28 . The cell of claims 24-27 , wherein the engineered cell comprises one or more heterologous coding sequences encoding one or more transporters selected from the group of MDR transporter, PDR transporter, ABC transporter, MATE transporter, NPF/NRT transporter, PUP transporter, and MFS transporter that individually or collectively translocate one or more precursors of a tropane alkaloid product, tropane alkaloid products, or derivatives of a tropane alkaloid product across a cellular membrane in a manner which is conducive to the accumulation of one or more precursors of a tropane alkaloid product, tropane alkaloid products, or derivatives of a tropane alkaloid product.

29 . The cell of any of claims 24-28 , wherein the engineered cell comprises one or more heterologous coding sequences encoding one or more enzymes which comprise one or more soluble protein domains fused to the N-terminus of a serine carboxypeptidase-like acyltransferase domain for the purpose of enabling functional expression of the acyltransferase domain in a sub-cellular compartment of the engineered cell.

30 . The cell of any of claims 24-29 , wherein the cell produces a tropane alkaloid product selected from the group consisting of a littorine, hyoscyamine, atropine, anisodamine, scopolamine, calystegine, cocaine, or a non-natural tropane alkaloid.

31 . The cell of any of claims 24-30 , wherein the cell produces a derivative of a tropane alkaloid product selected from the group consisting of p-hydroxyatropine, p-hydroxyhyoscyamine, p-fluorohyoscyamine, p-chlorohyoscyamine, p-bromohyoscyamine, p-fluoroscopolamine, p-chloropscopolamine, p-bromoscopolamine, N-methylhyoscyamine, N-butylhyoscyamine, N-methylscopolamine, N-butylscopolamine, N-acetylhyoscyamine, N-acetylscopolamine, nortropine, norpseudotropine, norlittorine, norhyoscyamine, noratropine, noranisodamine, norscopolamine, tropine N-oxide, pseudotropine N-oxide, littorine N-oxide, hyoscyamine N-oxide, atropine N-oxide, anisodamine N-oxide, and scopolamine N-oxide.

32 . The cell of claim 30 , wherein the cell produces a tropane alkaloid product selected from the group consisting of a hyoscyamine, atropine, or a scopolamine.

33 . The cell of any of claims 30-31 , wherein the cell produces a derivative of a tropane alkaloid product selected from the group consisting of norhyoscyamine, noratropine, norscopolamine, hyoscyamine N-oxide, atropine N-oxide, or scopolamine N-oxide.

34 . A method for producing a tropane alkaloid product, a precursor of a tropane alkaloid product, or a derivative of a tropane alkaloid product comprising

(a) culturing a cell of any of claims 1 - 33 under conditions suitable for protein production;

(b) adding a starting compound to the cell culture; and

(c) recovering the tropane alkaloid product, the precursor of a tropane alkaloid product, or the derivative of a tropane alkaloid product from the culture.

35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the cells are cultured in a fed-batch or batch fermentation.

36 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the starting compound added to the cell culture is a sugar or a substrate which contains one or more sugars, or which is converted to one or more sugars during microbial fermentation.

37 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the starting compound added to the cell culture is an amino acid or a mixture comprising one or more amino acids, or a substrate which is converted to one or more amino acids during microbial fermentation.

38 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the starting compound added to the cell culture is a precursor of a tropane alkaloid product.

39 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the precursor of a tropane alkaloid product, the tropane alkaloid product, or the derivative of a tropane alkaloid product is recovered via a process comprising a liquid-liquid extraction, chromatography separation, distillation, or recrystallization.