IP Library Granted Patent US 8,993,280
Granted Patent B2
US 8,993,280 · App. 12/664,142 · Granted Mar 31, 2015

Method for producing alkaloids

Inventors: Fumihiko Sato (Kyoto, JP); Hiromichi Minami (Ishikawa, JP)
Assignee: Kyoto University
C12P17/12C12N15/70C12N15/81C12N15/8243
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,993,280
App. No.
12/664,142
Granted
Mar 31, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides a method for producing an alkaloid, for example, reticuline, comprising providing dopamine as a substrate for a series of actions of monoamine oxidase, norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase, coclaurine-N-methyltransferase and 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase.

Claims (106)

1. A method for producing reticuline from dopamine, which comprises the steps of:

providing a recombinant host cell expressing monoamine oxidase, norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase, coclaurine-N-methyltransferase and 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase, wherein the recombinant host cell is obtained by introducing genes encoding monoamine oxidase, norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase, coclaurine-N-methyltransferase and 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase into an isoquinoline alkaloid non-producing cell, and

culturing the recombinant host cell in the presence of dopamine,

wherein the recombinant host cell is an Escherichia coli cell, and wherein the origin of monoamine oxidase is from Micrococcus luteus , and the origin of norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase, coclaurine-N-methyltransferase and 3′-hydroxv-N-methlcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase are from Coptis, and

wherein the genes encoding monoamine oxidase consist of:

(a) a nucleotide sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1; or

(b) a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, and encoding a protein having monoamine oxidase activity,

wherein the genes encoding norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase consist of:

(a) a nucleotide sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO: 3; or

(b) a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, and encoding a protein having norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase activity,

wherein the genes encoding coclaurine-N-methyltransferase consist of:

(a) a nucleotide sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO: 4; or

(b) a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, and encoding a protein having coclaurine-N-methyltransferase activity,

wherein the genes encoding 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase consist of:

(a) a nucleotide sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO: 5; or

(b) a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, and encoding a protein having 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase activity.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the recombinant host cell further expresses a gene encoding norcoclaurine synthase.

3. A method for producing reticuline from dopamine in vitro, which comprises the steps of:

providing a recombinant host cell expressing monoamine oxidase, norcoclaurine synthase, norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase, coclaurine-N-methyltransferase and 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase, wherein the recombinant host cell is obtained by introducing genes encoding monoamine oxidase, norcoclaurine synthase, norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase, coclaurine-N-methyltransferase and 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase, into an isoquinoline alkaloid non-producing cell,

obtaining an enzyme extract containing monoamine oxidase, norcoclaurine synthase, norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase, coclaurine-N-methyltransferase and 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase from the recombinant host cell,

providing a mixture of the enzyme extract and dopamine, and

producing the alkaloid from the mixture,

wherein the recombinant host cell is an Escherichia coli cell, and wherein the origin of monoamine oxidase is from Micrococcus luteus , and the origin of norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase, coclaurine-N-methyltransferase and 3′-hydroxv-N-methlcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase are from Coptis, and

wherein the genes encoding monoamine oxidase consist of:

(a) a nucleotide sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1; or

(b) a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, and encoding a protein having monoamine oxidase activity,

wherein the genes encoding norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase consist of:

(a) a nucleotide sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO: 3; or

(b) a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, and encoding a protein having norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase activity,

wherein the genes encoding norcoclaurine synthase consist of:

(a) a nucleotide sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2; or

(b) a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, and encoding a protein having norcoclaurine synthase activity,

wherein the genes encoding coclaurine-N-methyltransferase consist of:

(a) a nucleotide sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO: 4; or

(b) a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, and encoding a protein having coclaurine-N-methyltransferase activity,

wherein the genes encoding 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase consist of:

(a) a nucleotide sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO: 5; or

(b) a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, and encoding a protein having 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase activity.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein reticuline is (S)-reticuline.

5. A method for producing an alkaloid from dopamine in vitro, which comprises the steps of:

providing a group of cells expressing monoamine oxidase, norcoclaurine synthase, norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase, coclaurine-N-methyltransferase and 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase, wherein the group of cells consists of two or more types of cells each expressing one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of monoamine oxidase, norcoclaurine synthase, norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase, coclaurine-N-methyltransferase and 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase, and contains at least one type of an isoquinoline alkaloid non-producing cell,

obtaining an enzyme extract containing monoamine oxidase, norcoclaurine synthase, norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase, coclaurine-N-methyltransferase and 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase from the group of cells,

providing a mixture of the enzyme extract and dopamine, and

producing the alkaloid from the mixture, wherein the group of cells are Escherichia coli cells, and wherein the origin of monoamine oxidase is from Micrococcus luteus , and the origin of norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase, coclaurine-N-methyltransferase and 3′-hydroxv-N-methlcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase are from Coptis, and

wherein the genes encoding monoamine oxidase consist of:

(a) a nucleotide sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1; or

(b) a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, and encoding a protein having monoamine oxidase activity,

wherein the genes encoding norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase consist of:

(a) a nucleotide sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO: 3; or

(b) a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, and encoding a protein having norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase activity,

wherein the genes encoding norcoclaurine synthase consist of:

(a) a nucleotide sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2; or

(b) a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, and encoding a protein having norcoclaurine synthase activity,

wherein the genes encoding coclaurine-N-methyltransferase consist of:

(a) a nucleotide sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO: 4; or

(b) a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, and encoding a protein having coclaurine-N-methyltransferase activity,

wherein the genes encoding 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase consist of:

(a) a nucleotide sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO: 5; or

(b) a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, and encoding a protein having 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase activity.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the alkaloid is (S)-reticuline.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the recombinant host cell is cultured in the presence of an amine other than dopamine in addition to dopamine.

8. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the mixture of the enzyme extract and dopamine further comprises an amine other than dopamine.

9. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the mixture of the enzyme extract and dopamine further comprises an amine other than dopamine.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein monoamine oxidase consists of:

(a) a polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, or

(b) a polypeptide sequence having 1 to 30 amino acids deleted, substituted or added in the polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 having monoamine oxidase activity;

wherein norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase consists of:

(a) a polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, or

(b) a polypeptide sequence having 1 to 30 amino acids deleted, substituted or added in the polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 having norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity;

wherein coclaurine-N-methyltransferase consists of:

(a) a polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, or

(b) a polypeptide sequence having 1 to 30 amino acids deleted, substituted or added in the polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 having coclaurine-N-methyltransferase activity; and

wherein 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase consists of:

(a) a polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, or

(b) a polypeptide sequence having 1 to 30 amino acids deleted, substituted or added in the polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 having 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase activity.

11. The method according to claim 3 , wherein monoamine oxidase consists of:

(a) a polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, or

(b) a polypeptide sequence having 1 to 30 amino acids deleted, substituted or added in the polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 having monoamine oxidase activity;

wherein norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase consists of:

(a) a polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, or

(b) a polypeptide sequence having 1 to 30 amino acids deleted, substituted or added in the polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 having norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity;

wherein coclaurine-N-methyltransferase consists of:

(a) a polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, or

(b) a polypeptide sequence having 1 to 30 amino acids deleted, substituted or added in the polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 having coclaurine-N-methyltransferase activity; and

wherein 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase consists of:

(a) a polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, or

(b) a polypeptide sequence having 1 to 30 amino acids deleted, substituted or added in the polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 having 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase activity.

12. The method according to claim 5 , wherein monoamine oxidase consists of:

(a) a polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, or

(b) a polypeptide sequence having 1 to 30 amino acids deleted, substituted or added in the polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 having monoamine oxidase activity;

wherein norcoclaurine-6-O-methyltransferase consists of:

(a) a polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, or

(b) a polypeptide sequence having 1 to 30 amino acids deleted, substituted or added in the polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 having norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase activity;

wherein coclaurine-N-methyltransferase consists of:

(a) a polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, or

(b) a polypeptide sequence having 1 to 30 amino acids deleted, substituted or added in the polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 having coclaurine-N-methyltransferase activity; and

wherein 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase consists of:

(a) a polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, or

(b) a polypeptide sequence having 1 to 30 amino acids deleted, substituted or added in the polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 having 3′-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine-4′-O-methyltransferase activity.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the recombinant host cell further expresses a gene encoding norcoclaurine synthase and wherein the origin of norcoclaurine synthase is from Coptis.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the recombinant host cell further expresses a gene encoding norcoclaurine synthase and wherein the norcoclaurine synthase consists of:

(a) a polypeptide sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; or

(b) a polypeptide sequence having one or a few amino acids deleted, substituted or added in the polypeptide sequence encoded by a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, and having enzymatic activity of NCS.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the recombinant host cell further expresses a gene encoding norcoclaurine synthase and wherein the gene encoding norcoclaurine synthase consists of:

(a) a nucleotide sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2; or

(b) a nucleotide sequence having 80% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, and encoding a protein having an enzyme activity of NCS.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: ISHIKAWA PREFECTURAL PUBLIC UNIVERSITY CORPORATION
To: FERMELANTA, INC.
Reel/Frame 064653/0853 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2020
From: KYOTO UNIVERSITY
To: ISHIKAWA PREFECTURAL PUBLIC UNIVERSITY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052055/0591 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 14, 2009
From: SATO, FUMIHIKO; MINAMI, HIROMICHI
To: KYOTO UNIVERSITY
Reel/Frame 023648/0884 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2007-155069 · Jun 12, 2007 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100184166A1 · Jul 22, 2010