Production of steviol glycosides in recombinant hosts

1. A recombinant host cell, comprising a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its C-19 carboxyl group and having at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:4 and having one or more amino acid substitutions of residues 129, 181, 192, 315, and 385 of SEQ ID NO:4;

wherein the recombinant host cell is capable of producing one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of a steviol precursor; and

wherein the recombinant host cell comprises an insect cell, a fungal cell, an algal cell, an archaeal cell, or a bacterial cell.

2. The recombinant host cell of claim 1 , wherein the polypeptide further comprises at least one amino acid substitution of SEQ ID NO:4 that is L15V, 116L, F18Y, L20A, F27M, 128L, F30L, G31S, G31A, T49I, N51K, Q67E, A68T, C73F, E75D, M79A, E83D, E83K, S84A, L86I, E87D, T88R, K90W, Q91E, S96T, D99E, E107S, T110P, 1111V, A113C, 1115V, M119F, T120L, E121P, V123A, 1128K, E129Q, G135A, S136A, Q140N, A141S, V143A, S146N, L147I, I156L, E162T, V166L, F169L, Q173E, E176D, L179S, 1180F, L181V, N183D, H184P, E185G, Q186S, 1187Y, Q188P, S189A, W191F, S192D, Q193M, M194V, L195V, A200S, Q204K, F209L, N211H, S212T, K215E, 1221V, E222D, T224M, V232T, L237I, D247E, N252Y, N255S, Y257F, A259P, E263A, M265I, N266K, N266E, D269N, E274G, A280S, L284M, V285A, H287L, V292M, 1295L, 1295M, T296A, R297W, A298G, 1300K, D301N, D303N, 1310V, K311R, K313S, E315Q, G316A, E320K, L322F, V325E, 1326T, T328S, G329E, L332I, I333V, A335S, K338P, D341E, E346P, E346K, 5347A, F357W, 1364L, V370M, V371I, M373V, Q375L, F376W, S377T, T380S, L385F, D387E, E388D, 1389V, L390W, G391K, V396A, N401K, G407E, N408E, L409I, A410E, S411D, M415E, 1416V, E419G, 1424E, R426K, K427E, D434E, N448K, D449N, S455A, E456K, or 1458V.

3. The recombinant host cell of claim 1 , further comprising:

(a) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) from farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) and isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP);

wherein the polypeptide capable of synthesizing GGPP comprises a polypeptide having at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:20;

(b) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from GGPP;

wherein the polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate comprises a polypeptide having at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:34;

(c) a gene encoding an a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate;

wherein the polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurene comprises a polypeptide having at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:44;

(d) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurenoic acid from ent-kaurene;

wherein the polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurenoic acid comprises a polypeptide having at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:60;

(e) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing steviol from ent-kaurenoic acid;

wherein the polypeptide capable of reducing cytochrome P450 complex comprises a polypeptide having at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:86; and

(f) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of reducing cytochrome P450 complex;

wherein the polypeptide capable of synthesizing steviol comprises a polypeptide having at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:110;

and further comprising one or more of:

(g) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its C-13 hydroxyl group;

wherein the polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its C-13 hydroxyl group comprises a polypeptide having at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:7;

(h) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the C3′ of the 13-O-glucose, 19-O-glucose, or both 13-O-glucose and 19-O-glucose of a steviol glycoside;

wherein the polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the C3′ of the 13-O-glucose, 19-O-glucose, or both 13-O-glucose and 19-O-glucose of a steviol glycoside comprises a polypeptide having at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:9; or

(i) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the C2′ of the 13-O-glucose, 19-O-glucose, or both 13-O-glucose and 19-O-glucose of a steviol glycoside;

wherein the polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the C2′ of the 13-O-glucose, 19-O-glucose, or both 13-O-glucose and 19-O-glucose of a steviol glycoside comprises a polypeptide having at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:11;

wherein at least one of the genes in items (a)-(i) is a recombinant gene.

4. The recombinant host cell of claim 1 , wherein the one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of the steviol precursor comprises kaurenoate-19-O-glucoside (19-KMG), steviol-13-O-glucoside (13-SMG), steviol-1,2-Bioside, steviol-1,3-Bioside, steviol-19-O-glucoside (19-SMG), 1,2-Stevioside, 1,3-stevioside (RebG), rubusoside, rebaudioside A (RebA), rebaudioside B (RebB), rebaudioside C (RebC), rebaudioside D (RebD), rebaudioside E (RebE), rebaudioside F (RebF), rebaudioside M (RebM), rebaudioside Q (RebQ), rebaudioside I (RebI), dulcoside A, a mono-glycosylated ent-kaurenoic acid, a di-glycosylated ent-kaurenoic acid, a tri-glycosylated ent-kaurenoic acid, a mono-glycosylated ent-kaurenols, a di-glycosylated ent-kaurenol, a tri-glycosylated ent-kaurenol, a tri-glycosylated steviol glycoside, a tetra-glycosylated steviol glycoside, a penta-glycosylated steviol glycoside, a hexa-glycosylated steviol glycoside, a hepta-glycosylated steviol glycoside, or an isomer thereof.

5. The recombinant host cell of claim 1 , wherein expression of the polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its C-19 carboxyl group, having at least 90% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:4 and having the one or more amino acid substitutions, increases or decreases the amount of 19-KMG, 19-SMG, and/or rubusoside produced by the cell by at least 5% relative to a corresponding host expressing a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its C-19 carboxyl group lacking the one or more amino acid substitutions.

6. The recombinant host cell of claim 1 , wherein the recombinant host cell is a Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell.

7. The recombinant host cell of claim 1 , wherein the recombinant host cell is a Yarrowia lipolytica cell.

8. A method of producing one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of a steviol precursor in a cell culture, comprising culturing the recombinant host cell of claim 1 in the cell culture, under conditions in which the genes are expressed; and wherein the one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of the steviol precursor is produced by the recombinant host cell.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the genes are constitutively expressed.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the expression of the genes is induced.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising isolating the produced one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of the steviol precursor from the cell culture;

wherein the isolating step comprises separating a liquid phase of the cell culture from a solid phase of the cell culture to obtain a supernatant comprising the produced one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of the steviol precursor, and:

(a) contacting the supernatant with one or more adsorbent resins in order to obtain at least a portion of the produced one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of the steviol precursor; or

(b) contacting the supernatant with one or more ion exchange or reversed-phase chromatography columns in order to obtain at least a portion of the produced one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of the steviol precursor; or

(c) crystallizing or extracting the produced one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of the steviol precursor;

thereby isolating the produced one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of the steviol precursor.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising recovering the one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of the steviol precursor from the cell culture;

wherein the recovered one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of the steviol precursor is enriched for the one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of the steviol precursor relative to a steviol glycoside composition of Stevia plant and has a reduced level of Stevia plant-derived components relative to a steviol glycoside composition obtained from a plant-derived Stevia extract.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of the steviol precursor comprises 19-KMG, 13-SMG, steviol-1,2-Bioside, steviol-1,3-Bioside, 19-SMG, 1,2-Stevioside, RebG, rubusoside, RebA, RebB, RebC, RebD, RebE, RebF, RebM, RebQ, RebI, dulcoside A, a mono-glycosylated ent-kaurenoic acid, a di-glycosylated ent-kaurenoic acid, a tri-glycosylated ent-kaurenoic acid, a mono-glycosylated ent-kaurenols, a di-glycosylated ent-kaurenol, a tri-glycosylated ent-kaurenol, a tri-glycosylated steviol glycoside, a tetra-glycosylated steviol glycoside, a penta-glycosylated steviol glycoside, a hexa-glycosylated steviol glycoside, a hepta-glycosylated steviol glycoside, or an isomer thereof.

14. A cell culture, comprising the recombinant host cell of claim 1 , the cell culture further comprising:

(a) the one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of the steviol precursor produced by the recombinant host cell;

(b) glucose, fructose, sucrose, xylose, rhamnose, UDP-glucose, UDP-rhamnose, UDP-xylose, or N-acetyl-glucosamine; and

(c) supplemental nutrients comprising trace metals, vitamins, salts, yeast nitrogen base (YNB), or amino acids;

wherein the one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of the steviol precursor are present at a concentration of at least 1 mg/liter of the cell culture; and

wherein the cell culture is enriched for the one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of the steviol precursor relative to a steviol glycoside composition from a Stevia plant and has a reduced level of Stevia plant-derived components relative to a plant-derived Stevia extract.

15. A cell lysate from the recombinant host cell of claim 1 grown in the cell culture, comprising the one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of the steviol precursor produced by the recombinant host cell and further comprising:

(a) glucose, fructose, sucrose, xylose, rhamnose, UDP-glucose, UDP-rhamnose, UDP-xylose, or N-acetyl-glucosamine; and

(b) supplemental nutrients comprising trace metals, vitamins, salts, yeast nitrogen base, YNB, or amino acids;

wherein the one or more steviol glycosides or glycosides of the steviol precursor produced by the recombinant host cell is present at a concentration of at least 1 mg/liter of the cell culture.