28 遺伝子、酵素レベルでのカロテノイド生合成研究(口頭発表の部)

概要

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The most important function of carotenoid pigments is thought to protect organisms against photooxidative damage. carotenoids also function as a precursor of vitamin A in mammals. The enzymes and genes which mediate the biosynthesis of carotenoids are virtually unknown. We have elucidated for the first time the pathway for their biosynthesis at the level of enzyme-catalyzed reactions, using bacterial carotenoid biosynthesis genes. These genes were cloned from a phytopathogenic bacterium, Erwinia uredovora, in Escherichia coli and located on a 6,918-bp fragment whose nucleotide sequence was determined. Six open reading frames were found and designated the crtE, crtX, crtY, crtl, crtB, and crtZ genes. the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway in Erwinia uredovora was clarified by analyzing carotenoids accumulated in E. coli transformants in which some of these six genes were expressed, as follows: FPP crtE GGPP crtB phytoene crtl lycopene crtY β-carotene crtZ zeaxanthin crtX zeaxanthin-β-D-diglucoside. β-Carotene was produced in some microorganisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae which can produce no carotenoid, by introducing the four crt genes required for β-carotene biosynthesis. Some carotenoid biosynthesis genes of the other organisms such as higher plants were also functionally assigned.
天然有機化合物討論会の論文
1992-09-10