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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 2005, p. 3294-3301, Vol. 71, No. 6
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.6.3294-3301.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Novel Carotenoid Oxidase Involved in Biosynthesis of 4,4'-Diapolycopene Dialdehyde

Luan Tao, Andreas Schenzle,{dagger} J. Martin Odom, and Qiong Cheng*

Biological and Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Central Research and Development, E. I. DuPont de Nemours Inc., Wilmington, Delaware 19880-0328

Received 8 October 2004/ Accepted 28 December 2004

Biosynthesis of C30 carotenoids is relatively restricted in nature but has been described in Staphylococcus and in methylotrophic bacteria. We report here identification of a novel gene (crtNb) involved in conversion of 4,4'-diapolycopene to 4,4'-diapolycopene aldehyde. An aldehyde dehydrogenase gene (ald) responsible for the subsequent oxidation of 4,4'-diapolycopene aldehyde to 4,4'-diapolycopene acid was also identified in Methylomonas. CrtNb has significant sequence homology with diapophytoene desaturases (CrtN). However, data from knockout of crtNb and expression of crtNb in Escherichia coli indicated that CrtNb is not a desaturase but rather a novel carotenoid oxidase catalyzing oxidation of the terminal methyl group(s) of 4,4'-diaponeurosporene and 4,4'-diapolycopene to the corresponding terminal aldehyde. It has moderate to low activity on neurosporene and lycopene and no activity on ß-carotene or {zeta}-carotene. Using a combination of C30 carotenoid synthesis genes from Staphylococcus and Methylomonas, 4,4'-diapolycopene dialdehyde was produced in E. coli as the predominant carotenoid. This C30 dialdehyde is a dark-reddish purple pigment that may have potential uses in foods and cosmetics.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: E. I. DuPont de Nemours Inc. Experimental Station, E328/B48, Wilmington, DE 19880-0328. Phone: (302) 695-9952. Fax: (302) 695-1829. E-mail: qiong.cheng{at}usa.dupont.com.

{dagger} Present address: Norferm AS, P.O. Box 8005, N-4068 Stavanger, Norway.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 2005, p. 3294-3301, Vol. 71, No. 6
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.6.3294-3301.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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