Design of carotenoid production plant: Large scale synthesis of various carotenoids by extremely halophilic archaea

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K06868
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biofunction/Bioprocess
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Yatsunami Rie 東京工業大学, 生命理工学院, 准教授 (90334531)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 新規カロテノイド合成

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to synthesize a large amount of a novel carotenoid with high antioxidant activity by extremely halophilic archaeon Haloarcula japonica.
In order to synthesize carotenoids with more antioxidant activity, we aimed to synthesize tetradehydrolycopene with 15 conjugated double bonds. For its synthesis, carotenoid desaturase (CrtD) was mutated by the directed evolution. Analysis of the mutated CrtD gene library revealed amino acid residues important for lycopene synthesis.

Free Research Field

タンパク質工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は高度好塩性古細菌を用いて，新規カロテノイドを大量に合成することを目的とした。本研究では，当該微生物による新規カロテノイド合成に重要な酵素のアミノ酸残基を明らかにすることができた。今後はそのアミノ酸残基あるいは，その周辺に置換を導入することで，新規カロテノイドの大量合成へと繋がると期待できる。