Author(s)

Fumiya Kurosaki^1*, Takahiro Kato¹, Norihiko Misawa², Futoshi Taura¹

¹Laboratory of Medicinal Bioresources, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences for Research, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
²Laboratory for Plant Genetic Function Science, Research Institute for Bioresources and Biotechnology, Ishikawa Prefectual University, Nonoichi, Japan.

Mevalonate pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis was constructed in Escherichia coli cells by the transformation with a gene cluster isolated from Streptomyces sp., and farnesyl diphosphate synthase and δ-guaiene synthase genes were coexpressed in this strain. This transformant was capable of liberating an appreciable amount of δ-guaiene, an aroma sesquiterpene compound accumulated in agarwood, and its concentration was elevated to more than 30 μg/ml culture by the incubation with mevalonolactone as an isoprene precursor in a nutrient-enriched Terrific broth. Coexpression of type 1 isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase plus acetoacetyl-CoA ligase genes also enhanced δ-guaiene production, and the concentration of the compound was approximately 38 - 42 μg/ml culture in the presence of mevalonolactone or lithium acetoacetate. These results clearly indicate that mevalonate pathway-engineered E. coli cells showed an appreciable δ-guaiene producing activity in the en- riched medium in the presence of appropriate isoprene precursors.

Engineered Escherichia coli, δ-Guaiene Production, Isoprenoids, Mevalonate Pathway, Secondary Metabolism, Sesquiterpene

Kurosaki, F. , Kato, T. , Misawa, N. and Taura, F. (2016) Efficient Production of δ-Guaiene, an Aroma Sesquiterpene Compound Accumulated in Agarwood, by Mevalonate Pathway-Engineered Escherichia coli Cells. Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology, 7, 435-445. doi: 10.4236/abb.2016.711042.