Nucleotide sequences encoding enzymes in biosynthesis of dihydroartemisinic acid

• Main Authors: TEOH, KEAT THOMAS H, COVELLO, PATRICK S, REED, DARWIN W, POLICHUK, DEVIN R
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 07.07.2010
• Subjects: AGRICULTURE; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; BEER; BIOCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL ORENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES; CULTURE MEDIA; ENZYMOLOGY; FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIREDCHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERSFROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE; FISHING; FORESTRY; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HUNTING; MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEICACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS; METALLURGY; MICROBIOLOGY; MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; NEW PLANTS OR PROCESSES FOR OBTAINING THEM; PLANT REPRODUCTION BY TISSUE CULTURE TECHNIQUES; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; SPIRITS; TRAPPING; VINEGAR; WINE

Isolated nucleic acid molecules cloned from Artemisia annua encode artemisinic/dihydroartemisinic aldehyde dehydrogenase. Artemisinic/dihydroartemisinic aldehyde dehydrogenase enzymatically oxidizes dihydroartemisinic aldehyde to dihydroartemisinic acid and artemisinic aldehyde to artemisinic acid. The nucleic acid molecules, and the enzymes encoded thereby, may be used in processes to produce dihydroartemsinic aldehyde, dihydroartemisinic acid or artemisinic acid in a host cell. Dihydroartemisinic acid is a late precursor to the antimalarial compound artemisinin.