Cloning and Characterization of the Zeaxanthin Glucosyltransferase Gene(crtX) from the Astaxanthin-Producing Marine Bacterium, Paracoccushaeundaensis

摘要

Zeaxanthin glucosyltransferase (CrtX) mediates the formationof zeaxanthin to zeaxanthin diglucoside. Here, we reportcloning of the crtX gene responsible for zeaxanthin diglucosidebiosynthesis from Paracoccus haeundaensis and theproduction of the corresponding carotenoids in transformedcells carrying this gene. An expression plasmid containingthe crtX gene (pSTCRT-X) was constructed, and Escherichiacoil cells containing this plasmid produced the recombinantprotein of approximately 46 kDa. Biosynthesis of zeaxanthindiglucoside was obtained when the plasmid pSTCRT-X wasco-transformed into E. coil containing the pET-44a(+)-CrtEBIYZ carrying crtE, crtB, crtl, crtY, and crtZ genesrequired for zeaxanthin β-D-diglucoside biosynthesis.