Polypeptide having beta-carotene hydroxylase activity and a polynucleotide conding it, and a method for preparing beta-carotene hydroxylase or beta-cryptoxanthin

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain the subject gene encoding β-carotene hydroxylase useful for the production of β-cryptoxanthin, one of the most important carotenoids in tangerines (Citrus unshiu). ;SOLUTION: This gene is a DNA enchoding a protein having an amino acid sequence of the formula (or a protein having β-carotene hydroxylase activity and having an amino acid sequence wherein one or several amino acids are deleted, substituted or added in the amino acid sequence of the formula). This gene is obtained by the following procedures: a primer is obtained based on the storage region for a gene encoding bacteria-derived β-carotene hydroxylase, and using first-strand cDNA derived from the fruits and flowers of Citrus unshiu (MIYAGAWA SOSEI UNSHU) as template, 3' RACE RT-PCR is conducted to obtain Citrus unshiu β-carotene hydroxylase cDNA; subsequently, using the above cDNA as probe, the aimed gene is isolated from a Citrus unshiu edibles-derived DNA library.;COPYRIGHT: (C)1999,JPO