Procedure for the production of melanin in cells of the Escherichia coli commercial strain DH5 based on expression therein of the structural gene of the enzyme tyrosinase

摘要

Procedure for the production of melanin in cells of the Escherichia coli commercial strain DH5 based on expression therein of the structural gene of the enzyme tyrosinase. A recombinant plasmid (pME-100) has been constructed which carries the structural gene of the enzyme tyrosinase of Rhizobium meliloti strain GR4. This plasmid is able to induce the production of melanin in E. coli cells, as a consequence of the expression from the promoter of the lacZ gene present in the construction and contributed by the plasmid pUC18. The expression of the gene is constitutive from said promoter without the need for previous induction. The production, in a simple manner, of sufficient quantities of melanic pigments of indubitable industrial applicability, in view of the enormous variety of properties that they possess, is achieved by means of the procedure of the invention. IMAGE