CAROTENOID SYNTHETASE AND USE THEREOF

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a novel carotenoid synthetase which can improve productivity of carotenoid, and to provide a use thereof.SOLUTION: The invention relates to a protein which can catalyze a cascade response from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate to the production of &bgr;-carotene with a single enzyme. The protein is encoded by carotenoid synthetase CrtIBY gene isolated from Aurantiochytrium genus, comprising a phytoene desaturase domain, phytoene synthetase domain, and lycopene cyclase domain. The invention also relates to a method for producing &bgr;-carotene from astaxanthin by introducing a CrtS gene.