摘要 |
A levodione reductase having the following physico-chemical properties is provided: molecular weight: 142,000 - 155,000 +/- 10.000 (consisting of four homologous subunits having a molecular weight of 36,000 +/- 5,000); co-factor: nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD/NADH); substrate specificity: active on levodione; optimum temperature: 15 - 20 DEG C at pH 7.0; optimum pH: 7.5; and activator: K<+>, Cs<+>, Rb<+>, Na<+> and NH4<+>. Said levodione reductase, which is capable of producing actinol, an important intermediate for the production of zeaxanthin, from levodione, can be produced from a microorganism belonging to the genus Corynebacterium, preferably the microorganism Corynebacterium aquaticum AKU 611 (FERM BP-6448) or a functional equivalent, subculture, mutant or variant thereof. |