NOVEL CAROTENOID HYDROXYLASE GENE, PROCESS FOR PRODUCING HYDROXYLATED CAROTENOID, AND NOVEL GERANYLGERANYL PYROPHOSPHATE SYNTHASE GENE

摘要

The present invention provides a Brevundimonas sp. strain SD212-derived peptide having ²-ionone ring-2-hydroxylase activity and a gene encoding the same, to thereby make it possible to produce rare carotenoids in which a hydroxyl group is introduced at the position 2 (2') carbon in their ²-ionone ring in large quantities. The present invention also provides a novel gene encoding an enzyme which introduces a hydroxyl group at the position 3 (3') carbon in the ²-ionone ring of carotenoids, and a novel gene encoding a geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase.