The present invention relates to compositions and methods of producing carotenoids and carotenoid derivatives.

Described herein are devices and methods for using the same to produce carotenoids. The carotenoids produced by the devices and methods disclosed herein do not require the ultra purification that is common in conventional or commercial methods. The devices and methods disclosed herein also enhance one or more physical properties of plants treated with the devices described herein.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods of producing carotenoids and carotenoid derivatives.

A method for producing a carotenoid or apocarotenoid is disclosed. The method comprises the step of expressing in a host cell an expression module comprising an expression vector having a coding region encoding at least one optimised carotenoid or apocarotenoid generating enzyme, the coding region being operably linked to a promoter. A host cell comprising an expression vector having a coding region encoding at least one optimised carotenoid or apocarotenoid generating enzyme, the coding region being operably linked to a promoter is also provided together with a kit.

A method for producing a carotenoid or apocarotenoid is disclosed. The method comprises the step of expressing in a host cell an expression module comprising an expression vector having a coding region encoding at least one optimised carotenoid or apocarotenoid generating enzyme, the coding region being operably linked to a promoter. A host cell comprising an expression vector having a coding region encoding at least one optimised carotenoid or apocarotenoid generating enzyme, the coding region being operably linked to a promoter is also provided together with a kit.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods of producing carotenoids and carotenoid derivatives.

A method for producing a carotenoid or apocarotenoid is disclosed. The method comprises the step of expressing in a host cell an expression module comprising an expression vector having a coding region encoding at least one optimised carotenoid or apocarotenoid generating enzyme, the coding region being operably linked to a promoter. A host cell comprising an expression vector having a coding region encoding at least one optimised carotenoid or apocarotenoid generating enzyme, the coding region being operably linked to a promoter is also provided together with a kit.

This invention provides improved biological synthesis of the apocarotenoid -ionone in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The final native step involved in the natural apocarotenoid pathway depends on an endogenous farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (FPPs). From there, heterologous geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase (crtE), phytoene synthase (crtB), phytoene desaturase (crtI), lycopene -cyclase (LycE) and a Carotenoid Cleavage Dioxygenase (CCD1) are required to complete the synthesis of -ionone. Lycopene -cyclase from lettuce (Lactuca sativa) or modified cyclase from Arabidopsis thaliana was used to overproduce lycopene which was then cleaved by the carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase from Petunia hybrida (Ph-CCD1).

Methods to produce oils with modified profiles of fatty acid, carotenoids and/or terpenoids in microalgal mutants are provided. Microalgal mutants produce the oil containing fatty acids, carotenoids and/or terpenoids of a modified profile with a disruption or ablation of one or more alleles of an endogenous polynucleotide or comprising an exogeneous gene are also provided.

The present invention concerns a method of producing and enantiomerically pure alpha-ionone. Further, the invention concerns a nucleic acid that comprises a sequence that encodes a lycopene-epsilon-cyclase (EC), a lycopene-epsilon-cyclase (EC), plasmids, which encode components of the alpha-ionone biosynthesis and a microorganism that contains heterologous nucleotide sequences which encode the enzymes geranylgeranyl-diphosphate-synthase, isopentenyl-diphosphate-isomerase (IPI), phytoene desaturase-dehydrogenase (crtI), phytoene synthase (crtB), lycopene-epsilon-cyclase (EC) and carotenoid-cleavage-dioxygenase (CCD1). Further, the invention concerns a method of producing highly pure epsilon-carotene.