The invention relates to a method for the biotechnological production of the blue-green fungus pigment xylindein from fungus biomass in a bioreactor, the reactor contents being inoculated with biomass that is uncoloured.

The invention also relates to the use of uncoloured biomass of the fungus culture Chlorociboria sp. for inoculation in the biotechnological production of the blue-green fungus pigment xylindein.

The use of a cytochrome P-450 enzyme comprising SEQ ID NO: 110, or a variant enzyme having at least 70% identity thereto and having CYP-450 activity, for the hydroxylation of an organic compound, wherein the amino acid residue at position 291 is not threonine.

The use of a cytochrome P-450 enzyme comprising SEQ ID NO: 110, or a variant enzyme having at least 70% identity thereto and having CYP-450 activity, for the hydroxylation of an organic compound, wherein the amino acid residue at position 291 is not threonine.

Stable and economical methods for producing coenzyme Q10A are described. These methods include concentrating a culture suspension of a coenzyme Q10-producing microorganism efficiently, while minimizing a loss of coenzyme Q10 prior to an extraction step or a homogenization process. The methods for producing coenzyme Q10 may comprise a filtration step of passing a culture suspension of a coenzyme Q10-producing microorganism through a porous membrane in a state where the culture suspension is heated to a heating temperature of 35° C. or higher. In order to improve the average permeation flux, a regenerating step may be performed, preferably at least once, which involves closing a filtration device, applying pressure, and then releasing the pressure; or a regeneration treatment of allowing a medium to flow in from a filtrate outlet side and passing the medium through the porous membrane for a certain time, prior to normal filtration.

Stable and economical methods for producing coenzyme Q10A are described. These methods include concentrating a culture suspension of a coenzyme Q10-producing microorganism efficiently, while minimizing a loss of coenzyme Q10 prior to an extraction step or a homogenization process. The methods for producing coenzyme Q10 may comprise a filtration step of passing a culture suspension of a coenzyme Q10-producing microorganism through a porous membrane in a state where the culture suspension is heated to a heating temperature of 35° C. or higher. In order to improve the average permeation flux, a regenerating step may be performed, preferably at least once, which involves closing a filtration device, applying pressure, and then releasing the pressure; or a regeneration treatment of allowing a medium to flow in from a filtrate outlet side and passing the medium through the porous membrane for a certain time, prior to normal filtration.

The present invention relates to an optimized fermentation process of coenzyme Q10, particularly to a fermentation process of coenzyme Q10 via flow feeding based on cooperative control of changes of online oxygen consumption rate and conductivity. During the fermentation process of coenzyme Q10 production strains, the oxygen consumption rate is controlled between 30-150 mmol/L.Math.h and the conductivity is maintained between 3.0-30.0 ms/cm via flow feeding, so as to facilitate strain growth and the start of coenzyme Q10 synthesis and accumulation. The present invention can substantially increase output of coenzyme Q10 and greatly reduce the production cost with simple process control and strong operability, thus being applicable to large-scale industrial production.

The present invention relates to an optimized fermentation process of coenzyme Q10, particularly to a fermentation process of coenzyme Q10 via flow feeding based on cooperative control of changes of online oxygen consumption rate and conductivity. During the fermentation process of coenzyme Q10 production strains, the oxygen consumption rate is controlled between 30-150 mmol/L.Math.h and the conductivity is maintained between 3.0-30.0 ms/cm via flow feeding, so as to facilitate strain growth and the start of coenzyme Q10 synthesis and accumulation. The present invention can substantially increase output of coenzyme Q10 and greatly reduce the production cost with simple process control and strong operability, thus being applicable to large-scale industrial production.

Methods for stably producing coenzyme Q10 are provided, which efficiently remove impurities derived from a microorganism in an extract of a coenzyme Q10-producing microorganism. A method for producing coenzyme Q10 includes: cooling a hydrophobic organic solvent extract of a coenzyme Q10-producing microorganism or a concentrated liquid of the hydrophobic organic solvent extract; and separating/removing the solid precipitated in the cooling step, wherein the hydrophobic organic solvent extract or the concentrated liquid has a water content of 50 ppm by weight or more and 1% by weight or less. Preferably, the extract obtained by extraction from a coenzyme Q10-producing microorganism in an organic solvent is brought into contact and mixed with an aqueous alkaline solution and then washed with water, where a resulting extract is concentrated to obtain the concentrated liquid, and the concentrated liquid is subjected to the cooling step.

Methods for stably producing coenzyme Q10 are provided, which efficiently remove impurities derived from a microorganism in an extract of a coenzyme Q10-producing microorganism. A method for producing coenzyme Q10 includes: cooling a hydrophobic organic solvent extract of a coenzyme Q10-producing microorganism or a concentrated liquid of the hydrophobic organic solvent extract; and separating/removing the solid precipitated in the cooling step, wherein the hydrophobic organic solvent extract or the concentrated liquid has a water content of 50 ppm by weight or more and 1% by weight or less. Preferably, the extract obtained by extraction from a coenzyme Q10-producing microorganism in an organic solvent is brought into contact and mixed with an aqueous alkaline solution and then washed with water, where a resulting extract is concentrated to obtain the concentrated liquid, and the concentrated liquid is subjected to the cooling step.

A method for producing an octaketide derived aromatic compound of interest (e.g. carminic acid), wherein the method comprises (I): heterologous expression of a recombinantly introduced Type III polyketide synthase (PKS) gene encoding an octaketide synthase (OKS) to obtain non-reduced octaketide in vivo within the recombinant host cell and (II): converting in vivo the non-reduced octaketide of step (I) into a C.sub.14-C.sub.34 aromatic compound of interest (e.g. carminic acid).