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.

Provided herein are recombinant cells (e.g., recombinant bacteria or plant, insect, mammalian, and yeast cells) containing a nucleic acid encoding a CYP97A protein or a nucleic acid encoding a CYP97B protein; a nucleic acid encoding a CYP97C protein; a nucleic acid encoding a geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase protein; a nucleic acid encoding a phytoene synthase protein; a nucleic acid encoding a phytoene desaturase protein; a nucleic acid encoding a lycopene -cyclase protein; and a nucleic acid encoding a lycopene -cyclase protein. Also provided are methods of producing lutein that include culturing these recombinant cells (e.g., recombinant bacteria and yeast cells), and methods of generating these recombinant cells (e.g., recombinant bacteria and yeast cells). Also provided is lutein produced by these methods, and pharmaceutical compositions, food supplements, food products, and cosmetic compositions that contain lutein produced by these methods.

The disclosure relates to a metabolic transistor in microbes such as bacteria and yeast where a competitive pathway is introduced to compete with a product pathway for available carbon so as to control the carbon flux in the microbe.

Provided is a mutant having an ability to overproduce carotenoids and a method for producing carotenoids by using the mutant. The mutant, of which mutations are induced by irradiation after being transformed with a recombinant vector according to the subject matter, has an excellent ability to produce carotenoids and can be mass-produced, and thus can be useful in various industrial fields, which use carotenoids, such as cosmetics, food, and feed.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods of producing xanthophylls in microorganisms.

Methods are provided for modifying and screening for carotenoid biosynthesis in a plant. The methods are useful for enhancing plant adaptation to climate change and food security, providing increased carotenoid content to a plant, improving stress resistance to climate changes in a plant, and for selecting plants having improved stress resistance to climate changes.

The disclosure relates to a metabolic transistor in microbes such as bacteria and yeast where a competitive pathway is introduced to compete with a product pathway for available carbon so as to control the carbon flux in the microbe.

Provided herein are genetically engineered mammalian cells that endogenously express one or more phytochemicals, vitamins, or therapeutic agents and suitable for use in a cultured meat product. Methods of making and using the genetically engineered mammalian cells and the cultured meat products are also provided.

The present invention introduces an innovative approach for the manipulation of microorganisms to generate colored bioplastics. This is achieved by concurrently expressing genes responsible for pigment production and genes involved in bioplastic synthesis within a microbial host. These genes can be synthesized, obtained from a different host through cloning, or naturally occurring within the host organism. The resultant color compounds become encapsulated within the extended bioplastic polymers within the cells, resulting in the formation of naturally pigmented bioplastics.