Described herein are devices and methods for increasing the production of steviol glycosides, which have industrial and economic value. The steviol glycosides produced by the devices and methods disclosed herein do not require the ultra purification that is common in conventional or commercial methods and do not have a bitter aftertaste, making them better suited as flavor-enhancing additives to food, pharmaceutical, and nutritional supplement products.

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 compositions and methods for producing myrcene by culturing genetically modified microbial host cells that express a myrcene synthase and optionally a geranyl pyroplosphate synthase. Also provided herein are isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode myrcene synthase variants derived from the Ocimum species myrcene synthase, which comprise one or more amino acid substitutions that improve in vivo performance of myrcene synthase in genetically modified microbial host cells. Also provided herein are isolated myrcene synthase variants that exhibit an improved activity for converting geranyl diphosphate into myrcene.

Recombinant microorganisms are disclosed that produce steviol glycosides and have altered expression of one or more endogenous transporter or transcription factor genes, or that overexpress one or more heterologous transporters, leading to increased excretion of steviol glycosides of interest.

Provided are a microorganism for producing retinol, in which retinol biosynthetic genes are introduced; and a method of producing retinol, the method including a step of culturing the microorganism. The microorganism of the present invention may have an improved ability to produce retinol, and thus it may be efficiently used in producing retinol. Based on the method of producing retinol, the method including the step of culturing the microorganism, the retinol production efficiency may be improved.

Provided herein are compositions and methods for producing myrcene by culturing genetically modified microbial host cells that express a myrcene synthase and optionally a geranyl pyroplosphate synthase. Also provided herein are isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode myrcene synthase variants derived from the Ocimum species myrcene synthase, which comprise one or more amino acid substitutions that improve in vivo performance of myrcene synthase in genetically modified microbial host cells. Also provided herein are isolated myrcene synthase variants that exhibit an improved activity for converting geranyl diphosphate into myrcene.

This invention provides improved biological synthesis of the apocarotenoid α-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 (crtl), lycopene ε-cyclase (LycE) and a Carotenoid Cleavage Dioxygenase (CCD1) are required to complete the synthesis of α-ionone. Lycopene ε-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).

Enzymes and methods are described herein for manufacturing terpenes, including terpenes.

The present invention relates to novel yeast strains of Phaffia rhodozyma which produce high amounts of carotenoids, in particular high amounts astaxanthin. These novel strains are capable of producing increasing amounts of carotenoids in the presence of increasing concentrations of carbon source.

The present invention provides methods and compositions for producing cannabinoids in photosynthetic microorganisms, e.g., cyanobacteria.