Provided are a taxadiene synthase TcTS2, an encoding nucleotide sequence and use thereof. The amino acid sequence of TcTS2 includes or consists of: (a) an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1; or (b) a functional homologous sequence having at least 80% sequence similarity with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1; or (c) an amino acid sequence having TcTS2 activity with addition, deletion, or substitution of one or more amino acids in the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1. TcTS2 and the nucleotide sequence encoding the TcTS2 provide new gene resources for improving the yield of taxol, and they may be used for modifying chassis hosts by plant genetic engineering and metabolic engineering strategies to produce taxol and the intermediates thereof etc., thereby having significant economic and social value.

This invention relates to the field of genetic engineering. Specifically, the invention relates to the construction of operons to produce biologically active agents. For example, operons may be constructed to produce agents that control the function of biochemical pathway proteins (e.g., protein phosphatases, kinases and/or proteases). Such agents may include inhibitors and modulators that may be used in studying or controlling phosphatase function associated with abnormalities in a phosphatase pathway or expression level. Fusion proteins, such as light activated protein phosphatases, may be genetically encoded and expressed as photoswitchable phosphatases. Systems are provided for use in controlling phosphatase function within living cells or in identifying small molecule inhibitors/activator/modulator molecules of protein phosphatases associated with cell signaling.

The disclosure provides systems, methods, reagents, apparatuses, vectors, and host cells for the discovery and evolution of metabolic pathways that produce small molecules that modulate enzyme function.

This invention relates to the field of genetic engineering. Specifically, the invention relates to the construction of operons to produce biologically active agents. For example, operons may be constructed to produce agents that control the function of biochemical pathway proteins (e.g., protein phosphatases, kinases and/or proteases). Such agents may include inhibitors and modulators that may be used in studying or controlling phosphatase function associated with abnormalities in a phosphatase pathway or expression level. Fusion proteins, such as light activated protein phosphatases, may be genetically encoded and expressed as photoswitchable phosphatases. Systems are provided for use in controlling phosphatase function within living cells or in identifying small molecule inhibitors/activator/modulator molecules of protein phosphatases associated with cell signaling.

This invention relates to the field of genetic engineering. Specifically, the invention relates to the construction of operons to produce biologically active agents. For example, operons may be constructed to produce agents that control the function of biochemical pathway proteins (e.g., protein phosphatases, kinases and/or proteases). Such agents may include inhibitors and modulators that may be used in studying or controlling phosphatase function associated with abnormalities in a phosphatase pathway or expression level. Fusion proteins, such as light activated protein phosphatases, may be genetically encoded and expressed as photoswitchable phosphatases. Systems are provided for use in controlling phosphatase function within living cells or in identifying small molecule inhibitors/activator/modulator molecules of protein phosphatases associated with cell signaling.

This invention relates to the field of genetic engineering. Specifically, the invention relates to the construction of operons to produce biologically active agents. For example, operons may be constructed to produce agents that control the function of biochemical pathway proteins (e.g., protein phosphatases, kinases and/or proteases). Such agents may include inhibitors and modulators that may be used in studying or controlling phosphatase function associated with abnormalities in a phosphatase pathway or expression level. Fusion proteins, such as light activated protein phosphatases, may be genetically encoded and expressed as photoswitchable phosphatases. Systems are provided for use in controlling phosphatase function within living cells or in identifying small molecule inhibitors/activator/modulator molecules of protein phosphatases associated with cell signaling.

This invention relates to the field of genetic engineering. Specifically, the invention relates to the construction of operons to produce biologically active agents. For example, operons may be constructed to produce agents that control the function of biochemical pathway proteins (e.g., protein phosphatases, kinases and/or proteases). Such agents may include inhibitors and modulators that may be used in studying or controlling phosphatase function associated with abnormalities in a phosphatase pathway or expression level. Fusion proteins, such as light activated protein phosphatases, may be genetically encoded and expressed as photoswitchable phosphatases. Systems are provided for use in controlling phosphatase function within living cells or in identifying small molecule inhibitors/activator/modulator molecules of protein phosphatases associated with cell signaling.

Provided are a taxadiene synthase TcTS2, an encoding nucleotide sequence and use thereof. The amino acid sequence of TcTS2 includes or consists of: (a) an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1; or (b) a functional homologous sequence having at least 80% sequence similarity with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1; or (c) an amino acid sequence having TcTS2 activity with addition, deletion, or substitution of one or more amino acids in the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1. TcTS2 and the nucleotide sequence encoding the TcTS2 provide new gene resources for improving the yield of taxol, and they may be used for modifying chassis hosts by plant genetic engineering and metabolic engineering strategies to produce taxol and the intermediates thereof etc., thereby having significant economic and social value.

The present invention concerns a method for producing terpenes in fungi comprising the steps of (a) providing a modified terpene biosynthetic gene cluster inside a host cell, wherein one or more of the naturally occurring genes or promoters of the cluster have been replaced, truncated or removed, (b) providing a transcription factor inside the host cell, the transcription factor activating the terpene biosynthetic gene cluster; (c) cultivating said host in conditions allowing the expression of the transcription factor activating the cluster; and optionally (d) recovering the thus produced terpene product.

The present invention relates to a nucleic acid construct comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein involved in the biosynthesis of a terpenoid or a precursor thereof, wherein said nucleic acid molecule is operably linked to a derepressible promoter.