Production of lycopene by the food yeast, Candida utilis that does not naturally synthesize carotenoid.

The Erwinia uredovora crtE, crtB, and crtI genes, which are responsible for the synthesis of carotenoid lycopene from farnesyl pyrophosphate, were expressed in Candida utilis under the control of the promoters and terminators derived from the C. utilis GAP, PGK, and PMA genes, respectively. The yeast transformant carrying the carotenoid biosynthesis genes produced 758 microg/g dry weight of lycopene along with 407 microg/g dry weight of phytoene in the stationary phase. It was observed in the C. utilis transformant that ergosterol content was decreased to 65% of that in the parent strain that accumulated 6.04 mg/g dry weight of ergosterol. It is therefore possible that the carbon flux for the ergosterol biosynthesis has been branched at farnesyl pyrophosphate to generate a new pathway for the lycopene production in this yeast transformant. Copyright 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.