Recombinant Corynebacterium glutamicum strain with C30 carotenoid production capability and method for producing C30 carotenoids using the same

Technology for Producing Rare C30 Carotenoids Using Metabolically Engineered Recombinant Strains

This technology utilizes a recombinant strain of Corynebacterium glutamicum in which the crt operon and idsA gene—responsible for the C50 carotenoid biosynthetic pathway—have been deleted. The strain is engineered with ispA, along with the crtM gene from Metabacillus flavus and the crtN gene from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. The C30 carotenoid 4,4'-diaponeurosporene is recovered from the culture broth of this strain.

Carotenoids are known for their antioxidant and anti-cancer properties, leading to increased demand in feed additives, food colorants, and cosmetic ingredients. However, because humans cannot synthesize them, they must be obtained from external sources. The industrial strain Corynebacterium glutamicum typically produces only C50 pigments, making it difficult to obtain rare C30 carotenoids.

This technology redirects the precursor flow from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate to farnesyl pyrophosphate, focusing it on the C30 pathway, and boosts production by attaching promoters such as PilvC upstream of crtN. Applicable to the production of cosmetic antioxidants, functional food colorants, and feed additives, this method opens a path to supplying rare carotenoids while utilizing existing, proven fermentation infrastructure.

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Key Features:

• Recombinant Corynebacterium glutamicum strain with the C50 carotenoid biosynthetic pathway (crt operon and idsA gene) removed
• Recombinant strain with the introduced ispA gene for farnesyl pyrophosphate production, redirecting precursor flow
• Strain with the introduced crtM gene from Metabacillus flavus and crtN gene from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, enabling C30 production
• Production method comprising the steps of culturing the strain and recovering C30 carotenoids from the culture broth

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT for the development of a production process for rare C30 carotenoid natural pigments based on combinatorial biosynthesis and an optimized Corynebacterium glutamicum system.

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