Production of polyketides in bacteria and yeast

Abstract

Hybrid and novel polyketide synthases and polyketides are produced by use of a multiple vector system. The combinatorial possibilities offered by placing the various catalytic activities of PKS systems on separate vectors permits the construction of improved libraries of PKS and polyketides. In addition, polyketides can be produced in hosts that ordinarily do not produce polyketides by supplying, along with an expression system for the desired PKS, an expression system for holo ACP synthase.

1 . A modified recombinant host cell, which, in unmodified form, does not produce polyketides, which cell is modified to contain an expression system for a minimal polyketide synthase (PKS) and an expression system for a holo ACP synthase, 
 said minimal PKS comprising a ketosynthase/acyl transferase (KS/AT) catalytic region, a chain-length factor (CLF) catalytic region and an acyl carrier protein (ACP) activity for an aromatic PKS; or    said minimal PKS comprising a KS catalytic region, an AT catalytic region, and an ACP activity for a modular PKS or a fungal PKS.