Plant enzymes for bioconversion

Abstract

The invention provides a method for converting sesquiterpene. The method includes reacting a sesquiterpene substract with a sesquiterpene converting enzyme. The enzyme is from a species or organism containing sesquiterpenes. The sesquiterpene substrate is not naturally present in the species or organism.

1 - 37 . (canceled)  
     
     
         38 . Method for the production of oxidized sesquiterpenoids in a plant from the Asteraceae species comprising: 
 a. transforming said plant with a nucleic acid encoding a sesquiterpene synthase; and    b. culturing said plant.    
     
     
         39 . Method according to  claim 38 , wherein said plant is selected from  Cichorum  spp. or  Lactuca  spp.  
     
     
         40 . Method according to  claim 38 , wherein said sesquiterpene synthase is amorphadiene synthase, which catalyzes the formation of amorpha-4,11-diene.  
     
     
         41 . Method according to  claim 38 , wherein said sesquiterpene synthase is valencene synthase, which catalyzes the formation of valencene.  
     
     
         42 . Method according to  claim 38 , wherein said sesquiterpene synthase is bergamotene synthase, which catalyzes the formation of (−)-α-trans-bergamotene.  
     
     
         43 . Method according to  claim 38 , wherein the oxidized sesquiterpenoid is artemisinic acid or dihydroarterminisic acid and wherein the sesquiterpene synthase is amorphadiene synthase.  
     
     
         44 . Method according to  claim 43 , wherein said plant is chicory.  
     
     
         45 . Transgenic  Cichorum  spp. or  Lactuca  spp. plant comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a sesquiterpene synthase.  
     
     
         46 . Transgenic plant according to  claim 45 , wherein the sesquiterpene synthase is selected from the group consisting essentially of amorphadiene synthase, valencene synthase and bergamotene synthase.  
     
     
         47 . A method of using a transgenic  Cichorum  spp. or  Lactuca  spp. plant for the production of an oxidized sequiterpenoid comprising the steps of growing said plant, making an extract of all or parts of said plant and isolating the produced oxidized sesquiterpenoids, wherein said plant comprises a nucleotide sequence encoding a sesquiterpene synthase.  
     
     
         48 . The method according to  claim 47 , wherein said oxidized sesquiterpenoids are selected from the group essentially consisting of artemisinic acid, dihydroartemisinic acid, artemisin, nootkatol, nootkatone and (E)-trans-bergamota-2,12-dien-14-ol.