Pyrrolnitrin biosynthesis genes and uses thereof

US6117670A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Novartis Finance Corporation · US

Inventors

• James M. Ligon · Basel, CH
• Dwight Steven Hill · Cary, US
• Stephen Ting Lam · Raleigh, US
• Philip E. Hammer · Cary, US
• Karl-Heinz van Pee · Rabenau, DE
• Sabine Kirner · Puchheim, DE
• Thomas R. Young · Vero Beach, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 24, 1998
• Grant date: Sep 12, 2000
• Expiry date: Feb 24, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12P17/10
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention is directed to the production of pyrrolnitrin in a host via recombinant expression of the polypeptides needed to biologically synthesize pyrrolnitrin. Genes isolated from P. fluorescens, P. pyrrocinia, B. cepacia, and M. fulvus that encode polypeptides necessary to produce pyrrolnitrin are provided, along with methods for identifying and isolating genes needed to recombinantly biosynthesize pyrrolnitrin from any organism capable of producing pyrrolnitrin. The isolated genes may be transformed and expressed in a desired host organisms to produce pyrrolnitrin according to the invention for a variety of purposes, including protecting the host from a pathogen, developing the host as a biocontrol agent, and producing large, uniform amounts of pyrrolnitrin.