US 11,078,547 B2 · Algal and fungal genes and their uses for taurine biosynthesis in cells

Abstract

The present invention describes an approach to produce taurine or increase hypotaurine or taurine production in prokaryotes or eukaryotes. More particularly, the invention relates to genetic transformation of organisms with algal, microalgal or fungal genes that encode proteins that pool catalyze the conversion of sulfur-containing compounds such as sulfate or cysteine to taurine. The invention describes methods for the use of polynucleotides for cysteine dioxygenase-like (CDOL), sulfinoalanine decarboxylase-like (SADL), cysteine sulfate/decarboxylase or a portion of the cysteine synthetase/PLP decarboxylase (partCS/PLP-DC) polypeptide in bacteria, alga, yeast, or plants to produce taurine or increase hypotaurine or taurine. The preferred embodiment of the invention is in plants but other organisms may be used. Taurine production or increased levels of hypoataurine or taurine in plants could be used as nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or therapeutic compounds or as a supplement in animal feed or for animal feed or as an enhancer for plant growth or yield.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A prokaryotic cell comprising either:

(a) two expression units, wherein
(i) a first expression unit that comprises a first promoter operably linked to a first polynucleotide which encodes cysteine dioxygenase-like (CDOL) protein;
and
(ii) a second expression unit that comprises a second promoter operably linked to a second polynucleotide which encodes a portion of the cysteine synthetase/PLP decarboxylase (partCS/PLP-DC) protein, wherein the partCS/PLP-DC protein comprises amino acids 1 plus 472 through 985 of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:15 or an amino acid sequence having at least95% sequence identity thereto;
or
(b) a single expression unit which comprises a promoter operably linked to a first polynucleotide which encodes the CDOL protein operably linked to (i) a second polynucleotide which encodes the partCS/PLP-DC protein or (ii) a third polynucleotide which encodes cysteine synthetase/PLP decarboxylase (CS/PLP-DC) protein comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
1 or an amino acid sequence having at least 95% sequence identity thereto,
wherein the two expression units or the single expression unit is expressed in the prokaryotic cell and wherein the prokaryotic cell produces taurine.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Algal and fungal genes and their uses for taurine biosynthesis in cells

Life of this patent

Algal and fungal genes and their uses for taurine biosynthesis in cells

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20