Recombinant production of zizaene and other sesquiterpenes formed by conversion of the bisabolyl cation

A method for producing at least one terpene and/or terpenoid comprising the following steps:

• i) providing farnesyl pyrophosphate and at least one polypeptide under conditions suitable for the polypeptide to convert at least a portion of the farnesyl pyrophosphate into bisabolyl cations;
• ii) converting, by means of the polypeptide, at least a portion of the farnesyl pyrophosphate into bisabolyl cations;
• iii) converting, by means of the polypeptide, the bisabolyl cations into at least one terpene and/or terpenoid;
• and
• iv) optionally purifying one or more of the at least one terpene and/or terpenoid from the mixture,
• wherein the at least one polypeptide is capable of converting at least a portion of farnesyl pyrophosphate into bisabolyl cations and comprises or consists of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:
• a) an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:
• 1;
• b) an amino acid sequence which is at least 55% identical to the amino acid sequences as shown in SEQ ID NO:
• 1;
• c) an amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleic acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NOs:
• 2, 3 or 5;
• d) an amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleic acid sequence which is at least 55% identical to a nucleic acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NOs:
• 2, 3 or 5;
• and
• e) an amino acid sequence being a fragment of any one of the sequences listed in a) to d), said fragment being capable of converting at least a portion of farnesyl pyrophosphate into bisabolyl cations.

A method for producing a zizaene-containing composition comprising the following steps:

• i) providing farnesyl pyrophosphate and at least one polypeptide exhibiting zizaene synthase activity under conditions suitable for the polypeptide to convert at least a portion of the farnesyl pyrophosphate into zizaene;
• ii) converting, by means of the polypeptide, at least a portion of the farnesyl pyrophosphate into bisabolyl cations;
• and
• iii) producing a zizaene-containing composition by converting, by means of the polypeptide, the bisabolyl cations into zizaene and, optionally, at least one further compound,
• wherein the at least one polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:
• a) an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:
• 1;
• b) an amino acid sequence which is at least 55% identical to the amino acid sequences as shown in SEQ ID NO:
• 1;
• c) an amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleic acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NOs:
• 2, 3 or 5;
• d) an amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleic acid sequence which is at least 55% identical to a nucleic acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NOs:
• 2, 3 or 5;
• and
• e) an amino acid sequence being a fragment of any one of the sequences listed in a) to d), said fragment exhibiting zizaene synthase activity.