METABOLIC ENGINEERING FOR PRODUCTION OF BETA-CAROTENE AND LYCOPENE INSACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE

We have engineered a conventional yeast, Saccharomyes cerevisiae, to c onfer a novel biosynthetic pathway for the production of beta-carotene and lycopene by introducing the bacterial carotenoid biosynthesis gen es, which are individually surrounded by the promoters and terminators derived from S. cerevisiae. beta-Carotene and lycopene accumulated in the cells of this yeast, which was considered to be a result of the c arbon how for the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway being partially dire cted to the pathway for the carotenoid production.