Patent US10982243

Methods for increasing production of cannabinoids in yeast cells
[+] Show Details

US10982243

1. A method for increasing production of a cannabinoid or cannabinoid precursor molecule, comprising: (7) (3)

providing a genetically modified yeast cell comprising: (i) a codon optimized polynucleotide sequence expressing cannabinoid or cannabinoid precursor molecule producing enzymes, and (ii) a mutation to prevent or reduce endogenous sterol synthesis selected from the group consisting of: a SUE (sterol uptake exogenous) mutation and an ERG1 (Squalene monooxygenase) gene knockout; contacting the genetically modified yeast cell with a starting material; and

culturing the genetically modified yeast cell under conditions in which the cannabinoid or cannabinoid precursor molecule is produced from the starting material,

wherein the cannabinoid or cannabinoid precursor molecule is selected from the group consisting of: cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), cannabigerovarinic acid (CBGVA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), cannabidivarinic acid (CBDVA), tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), delta-9-tetrahydrocannabivarinic acid (THCVA), cannabichromenic acid (CBCA), cannabichromevarinic acid (CBCVA), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), cannabidiol (CBD), cannabidivarin (CBDV), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), delta-9-tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabichromevarin (CBCV), olivetol, olivetolic acid, divarinic acid, divarinol, isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP), geranyl diphosphate (GPP) and farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), and wherein the starting material is selected from the group consisting of: rice, soya, maize, wheat, beans, sugar beet, sugar cane, plant biomass, starch, cellulose, ethanol, lignocellulose, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, fatty acids, glycerol, lactic acid, whey and glucose.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cannabinoid or cannabinoid precursor molecule is selected from the group consisting of: (0) (1)

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cannabinoid precursor molecule is olivetol, olivetolic acid, divarinic acid or divarinol, and wherein the codon optimized polynucleotide sequence is at least 95% identical to the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 35. (0)

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cannabinoid precursor molecule is IPP, GPP or FPP, and wherein the codon (0) (1)

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified yeast cell is Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Pichia pastoris. (0)

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the genetically modified yeast cell further comprises knockout of an ERGS (Squalene synthase) gene. (0)

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the genetically modified yeast cell further comprises an additional copy of a yeast gene selected from the group consisting of: ERG10 (Acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase), ERG13 (Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase), ERG12 (Mevalonate kinase), IDI1 (Isopentenyl-diphosphate Delta-isomerase 1) and HFA1 (Acetyl-CoA carboxylase, mitochondrial). (0)

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the cannabinoid or cannabinoid precursor molecule is selected from the group consisting of: TFICA, CBDA, CBGA, CBCA, TFICVA, CBDVA, CBGVA and CBCVA; and wherein the starting material comprises free fatty acids and further comprises either hexanoic acid when the cannabinoid or cannabinoid precursor molecule is selected from the group consisting of TFICA, CBDA, CBGA and CBCA, or butyric acid when the cannabinoid or cannabinoid precursor molecule is selected from the group consisting of THCVA, CBDVA, CBGVA and CBCVA. (1) (0)

View Abstract and Specification Size

PDF with Images and Document Face >

Full Text Publication >

Patent US10982243

Methods for increasing production of cannabinoids in yeast cells

Patent Matrix® Search