Astaxanthin is one of the major carotenoids used in pigment has a great economical value in pharmaceutical markets, feeding, nutraceutical and food industries. This study was to increase the production of astaxanthin by co-expression with transformed Escherichia coli using six genes involved in the non-mevalonate pathway. Involved in the non-mevalonate biosynthetic pathway of the strain Kocuria gwangalliensis were cloned dxs, ispC, ispD, ispE, ispF, ispG, ispH and idi genes in order to increase astaxanthin production from the transformed E. coli. And co-expression with the genes to compared the amount of astaxanthin production. This engineered E. coli, containing both the non-mevalonate pathway gene and the astaxanthin biosynthesis gene cluster, produced astaxanthin at 1,100 µg/g DCW (dry cell weight), resulting in approximately three times the production of astaxanthin.

A phytoene synthase gene, crtB, was isolated from Kocuria gwangalliensis. The crtB with 1,092 bp full-length has a coding sequence of 948 bp and encodes a 316-amino-acids protein. The deduced amino acid sequence showed a 70.9% identity with a putative phytoene synthase from K. rhizophila. An expression plasmid, pCcrtB, containing the crtB gene was constructed, and E. coli cells containing this plasmid produced the recombinant protein of approximately 34 kDa , corresponding to the molecular mass of phytoene synthase. Biosynthesis of lycopene was confirmed when the plasmid pCcrtB was co-transformed into E. coli containing pRScrtEI carrying the crtE and crtI genes encoding lycopene biosynthetic pathway enzymes. The results obtained from this study will provide a base of knowledge about the phytoene synthase of K. gwangalliensis and can be applied to the production of carotenoids in a non-carotenoidproducing host.

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