Part:BBa_K2423008

UGTCs2 with BBa_J04500

UGTCs2 is an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of crocetin to crocin. This is the third and final step in the zeaxanthin to crocin pathway. In nature this enzyme can be found in Crocus Sativus. Crocus Sativus is the plant where saffron is harvested from.

The gene of interest in this part is regulated by BBa_J04500. This implies that it has to be induced by lactose or any of its closely related derivates, such as IPTG.

This BioBrick is an improved version of BBa_K1033112 and a slightly modified version of BBa_K2423002 (different promoter and RBS).

Usage and Biology

Saffron, a well recognized, but expensive spice has not only uses in terms of cooking but compounds found in saffron have been shown to help with inflammation (1), neurodegenerative diseases (2) and more. Some of those compounds namely zeaxanthin, crocetin dialdehyde, crocetin and crocin are all a part of the same metabolic pathway in the plant specie Crocus Sativus. Not only are these compounds in saffron helpful in terms their medicinal properties, but also the fact that they are very colorful. These aspects was what drew us at iGEM Uppsala 2017 to work with the pathway from zeaxanthin to crocin in the BioBrick format, put also to integrate the metabolic steps that leads up to crocin (the pathway from farnesyl pyrophospate (FPP) to zeaxanthin) on the chromosome of Escherichia Coli. The enzyme presented on this page catalyzes the third and final reaction in the zeaxanthin to crocin pathway.

In more detail UGTCs2 is a UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) that adds sugar ends to the carboxylic acid ends of crocetin forming crocin.

Sequence and Features

Assembly Compatibility:

• 10
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[10]
• 12
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[12]
• 21
  INCOMPATIBLE WITH RFC[21]

  Illegal XhoI site found at 758
  
• 23
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[23]
• 25
  INCOMPATIBLE WITH RFC[25]

  Illegal AgeI site found at 931
  Illegal AgeI site found at 1286
  
• 1000
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[1000]