Process for producing isoprenoid compounds by microorganisms and a method for screening compounds with antibiotic or weeding activity

Abstract

The present invention provides a process for producing isoprenoid compounds or proteins encoded by DNA using DNA that contains one or more of the DNA encoding proteins having activity to improve efficiency in the biosynthesis of isoprenoid compounds effective in pharmaceuticals for cardiac diseases, osteoporosis, homeostasis, prevention of cancer, and immunopotentiation, health food and anti-fouling paint products against barnacles; the DNA; the protein; and a method for screening a substance with antibiotic and weeding activities comprising screening a substance inhibiting enzymatic reaction on the non-mevalonate pathway.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method for screening a substance having antibiotic activity comprising screening a substance that inhibits the reaction of a protein having activity to catalyze a reaction to produce 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate from 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate, wherein the protein having activity to catalyze a reaction to produce 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate from 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate is a protein that has an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 or SEQ ID NO:30, or a protein that has an amino acid sequence wherein one to several amino acid residues are deleted, substituted or added in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 or SEQ ID NO:30 and has activity to catalyze a reaction to produce 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate from 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate. 
     
     
         15 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The screening method according to  claim 14 , wherein the protein having activity to catalyze a reaction to produce 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate from 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate is a protein that has an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:5, or a protein that has an amino acid sequence wherein one to several amino acid residues are deleted, substituted or added in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 and has activity to catalyze a reaction to produce 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate from 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate. 
     
     
         19 . A substance having antibiotic activity, which is obtained by the screening method according to  claim 14 . 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An antibiotic agent comprising the substance of  claim 19 . 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein up to five amino acid residues are deleted, substituted or added in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:5 or 30. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein up to five amino acid residues are deleted, substituted or added in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:5.