NZ755558A - In vivo synthesis of sialylated compounds - Google Patents

In vivo synthesis of sialylated compounds

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Publication number
NZ755558A
NZ755558A NZ755558A NZ75555817A NZ755558A NZ 755558 A NZ755558 A NZ 755558A NZ 755558 A NZ755558 A NZ 755558A NZ 75555817 A NZ75555817 A NZ 75555817A NZ 755558 A NZ755558 A NZ 755558A
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NZ
New Zealand
Prior art keywords
microorganism
sialylated
seq
acetylglucosamine
acetyl
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Application number
NZ755558A
Inventor
Joeri Beauprez
Pieter Coussement
Gert Peters
Herpe Dries Van
Annelies Vercauteren
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Inbiose Nv
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Publication of NZ755558A publication Critical patent/NZ755558A/en
Application filed by Inbiose Nv filed Critical Inbiose Nv

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Abstract

The present invention is in the technical field of synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. More particularly, the present invention is in the technical field of fermentation of metabolically engineered microorganisms. The present invention describes engineered microorganisms able to synthesize sialylated compounds via an intracellular biosynthesis route. These microorganisms can dephosphorylate N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate to N- acetylglucosamine and convert the N-acetylglucosamine to N- acetylmannosamine. These microorganisms also have the ability to convert N-acetylmannosamine to N-acetyl-neuraminate. Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for the large scale in vivosynthesis of sialylated compounds, by culturing a microorganism in a culture medium, optionally comprising an exogenous precursor such as, but not limited to lactose, lactoNbiose, N-acetyllactosamine and/or an aglycon, wherein said microorganism intracellularly dephosphorylates N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate to N-acetylglucosamine, converts N-acetylglucosamine to N- acetylmannosamine and convert the latter further to N-acetyl- neuraminate. sialylated compounds via an intracellular biosynthesis route. These microorganisms can dephosphorylate N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate to N- acetylglucosamine and convert the N-acetylglucosamine to N- acetylmannosamine. These microorganisms also have the ability to convert N-acetylmannosamine to N-acetyl-neuraminate. Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for the large scale in vivosynthesis of sialylated compounds, by culturing a microorganism in a culture medium, optionally comprising an exogenous precursor such as, but not limited to lactose, lactoNbiose, N-acetyllactosamine and/or an aglycon, wherein said microorganism intracellularly dephosphorylates N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate to N-acetylglucosamine, converts N-acetylglucosamine to N- acetylmannosamine and convert the latter further to N-acetyl- neuraminate.

Description

INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THK PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (12) (19) World Intellectual Property llIIlIIlllIlIlllIlIllIllIllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIllIlIllIlIllIlIllIlIllIIlIlllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Organuation International Burem& (10) International Publication Number (43) International Publication Date WO 201S/122225 A1 I I PC) I P C T 05 July 2010 (05.07 201(I) (51) International Patent Claasification: (71) Applicant: LNBIOSK N.V. /BE]; 41, Teclmologiepark C12P 19/26 (2006 01) C12&V 9/88 (2006 01) 0&naarde 3, 9052 Gent (BE).
C/2P 19/18 (2006 C12/V 9/12 (2006 01) 01) (72) Inventors; and C12&V15/52 (2006.01) C12iV 9/88 (2006 01) (71) Applicanm (fi&n US i&ni&/: BEAUPREZ,,loeri [BE/BE]; C12/V 9/16 (2006 01) C12/V 1/21 (2006 01) Frmd&rijkiaan 10, 8450 Bredene (BE) COUSSKMENT, C12&V 9/98 (2006 01) C12&V1/19 (2006 01) Pieter Jan dhondtstraat 9050 (ientbnivge [BE/BE]; 29, C12/V 9/18 (2006 01) VAN HERPE, Dries Melan»treat (BE). [BE/BE]; 215, (21) International Application Number: 9032 Wondelgem (BE). PETERS, (*crt [BE/BE]; Hen- VER- ri Dutmntk&an 20 bus 203, 9000 (ient (BE) CAUTKREN, Annelies [BE/BE]; Eedstraat 19, 9810 Eke International 1&iling Date: (22) (BE). 26 Dcccmbcr 2017 (26.12.2017) (74) Agent: SAELENS, Claire; Tcchnologicpark Zw&jnaardc 3 lriling Ell lbll (25) I.anguage: bus 41, 9052 Gent (BE).
Publication I.miguagc: I/n lish (26) Designated States ianie»» nrhernive inr(/carer/, /ar even: (gl) kin&/ nariana/ r&vr&ilahlaf. AE, ACj, AL, AM, (30) Priority Data: nf pm/ac/inn I'.P t( 01916 5 27 December 2016 12.2016) AO, AT, AU,AZ, BA, 13B, BG, 13H, 13N, 13R, BW, 13Y, BZ, Dl-:, CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DJ, DK, DM, DO, Title: IN VIVO SYNTIB',SIS OF SIALYLATED COMPOUNDS (54) Fig. 3: 6csjalyllactose, Lactose Sialyiatediactose 3'-sialyilactose, 3',Eadisialyllactose Sialic acid Disialyllacto-N-tetraose„ saccharide Sialylated Disialyllacto-N-neotetraose CMP-Slalic acid Sjalyl 1 d cult- protein Sialylated protein - - . - Sialyfatedhpid Siaiylated ganglioside Siafylated aglycan Abstract: Thc uivcntion is in thc tccluuctd tield of synthetic and nmtabolic Morc thc (57) prcscnt biology cnginccnng. panicularly, uivcntion is ui thc tccluuc:d iield of fi:micntauon of mctabolically cn inccrcd microorga&usm». Tlm uivmition dcscribcs prcscnt prcscnt miguiccrcd microorganisms able to synthcnrc»ralylatai compo&uids via tui intraccliular biosynthc»is route. Thcsc microor anism» can N- N- dcphosphorylatc N-acctylglucosamincpho»phatc to acctylglucosaminc and convert thc N-acctylglucosaminc to acctylman- no»amuic These microorgaiusm» also have thc ability to corn crt N-acctylmannosaminc to N-acetyl-ncuramiimtc, Fut&hcrmorc, thc invention a method for tim scale m riva sialylatcd a microorgaiusm ui a prcscnt provides large synthc»is of compoiuid&, cultunng urec or such but not lnuucd to lactoNbiosc, N-acctyilactosamuic and/or medium, opuonally compnsing:ui cxogmious prccur. a», lect&&sc, an aglvcon, wllcrcui said microorgailis&11 uitrt&cclhilarlv dcphosphotylt&tcs N-acctytgluco»aululcphosphate to N-acetyl i&&co»attune, couvcru N-acctylglucosamiiic to acctylmanno. amuic and convert thc lath:r liunhcr to N-acetyl- ncuramiimtc.
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TR, TL, UA, US, VZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, other&i'ise e&c'rv (84) Desiglrated States (un(ess Indlcrlted,fi&r kind r&('rag&one(prrucctirur rnuiinhlc) ARIPO(13W, Cill, CiM, KI&, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, ST, SL, TZ, UCi, I:urasian 13Y, KCi, KI., TJ, ZM, ZW), (AM, AL, RU, C.'ll, TM), I:urnpean AT, 131&, 13(i, CY, CZ, DIL DK, (AL, I', I', I PI, IR, Cil3, CiR, IIR, IIV, II:, LS, IT, LT, LU, LV, MC', MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, Sii, SI, SK, SM, C.'P, C.'Ci, C.'I, C.'M, TR), OAPI (13P, 13J, CiA, (iN, CIO, CiW, Nf&, T(i).
KM, ML, MR, SN, TD, Declarations under Rule 4.17: of'rhe us ti& rlie idennrp uivenror (Rule 4.l 7(rft invenrorsr'nP (Rule 4.(7(reft interne (iona( Published: wnh search r r (~ Zl rept& (J)) i&f'des wt(h sequence listing r c& iption (Rule 5.2(aif In vivo of synthesis sialylated compounds The present invention is in the technical field of synthetic and metabolic engineering. biology More particularly, the present invention is in the technical field of fermentation of metabolically engineered microorganisms. The present invention describes engineered micro-organisms able via an intracellular route. micro- to synthesize sialylated compounds biosynthesis These organisms can dephosphorylate N-acetylglucosaminephosphate to N-acetyl glucosamine and convert the N-acetylglucosamine to N-acetylmannosamine. These micro-organisms also havethe ability to convert N-acetylmannosamine to N-acetyl-neuraminate. Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for the scale in vivo synthesis of sialylated large compounds, culturing a microorganism in a culture medium, optionally comprising an exogenous precursor such but not limited to lactose, lacto-N-biose, N-acetyllactosamine and/or an wherein said microorganism intracellularly dephosphorylates aglycon, converts to acetylglucosaminephosphate to N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylglucosamine acetylmannosamine and convert the latter further to N-acetyl-neuraminate.
Background Sialylated compounds such as sialic acid and sialylated oligosaccharides have gained attention the last because of their broad For sialic acid is considered as years, application range. example, an anti-viral precursor. Sialylated oligosaccharides form an essential of human milk and are part anti-adhesive ascribed and immunomodulatory properties; others described them to be involved in brain development. Sialylation, in of lipids or are used in general, proteins, aglycons anti-cancer medicine and in the treatment of neurological diseases.
Sialic acid is a general term used to describe a large family of acidic sugars that are predominantly found on the cell surface of eukaryotic cells. The most common sialic acid is nine-carbon acetylneuraminic acid or Neu5Ac, an acidic sugar that undergoes several modifications to generate the members of the sialic acid family. As seen in e.g. Fig. 1 of yy02008097366, the diversity of the sialic acid family is represented with over 50 known cell-surface members. Sialic acid represents a large family of carbohydrates that are derived from an acidic, nine-carbon parent compound called N-acetylneuraminic acid or Neu5Ac.
Neu5Ac is often decorated with acetyl, phosphate, methyl, sulfate and lactyl groups, which are described to be required for desirable cell signalling and cell adhesion events mediated sialic acid.
Sialic acids and sialylated compounds are common in higher eukaryotic organisms which UDP-N- produce them in a conserved biosynthetic route. This route starts from endogenic UDP-N- acetylglucosamine which is converted to sialic acid through the action of a 2-epimerase N-acylmannosamine acetylglucosamine (hydrolysing) (EC 3.2.1.183), a kinase (EC Neu5AcP 2.7.1.60), a N-acylneuraminatephosphate synthase (EC 2.5.1.57) and a 3.1.3.29). This sialic acid can be activated and transferred to the phosphatase (EC subsequently CMP-sialic 40 desired acceptor via a acid synthase 2.7.7.43) and e.g. a sialyltransferase.
Efforts have been made to express this biosynthetic route in other eukaryotic organisms, whereas prokaryotic systems were not reported. The was functionally expressed in pathway yeast (P/ch/a pastor/s) and plant (Arabidops/s thaliana) to produce sialylated N-glycans.
However, large scale production of sialylated oligosaccharides was never reported. The functional overexpression of eukaryotic in systems remains a daunting task genes prokaryotic without certain outcome due to the lack of specific chaperones, faulty enzyme folding and missing cell organelles. On top of that remains the huge energy requirement of the pathway and the depletion of intercellulair UDP-GlcNAc (UDP-N-acetylglucosamine), necessary for cell growth.
Processes based on enzymatic, chemical as well as fermentative production of sialylated compounds exist. However, all of them have significant disadvantages. For instance, chemical synthesis requires many sequential chemical steps and enzymatic synthesis requires expensive whereas the fermentative process is still under development. Nonetheless, precursors, heavy the latter has the highest industrial production potential.
One of described fermentative production process uses a biosynthesis route that originates type from prokaryotes like Campylobacter jejuni that naturally produces sialic acid or sialylated UDP-N-acetylglucosamine compounds. This biosynthesis route starts from endogenous which cells use for their cell wall. This is converted to ly-acetylmannosamine and N-acetylneuraminate the action of an UDP-N-acetylglucosamine epimerase named and a sialic by (generally neuC) acid synthase (generally named neuB). of this prokaryotic biosynthesis route, Priem et al. 2002, 235- Using only part (Glycobi ology 12, 240) describe the use of living bacterial cells to produce sialyloligosaccharides. In this method, cells of Escherichia coll sialyllactose was directly produced by growing metabolically engineered strains which overexpressed the Ne/sser/a mening/t/d/s genes for alpha-2,3-sialyltransferase and for CMP-Neu5Ac synthase, these strains were further devoid of beta-galactosidase and acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) aldolase activities. These microorganisms were grown at high cell density with glycerol as the carbon and energy source, while exogenous lactose and Neu5Ac were supplied as precursors for sialyllactose synthesis. During the growth, lactose and Neu5Ac were internalized the induction of the expression of an E. col/ galactoside and an exogenous NeuSAc permease. Lactose and NeuSAc accumulate in the cytoplasm where NeuSAc was then converted into CMP-Neu5Ac to be further transferred on lactose to form sialyllactose. Large scale of production sialyloligosaccharides this microbiological method requires important amounts of Neu5Ac as a precursor.
Another microbial system was developed for production of sialyloligosaccharides without the need of an exogenous of sialic acid. WO2007101862 describes such method for supply producing sialylated oligosaccharides with microorganisms comprising heterologous genes encoding a CMP-NeuSAc synthetase, a sialic acid synthase, an UDP-GlcNAcphosphate a wherein the for sialic acid epimerase and sialyltransferase, and endogenous genes coding aldolase and for ManNAc kinase have been deleted or inactivated. The use of (NanA) (NanK) 40 this route intensive for cell. prokaryotic biosynthesis is very energy the Furthermore, the described route for producing the sialylated oligosaccharides competes for the UDP-GlcNAc which is essential for the cells own synthesis. Building on this et al. peptidoglycan concept, Kang have created a production host that does not use a sialic acid synthase, but the endogenous sialic acid aldolase, which has a less favourable chemical equilibrium (Metabolic engineering 14, 2012, 623-629). cali EP1484406 describes the production of Neu5Ac using E. overexpressing acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase and Neu5Ac synthase, but needs N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) as external precursor. In the described method, GlcNAc needs to be used as such. Therefore, the cells in EP1484406 need to be disrupted such that the GlcNAc can be used directly the GlcNAcepimerase.
As described by Lundgren et al. (Org. Biomol. Chem., 2007, 5, 1903 1909) intact cells will convert the incoming GlcNAc to N-acetylglucosaminephosphate (GlcNAcP) which GlcNAcP will be used by the cell for cell growth. This is not available intercellular and can therefore not be used for the GlcNAcepimerase which needs a non-phosphorylated GlcNAc for epimerisation to ManNAc. This explains permeabilization of the cells of GlcNAcP EP1484406 is necessary. As explained Lundgren et al., the can be used for making Neu5Ac but this requires another synthesis LIDP-GlcNAc as an pathway comprising intermediate, which is described above in WO2007101862. The resulting pathway further increases demand compared to the one described in the latter patent because energy uridylation of GlcNAc requires an extra ATP. et 201-214) Deng al. (Metabolic Engineering 7 (2005), describes the production of GlcNAc via GlcNAcP intracellular production of which is then efficiently dephosphorylated and secreted into the medium as GlcNAc. According to et this Deng al., dephosphorylation happens upon export, more specifically in the periplasm of Escherlchia coll. The extracellular produced GlcNAc described in this method, is not available for intracellular conversion. This method to produce GlcNAc requires a two-phase fed batch process, l.e. a cell growth phase followed a GlcNAc production which is induced after the culture had reached a cell to phase only high density, minimize inhibitory effects of phosphorylated amino sugars.
Others have attempted the same heterologously expressing phosphatases and encountered the problem of reduced growth and strong metabolic burden (Lee and Oh, Metabolic engineering, 2015, 143-150). The main reason for said reduction in growth/biomass formation is the non-specificity of the phosphatase that is introduced, which dephosphorylates other essential compounds. Such modifications hence lead to reduced fitness and phosphorylated lower specific productivity. It furthermore leads to selective pressure to mutate the production during production, which reduces the overall process stability. pathway The of sialic acid the formation of production pathways and sialylated oligosacharides require level of GlcNAcP) and nucleotide intermediates. It is high phosphorylated (e.g. pathway commonly understood that such formation leads to aspecific degradation of these intermediates activation of aspecific phosphatases, which in turn leads to reduced fitness. In order to circumvent the effect of the expression of metabolic pathways on the growth of the production hosts, it is standard to use inducible expression systems. In this method first biomass formed and later in the the activated for is production process production pathway is instance IPTG. This was others for the production of sialic acid and sialylated applied by 40 Priem et al. 235-240; et oligosaccharides (WO2007101862; Glycobiology 12, 2002, Kang al., Metabolic engineering 14, 2012, 623-629; Yang et al., Metabolic engineering 43, 2017, 21-28). from losing productivity and titer, another downside in the use of inducible systems is the Apart excretion of intermediate pathway metabolites such as GlcNAc and ManNAc. This leads to the requirement of extra downstream processing steps for the purification, hence a higher production cost in the production of sialic acid, sialyllactose or other sialylated compounds.
The methods for producing sialylated compounds, discussed hereabove, are still insufficient in meeting the large demand of the biotechnological, pharmaceutical and medical industries. A metabolic that successfully overcomes the problems referred to above, engineering approach would represent a significant and long awaited advance in the field.
Summary we have been able to create a production that does not require induction, Surprisingly, pathway and does not require a UDP-GlcNAc epimerase, but allows constitutive expression which also allows better tuning of the metabolic production and reducing pathway improving byproduct formation during the production process.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for sialylated compound production with microorganisms which does not require induction.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a production pathway that does not require a UDP-GlcNAc epimerase, and comprising modulating expression of phosphatase which does not a metabolic burden to the cell as was shown in pose previously the art. Said further embodiment of the present invention provides also an increased sialylated compound production modulating the expression of phosphatase.
In another further embodiment, the above method, when combined with the constitutive expression of the of the metabolic also allows better tuning of the metabolic genes pathway, pathway reducing byproduct formation during the production process.
Description describes an efficient alternative The present invention economical, more and biosynthesis route for the production of sialylated compounds micro-organisms. using The present invention provides a method of producing sialylated compounds by fermentative growth of microorganisms.
In particular, the invention relates to a method for the production of sialylated compounds, wherein the method comprises culturing a microorganism in a culture medium. The converts reactions: N-acetylglucosaminephosphate microorganism intracellularly following to N-acetylglucosamine, /V-acetylglucosamine to N-acetylmannosamine, and N-acetyl-neuraminate. acetylmannosamine to Furthermore, this microorganism is unable to: i) convert N-acetylglucosamineP to glucosamineP, /i) convert N-acetylglucosamine to N-acetyl-neuraminate N-acetyl-mannosamine. acetylglucosamineP, and /ii) convert to Preferably, the conversion of N-acetylglucosaminephosphate to IV-acetylglucosamine is obtained action an intracellularly In another the of expressed phosphatase. preferred embodiment the N-acetylglucosamine is converted to IV-acetylmannosamine an intracellularly /V-acetylmannosamine In an alternative expressed epimerase. preferred embodiment the N-acetylmannosamine is converted an intracellular expressed sialic acid N-acetyl-neuraminate. synthase to Even more preferably, the microorganism comprises all three enzymes such that the microorganism converts N-acetylglucosaminephosphate to acetylglucosamine by action of an intracellularly expressed phosphatase, /i) the acetylglucosamine to N-acetylmannosamine an intracellularly expressed acetylmannosamine and/ii) the N-acetylmannosamine to N-acetyl-neuraminate epimerase; an intracellular expressed sialic acid synthase.
Preferably, the microorganism used in the method of the invention is unable to produce following enzymes a N-acetylglycosaminephosphate deacetylase,/i) a N-acetylglucosamine N-acetylneuraminate kinase, and i/i) a aldolase.
The present invention also provides a microorganism which expresses a phosphatase to N-acetylglucosaminephosphate to N-acetylglucosamine a dephosphorylate (EC 3.1.3.), /i) GlcNAc 2-epimerase to convert N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) to N-acetylmannosamine and a sialic acid synthetase to synthesise N-acetyl-neuraminate (manNac) (EC 5.1.3.8), /ii) (Neu5Ac) from N-acetylmannosamine (ManNAc) (EC 2.5.1.56). Furthermore, this microorganism is unable to: convert N-acetylglucosamineP to glucosamineP, convert i) /i) N-acetyl-glucosamine to N-acetyl-glucosamineP, and iii) convert N-acetyl-neuraminate to acetyl-mannosamine.
In one aspect, the invention provides a micro-organism that is enabled to catalyse the following reactions: the intracellular conversion of N-acetylglucosaminephosphate to acetylglucosamine, the intracellular conversion of N-acetylglucosamine to acetylmannosamine the intracellular conversion of N-acetylmannosamine to sialic acid. and, It is generally accepted that N-acetylglucosaminephosphate is naturally efficiently excreted out of the cell and meanwhile dephosphorylated phosphatases in the periplasm by (see p. 212, et Metabolic 7 201-214). without second column, Deng a/., Engineering Therefore, the (2005), present invention, this excreted product would be unavailable for conversion to sialic acid. re-internalization N- Furthermore, occurs through transport proteins which phosphorylate the acetylglucosamine.
N-acetylglucosamineepimerase The use of an intracellular ensures lower energy (ATP) consumption than the classical prokaryotic route UDP-N-acetylglucosamine). This enables (via a more efficient production of sialic acid, sialylated oligosaccharides and/or sialylated products with a healthier and more efficient strain. optimizing expression levels, the unfavourable chemical equilibrium is overcome and no need of large amounts of free N-acetylglucosamine are necessary, as is in literature. Indeed, in the art, this enzyme is solely used in enzymatic reactions which use concentrations of N-acetylglucosamine to produce high acetylmannosamine. It would be hence logical that the use of an epimerase would require large amounts of intracellular formed GlcNAc which is shown to be released in the medium (see Deng as described however, the present invention has proven this can be avoided. Another supra), of the invention over that substrates advantage present enzymatic methods, is inexpensive can be used in the present invention, as for example a monosaccharide such as for example glucose, 40 galactose or fructose, a disaccharide such as for example sucrose or maltose or a polyol, such as, but not limited to, glycerol. This enables an economic production method fermentation.
N-acetylglucosaminephosphate Different phosphatases (EC 3.1.3.) that convert into acetylglucosamine are described in the art and can be used in the present invention.
HAD-like Phosphatases from the HAD superfamily and the family are described in the art.
Examples from these families can be found in the enzymes expressed from genes inhX, yqaB, or from Escher/ch/a co/i. One that catalyzes this yn/C, yb/V, yldA, cof phosphatase ybjl, ylgL reaction is identified in Blastocladl ella emerson//. Phosphatases are generally aspecific and the activity is generally not related to the family or structure. Other examples can thus be found in well- all phosphatase families. Specific phosphatases are easily identified and screened known methods as described Fahs et al. Chem. Biol., 2016, 11 2944-2961). by (ACS (11), Preferably, the phosphatase of the present invention is a HAD-alike phosphatase. A HAD-alike phosphatase as defined herein refers to phosphatase which comprises: any polypeptide one or more of the following motifs as defined below: Motif 1: ID NO: or hDxDx[TV] (SEQ 73), Motif 2: x(1-2) ID NOs: [GSTDE][DSEN]x(1-2)[hP] [DGTS] (SEQ 74, 75, 76, 77) wherein h means a hydrophobic amino acid I, L, M, F, V, P, G) and x can be any distinct amino acid.
HAD-alike In another preferred embodiment, polypeptides typically have in increasing order of preference at least 82 83 85 88 89 90 92 80%, 81%, %, %, 84%, %, 86%, 87%, %, %, %, 91%, 93 94 95 96 97 98 or 99 % overall sequence identity to any one of the %, %, %, %, %, %, represented SEQ ID NOs: 43,44, 45, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 54, 55 or 57. Preferably, polypeptides by those polypeptides also comprise at least one of the above identified Motifs. More preferably, they comprise both motifs.
The overall determined sequence identity is using a global alignment algorithm, such as the Needleman Wunsch algorithm in the GAP Wisconsin Package, program (GCG Accelrys), with default with of mature preferably parameters and preferably sequences proteins (i.e. without taking into account secretion signals or transit peptides). Compared to overall sequence the sequence identity will be when conserved domains or motifs identity, generally higher only are considered.
In a preferred embodiment, the HAD-alike comprises one of SEQ ID NOs: 43 polypeptide any 55 or 57. ,44, 45, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 54, another is chosen from the HAD or In preferred embodiment, the phosphatase superfamily the HAD-like phosphatase family. More preferably, the phosphatase is chosen from the group enzymes expressed the or from comprising: i) by genes yqaB inhX, yni C, ybi V, yl dA, ybj l, yigL cof Escher/ch/a co/i, ii) the phosphatase of Blastocladiella emerson/i and ///) other phosphatase families.
Examples of N-acetyl-D-glucosmineepimerase 5.1.3.8) can be found in prokaryotes and are in like for Acaryochloris eukaryotes. Examples for prokaryotes found cyanobacteria example marina, Anabaena var/nb/ lls, Anabaena marina, Nostoc punctiforme, Acaryochloris species, Anabaena Nostoc species and Synechocystis species. are also found in Bacteroides species, They 40 species like for example Bactero/des ovatus and Bactero/des theta/otaom/cron and in N-acetyl-D-glucosmine Capnocytophaga canimorsus and Mobiluncus mul/er/s. In eukaryotics, WO 2018)122225 PCTIEP2017)084593 epimerase is found in Glycin max, Mus musculus, Homo sapiens, Rattus norvegicus, Bos Taurus, Sus Canis lupus. Preferably, in the method and microorganism of the present invention, sero/a, N-acetylmannosamineepimerase is chosen from the group comprising i) acetylmannosamineepimerase from cyanobacteria, more in particular from Acaryochloris marina, Anabaena variabilis, Anabaena marina, Nostoc Acaryochloris punctiforme, species, Anabaena species, Nostoc species and Synechocystis species; N-acetylmannosamine epimerase from Bacteroides species, more in particular from Bacteroides ovatus, Bacteroides N-acetyl-D- thetaiotaomicron, Capnocytophaga canimorsus and Mobiluncus mulieris; iii) glucosmineepimerase from Glycin Mus musculus, Homo Rattus norvegi Bos max, sapiens, cus, Taurus, Sus sero/a or Canis lupus.
N-acetyl neuraminate synthase called sialic acid synthase in the 2.5.1.56) activity (also art) (EC is found in several prokaryotic organisms like for example Streptococcus agalatiae, Bacillus subtilis, Legionella Idiomarina loihiensis, Moritella viscosa, pneumophilla, Campylobacterjejuni, Aliivibrio salmonicida, Escherichia coli, Methanocaldococcus jannaschi, Clostridium sordellii, Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus, Micromonas commoda or Iyeisseria meningitis. Preferably, in the N-acetyl method and microorganism of the invention, the sialic acid (or neuraminate) synthase Streptococcus Bacillus is chosen from the group comprising: sialic acid synthase from agalatiae, subtilis, Legionella pneumophilla, Campylobacterj uni, Idiomarina loihiensis, Mori tella viscosa, Aliivibrio salmonicida, Escherichia coli, Methanocaldococcus jannaschi, Clostridium sordellii, vibrio Butyri proteoclasticus, Micromonas commoda or Neisseria meningitis.
In one preferred aspect, any one or more of the phosphatase, N-acetylmannosamine epimerase and sialic acid synthase is overexpressed in the microorganism. In an alternative preferred one or more of the N-acetylmannosamine epimerase and sialic acid aspect, any phosphatase, synthase is introduced and expressed in the microorganism.
In another the microorganism lacks the genes encoding for following enzymes a aspect, i) acetylglycosaminephosphate deacetylase, ii) a N-acetylglucosamine kinase, and iii) a acetylneuraminate aldolase. In another preferred aspect, the genes encoding for following enzymes i) a N-acetylglycosaminephosphate deacetylase, ii) a N-acetylglucosamine kinase, and a N-acetylneuraminate aldolase are reduced in said are deleted iii) activity, preferably genes knocked-out, or in the microorganism.
In another preferred the microorganism further encodes a protein that facilitates uptake aspect, of lactose and lacks that metabolize lactose. Methods enzymes to produce microorganisms which resist lactose killing and the resulting microorganisms are described in yy02016/075243 which is herein incorporated reference.
In a preferred aspect the microorganisms and used in the method the invention also of, of, CMP-sialic express a acid synthase (EC 2.7.7.43) and a sialyltransferase (EC 2.4.99.1) in order to activate the sialic acid and transfer it to a desired compound.
N-acetylglucosaminephosphate is obtained introducing a In a preferred aspect, the by glucosamine-phosphate N-acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.4) which uses intracellular glucosamine- 40 6-phosphate as a substrate. In most micro-organisms, glucosaminephosphate is naturally present in the cell, but the intracellular production can be elevated expressing a glutamine:D-fructosephosphate aminotransferase without inhibition, obtained either through protein engineering or by screening natural enzymes, such as present in gram positive bacteria et Metabolic Engineering 7 201-214).
(Deng a/., (2005), N-acetylglucosamine In the present invention, the expression of the genes to convert phosphate to N-acetyl-neuraminate or sialic acid are optimized in a that enables intracellular of N-acetylglucosaminephosphate, prevents toxic dephosphorylation accumulation of N-acetylglucosaminephosphate and prevents excretion of N-acetylmannosamine. acetylglucosamine and/or Said optimization is the result of the use of constitutive expression of the genes of the production pathway. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention prevents the excretion of at least 10%, 20%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, or 60% of the formed N-acetylglucosamine and/or N-acetylmannosamine. In a further preferred embodiment, the microorganism produces less extracellular N-acetylglucosamine and/or acetylmannosamine than sialylated compound. More preferably, the microorganism produces less than 2% extracellular N-acetylglucosamine and/or 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%, 5%, acetylmannosamine than sialylated compound. In another preferred embodiment of the present invention the microorganism produces or more than equal 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 98% extracellular sialylated compound on total extracellular carbohydrate.
In a particular aspect, the invention relates to a method for synthesis of sialylated compounds, without any exogenous sialic acid addition to the culture medium.
The sialylated compound can be N-acetylneuramic acid, a sialylated oligosaccharide, a sialylated lipid, sialylated glycolipids (such as, but not limited to gangliosides, ceramides), a sialylated protein or a sialylated aglycon.
A sialylated oligosaccharide is a charged sialic acid containing oligosaccharide, /.e, an oligosaccharide having a sialic acid residue. It has an acidic nature. Some examples are 3-SL (3- 6-SL or sialyllactose), 3-sialyllactosamine, (6-sialyllactose acetylneuraminate alfa 2,6 beta 6-sialyllactosamine, oligosaccharides 6-sialyllactose, galactosyl 1,4 Glucose), comprising alfa-2,36al -1,3GalNac -1,36ala-1,46al S66 hexasaccharide (NeuSAc beta beta beta -1,4Gal), sialylated tetrasaccharide (NeuSAc-alfa-2,3Gal beta -1,4GlcNAc beta -146lcNAc), alfa-2,3Gal -1,4GlcNAc -1,3Gal pentasaccharide LSTD (NeuSAc beta beta beta -1,4Glc), sialylated lacto-N-triose, sialylated lacto-N-tetraose, sialyllacto-N-neotetraose, monosialyllacto-N- hexaose, disialyllacto-N-hexaose monosialyllacto-N-neohexaose monosialyllacto-N- I, I, neohexaose disialyllacto-N-neohexaose, disialyllacto-N-tetraose, disialyllacto-N-hexaose II, sialyllacto-N-tetraose disialyllacto-N-hexaose sialyllacto-IV-tetraose 3-sialyl a, I, b, fucosyllactose, disialomonofucosyllacto-N-neohexaose, monofucosylmonosialyllacto-N- sialyllacto-N-fucohexaose disialyllacto-N-fucopentaose octaose (sialyl Lea), II, monofucosyldisialyllacto-N-tetraose and oligosaccharides bearing one or several sialic acid residu(s), including but not limited to: oligosaccharide moieties of the gangliosides selected from GM3 (3sialyllactose, NeuSAca-2,3Gal beta-4Glc) and oligosaccharides comprising the GM3 Neu5Aca-2,8Neu5Aca-2,3Gal beta -1,4Glc GT3 (Neu5Aca-2,8Neu5Aca-2,8Neu5Aca- motif, GD3 2,3Gal beta -1,4Glc); GM2 GalNAc beta -1,4(Neu5Aca-2,3)Gal beta -1,4Glc, GM1 Gal beta— 40 beta beta -1,4Glc, GDla Neu5Aca-2,3Gal -1,3GalNAc beta 1,3GalNAc -1,4(Neu5Aca-2,3)Gal beta beta- -1,4(Neu5Aca-2,3)Gal beta -1,4Glc 6Tla Neu5Aca-2,8Neu5Aca-2,36al beta -1,3GalNAc 1,4(Neu5Aca-2,3)Gal beta -1,46lc GD2 6alNAc beta -1,4(Neu5Aca-2,8Neu5Aca2,3)Gal beta- -1,4Glc 1,46lc 6T2 GspalNAc beta -1,4(Neu5Aca-2,8Neu5Aca-2,8Neu5Aca2,3}Gal beta 6Dlb, -1,3GalNAc -1,4Glc NeuSAca-2,3Gal Gal beta beta -1,4(NeuSAca-2,8NeuSAca2,3)Gal beta GTlb beta -1,3GalNAc beta -1,4(Neu5Aca-2,8Neu5Aca2,3)Gal beta-1,4Glc GQ1b Neu5Aca- -1,3GalNAc -1,4Glc 2,8Neu5Aca-2,3Gal beta beta -1,4(Neu5Aca-2,8Neu5Aca2,3)Gal beta GT1c Gal beta -1,3GalNAc beta -1,4(NeuSAca-2,8Neu5Aca-2,8Neu5Aca2,3)Gal beta -1,4Glc GQlc, Neu5Aca-2,3Gal beta -1,36alNAc beta -1,4(Neu5Aca-2,8Neu5Aca-2,8Neu5Aca2,3)Gal beta- 1,46lc GPlc Neu5Aca-2,8Neu5Aca-2,3Gal beta -1,3GalNAc beta -1,4(Neu5Aca-2,8Neu5Aca- -1,4Glc Neu5Aca-2,3Gal beta— 2,8Neu5Aca2,3)Gal beta GDla beta -1,3(NeuSAca-2,6)GalNAc 1,4Gal beta -1,46lc Fucosyl-GM1 Fuca-1,2Gal beta -1,36alNAc beta -1,4(NeuSAca-2,3)Gal beta -1,4Glc; all of which be extended to the production of the corresponding gangliosides may by reacting the above oligosaccharide moieties with ceramide or synthetizing the above oligosaccharides on a ceramide.
The term micro-organism or organism or cell as indicated above refers to a microorganism chosen from the list a bacterium, a or a refers to a or animal comprising yeast, fungus, or, plant cell. The latter bacterium preferably belongs to the phylum of the Proteo bacteria or the phylum of the Firmicutes or the of the Cyanobacteria or the Deinococcus-Thermus. The phylum phylum latter bacterium belonging to the phylum Proteobacteria belongs preferably to the family Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coll. preferably to the species The latter bacterium preferably relates to any strain belonging to the species Escherichia coll such as but not limited to Escherichia cali Escherichia coll Escherichia co/i Escherichia coll Escherichia coll B, C, W, K12, Nissle. More specifically, the latter term relates to cultivated Escherlchia coll strains designated as E. coll K12 strains which are well-adapted to the laboratory environment, unlike wild and, strains, have lost their ability to thrive in the intestine. Well-known examples of the E. coll type K12 strains are K12 Wild W3110, MG1655, M182, MC1000, MC1060, MC1061, MC4100, type, JM101, NZN111 and AA200. Hence, the present invention specifically relates to a mutated and/or transformed Escherichia coll strain as indicated above wherein said E. coll strain is a K12 strain. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mutated and/or transformed Escherichia cali strain as indicated above wherein said K12 strain is E. coll MG1655. The latter bacterium belonging to the phylum Firmicutes belongs preferably to the Bacilli, preferably Lactobacilliales, with members such as Lactobacillus lactls, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, or Bacillales with members such as from the species Bacillus, Bacillus subtilis or, B. amyloliquefaciens. The latter Bacterium to the Actinobacteria, belonging phylum preferably belonging to the family of the Corynebacteriaceae, with members Corynebacterium glutamicum or C. afermentans, or belonging to the family of the of the Streptomycetaceae with members griseus 5. The latter of 5treptomyces or fradlae. yeast preferably belongs to the phylum the Ascomycota or the of the Basidiomycota or the of the Deuteromycota or the phylum phylum phylum of the Zygomycetes. The latter yeast belongs preferably to the genus 5accharomyces, Pichia, Hansenula, Kluyveromyces, Yarrowia or5tarmerella. The latter fungus belongs preferably to the genus Rhizopus, Dictyostelium, Penicilllum, Mucor or Aspergillus.
The culture medium for the host can 40 production optionally comprise an exogenous precursor or this precursor can be produced the strain itself, such as a glycan like for example lactose, lacto-N-triose, lacto-N-tetraose, lacto-N-neotetraose; lactosamine, an oligosaccharide; a peptide; a lipid or an aglycon. In one particular aspect, the process of the invention is based on tri-saccharide, the active uptake of an exogenous precursor, such as for example a mono, di or acta-N- more particularly an exogenous precursor selected from lactose, N-acetyllactosamine, l biose, galactose, beta-galactoside, and alpha-galactoside such as but not limited to globotriose (Gal-alpha-1,4Gal-beta-1,4Glc), while the microorganisms are growing on an inexpensive carbon substrate, such as a disaccharide such as sucrose or maltose. Moreover, these microorganisms are also able to on fructose or The expression exogenous precursor is grow glucose, glycerol. intended to denote a compound involved in the biosynthetic pathway of the product according to the invention that is internalized by the microorganism. lacto-N- In one aspect, the invention provides for method for production of sialylated forms of lacto-N-tetraose lacto-N-neotetraose. triose, or Any one of these three molecules are synthetized the micro-organism via the activity of a galactosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.38), originating from the Homo sapiens, Bos taurus, Mus mulatta, preferably group comprising Gallus gallus, Danio rerio, Helicobacter pylori and Haemophilus ducrey and/or a acetylglucosaminyltransferase 2.4.1.90) from the (EC preferably originating group comprising Bos Taurus, Homo Sapiens and Mus Musculus. To enhance the formation of these oligosaccharides the coding for UDP hydrolase and galactosephosphate genes sugar uridylyltransferase are lacking, reducing in activity or knocked out in the microorganism.
In another aspect a method for producing a sialylated oligosaccharide is provided in which the method comprises culturing a microorganism as described above and wherein the microorganism produces activated N-acetylneuraminate as donor substrate for a internally, sialyltransferase; and wherein the method further comprises culturing the microorganism in a culture medium which comprises an exogenous precursor selected from the consisting of group lactose, N-acetyllactosamine, lacto-N-biose, galactose, beta-galactoside, and alpha-galactoside such as but not limited to globotriose (Gal-alpha-1,4Gal-beta-1,4Glc)galactose. The exogenous precursor is actively taken into the microorganism and the exogenous precursor is the acceptor substrate for the sialytransferase for the sialylated oligosaccharide. producing In a further aspect, the method according to the invention provides for the production of 3sialyllactose or 6sialyllactose. In this method the microorganism is cultivated at high cell density on a carbon substrate, such as glucose or glycerol, and fed with lactose. The lactose is internalized the lactose permease and sialylated the recombinant sialyltransferase by by using CMP- N-acetyl-neuraminate the endogenously generated from N-acetylglucosamine.
The microorganism or cell of the invention is capable to grow on a monosaccharide, disaccharide, oligosaccharide, polysaccharide, a complex medium or a mixture thereof polyol, as the main carbon source. With the term main is meant the most important carbon source for biomass formation, carbon dioxide and/or by-products formation as acids and/or (such alcohols, such as acetate, lactate, and/or ethanol), i.e. 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 99 % of all the required carbon is derived from the above-indicated carbon source. In one embodiment invention, said carbon source the sole source for said of the is carbon organism, i.e. 100% of all the required carbon is derived from the above-indicated carbon source. 40 In a further preferred embodiment, the microorganism or cell of the invention is a using split metabolism having a production pathway and a biomass pathway as described in WO2012/007481, which is herein incorporated by reference. Said organism can, for example, fructosephosphate be genetically modified to accumulate by altering the genes selected from the phosphoglucoisomerase phosphofructokinase fructosephosphate aldolase gene, gene, gene, fructose isomerase gene, and/or fructose;PEP phosphotransferase gene.
With the term monosaccharide is meant a sugar that is not decomposable into simpler sugars is classed as either an aldose or ketose, and contains one or more by hydrolysis, hydroxyl groups molecule. Examples are glucose, fructose, galactose, mannose, ribose and/or arabinose.
With the term disaccharide is meant a that is composed of two monosaccharides that are sugar chemically bound. Examples are maltose, sucrose, lactose, trehalose, cellobiose and/or chitobiose.
With the term oligosaccharide is meant a sugar that is composed of three to ten monosaccharides that are chemically bound. Examples are maltotriose, fructo-oligosaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides, mannan oligosaccharides, isomaltooligosaccharide, human milk oligosaccharides and/or glucooligosaccharides.
With the term polyol is meant an alcohol containing multiple hydroxyl groups. For example glycerol, sorbitol, or mannitol.
With the term complex medium is meant a medium for which the exact constitution is not determined. Examples are molasses, corn or extract. steep liquor, peptone, tryptone yeast Production of sialylated compounds can be increased adding precursors to the medium, such as N-acetylglusosamine, N-acetylmannosamine, glutamine, glutamate, phosphoenolpyruvate and/or pyruvate.
The sialylated compounds produced in the method of the invention as described above be recovered using various methods, or a combination thereof, known in the art. Depending on the produced sialylated the compound is available in the extracellular fraction or compound, retained in the cells. When the produced sialylated compound is retained in the cells, the sialylated compound will first be released from the cells cell disruption. on by Again depending the produced sialylated compound, the cells may be separated from the extracellular fraction.
In the other case, cells are disrupted without first separation from the extracellular fraction, wherein cells are disrupted techniques such as, but not limited to, heating, freeze thawing and/or shear stress through sonication, mixing and/or French press. The extracellular and/or intracellular fraction may be separated from the cells and/or cell debris centrifugation, filtration, microfiltration, and nanofiltration. Flocculating agents may be used to aid in product separation. The sialylated compounds in the extracellular or intracellular fraction may be extracted ion ultra-or nanofiltration or electrodialysis, such as by exchange, chromatography size exclusion, ion chromatography and simulated moving bed. Another example of filtering the sialylated compounds from liquid phase is filtration using a deep bed filter with cotton and activated carbon where after the is carbon or carbon filter, permeate passed through a polisher micro- followed a 0.2 micron microfiltration membrane system to remove color, by e.g. organisms and suspended carbon particles. Thereafter the sialylated compound may be concentrated in a vacuum evaporator to obtain a concentrate. The concentrate can be 40 precipitated and/or dried through heat and/or lyophilization to obtain drying, spray drying high sialylated compound. An amorphous form powder can then be obtained. This amorphous purity powder may further be crystallised to obtain crystalline sialylated compound.
WO 201II/122225 In exemplary embodiment, sialylated compounds may be isolated from the culture medium methods known in the art for fermentations. For cells be removed from the using example, may culture medium by centrifugation, filtration, flocculation, decantation, or the like. Then, the ion- sialylated compounds may be isolated from the extracellular fraction using methods such as exchange. A further purification of said sialylated compounds be accomplished, for example, nanofiltration or ultrafiltration or ion exchange to remove remaining DNA, by any protein, LPS (endotoxins), or other impurity.
In another exemplary embodiment, sialyllactose may be isolated from the culture medium using methods known in the art for fermentations. For example, cells may be removed from the culture medium centrifugation, filtration, flocculation, decantation, or the like. Then, the sialyllactose be isolated from the extracellular fraction methods such as ion- may using exchange. A further purification of said sialyllactose be accomplished, for example, may by nanofiltration or ultrafiltration or ion exchange to remove remaining LPS any DNA, protein, (endotoxins), or other impurity. Another purification and formulation step is accomplished crystallization or precipitation of the product. Another formulation is to or step spray dry lyophilize sialyllactose.
The sialylated compound may contain a counter ion, such as, a monovalent ion, such as a proton, sodium ion, potassium, a divalent ion, such as calcium magnesium, iron, or, a trivalent ion such as or a combination of ions. iron, N-acetyl Throughout the disclosure of the present disclosure the term sialic acid, neuraminate and N-acetyl neuraminic acid are used interchangeably.
As used herein, the term intracellular or intracellularly in e.g, intracellularly converting, intracellularly production, intracellularly expressed, intracellular formed must be understood to within of The extracellular understood to mean the cell the microorganism. term must be mean outside of the cell.
Further definitions used throughout the present specification Homologue(s) "Homologues" of a protein encompass peptides, oligopeptides, polypeptides, proteins and enzymes having amino acid substitutions, deletions and/or insertions relative to the unmodified protein in question and similar biological and functional activity as the having unmodified protein from which they are derived.
A deletion refers to removal of one or more amino acids from a protein.
An insertion refers to one or more amino acid residues being introduced into a predetermined site in a protein. Insertions comprise N-terminal and/or C-terminal fusions as well as intra-sequence insertions of single or multiple amino acids. Generally, insertions within the amino acid sequence will be smaller than or C-terminal fusions, of the order of about 1 to residues. of or C-terminal fusion or include Examples proteins peptides the binding two-hybrid domain or activation domain of a transcriptional activator as used in the yeast coat proteins, (histidine)tag, glutathione transferase-tag, protein system, phage A, maltose-binding c-myc 40 protein, dihydrofolate reductase, Tag»100 epitope, epitope, FLAG(R)- epitope, lacZ, CMP (calmodulin-binding peptide), HA epitope, protein C epitope and VSV epitope.
A substitution refers to replacement of amino acids of the protein with other amino acids having similar properties (such as similar hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity, antigenicity, -sheet to form or break a-helical structures or beta structures). Amino acid propensity substitutions are typically of single residues, but may be clustered depending upon functional constraints placed the and from 1 to 10 amino acids; insertions upon polypeptide may range will usually be of the order of about 1 to 10 amino acid residues. The amino acid substitutions are preferably conservative amino acid substitutions. Conservative substitution tables are well known in the art for example Creighton Proteins. W.H. Freeman and (see (1984) Company and Table 1 below).
(Eds) Table 1: Examples of conserved amino acid substitutions Residue Conservative Residue Conservative Substitutions Substitutions Ala Ser Leu lie; Val Arg Lys Lys Arg; Gln Asn His Met lie Gin; Leu; Glu Phe Asp Met; Leu; Tyr Gln Ser As, Thr; Gly Ser Thr Ser; Val Gly Pro Tyr Trp; Phe His Asn; Gln Val lie; Leu lie Leu; Val Amino acid substitutions, deletions and/or insertions readily be made may using peptide synthetic techniques well known in the art, such as solid phase peptide synthesis and the like, or recombinant DNA manipulation. Methods for the manipulation of DNA sequences to produce substitution, insertion or deletion variants of a protein are well known in the art. For techniques for making substitution mutations at predetermined sites in DNA are well example, known to those skilled in the art and include M13 mutagenesis, Gen in vitro mutagenesis Cleveland, QuickChange Site Directed mutagenesis San PCR- (USB, OH), (Stratagene, Diego, CA), mediated site-directed other site- directed mutagenesis or mutagenesis protocols.
Derivatives "Derivatives" include peptides, oligopeptides, polypeptides which may, compared to the amino acid sequence of the naturally-occurring form of the protein, such as the protein of interest, substitutions amino acids with non-naturally amino acid or comprise of occurring residues, "Derivatives" additions of non-naturally occurring amino acid residues. of a protein also which occurring altered encompass peptides, oligopeptides, polypeptides comprise naturally non- (glycosylated, acylated, prenylated, phosphorylated, myristoylated, sulphated etc.) or naturally altered amino acid residues compared to the amino acid sequence of a naturally- non-amino occurring form of the polypeptide. A derivative may also comprise one or more acid substituents or additions compared to the amino acid sequence from which it is derived, for example a reporter molecule or other covalently or non-covalently bound to the amino ligand, non- acid sequence, such as a reporter molecule which is bound to facilitate its detection, and naturally occurring amino acid residues relative to the amino acid sequence of a naturally- occurring protein. Furthermore, "derivatives" also include fusions of the naturally-occurring form of the protein with peptides such as FLAG, HIS6 or thioredoxin (for a review of tagging 523-533, tagging peptides, see Terpe, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 60, 2003).
Orthologue(s)/Paralogue(s) Orthologues and paralogues encompass evolutionary concepts used to describe the ancestral relationships of genes. Paralogues are genes within the same species that have originated through duplication of an ancestral orthologues are from different organisms that gene; genes have originated through speciation, and are also derived from a common ancestral gene.
Domain, Motif/Consensus sequence/Signature "domain" The term refers to a set of amino acids conserved at specific positions along an alignment of sequences of evolutionarily related proteins. While amino acids at other positions can vary between homologues, amino acids that are highly conserved at specific positions indicate amino acids that are essential in the structure, stability or function of a protein. likely Identified their high degree of conservation in aligned sequences of a family of protein can be used as identifiers to determine if in question belongs homologues, they any polypeptide to a previously identified polypeptide family. "motif "consensus "signature" The term or sequence" or refers to a short conserved region in the sequence of evolutionarily related proteins. Motifs are frequently highly conserved parts of domains, but also include of the domain, or be located outside of conserved may only part domain (if all of the amino acids of the motif fall outside of a defined domain).
Specialist databases exist for the identification of domains, for example, SMART (Schultz et al. 5857-5864; 242- (1998) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95, Letunic et al. (2002) Nucleic Acids Res 30, InterPro (Mulder et Nucl. Acids. Res. 315-318), Prosite (Bucher and Bairoch 244), al., (2003) 31, (1994), A generalized profile syntax for biomolecular sequences motifs and its function in automatic sequence interpretation. ISMB-94; Proceedings 2nd International Conference on (In) Intelligent Molecular Altman Searls Systems for Biology. R., Brutlag D., Karp P., Lathrop R., D., Eds., AAAI Press, Menlo Park; Hulo et Nucl. Acids. Res. 32:D134-D137, or pp53-61, al., (2004)), 276-280 Pfam (Bateman et al., Nucleic Acids Research 30(1): (2002)). A set of tools for in silica analysis of protein sequences is available on the ExPASy proteomics server (Swiss Institute of in-depth Bioinformatics (Gasteiger et al., ExPASy: the proteomics server for protein knowledge and analysis, Nucleic Acids Res. Domains or motifs also identified routine 31:3784-3788(2003)). may be using techniques, such as sequence alignment.
Methods for the alignment of sequences for comparison are well known in the art, such methods include GAP, BESTFIT, BLAST, FASTA and TFASTA. GAP uses the algorithm of 443-453) 40 Needleman and Wunsch ((1970) J Mol Biol 48; to find the global (i.e. spanning the complete sequences) alignment of two sequences that maximizes the number of matches and 403- minimizes the number of gaps. The BLAST algorithm (Altschul et al. (1990) J Mol Biol 215: calculates percent sequence identity and performs a statistical analysis of the similarity between the two sequences. The software for performing BLAST analysis is publicly available through the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Homologues may readily be identified for the ClustalW multiple sequence alignment algorithm (version using, example, 1.83), with the default pairwise alignment parameters, and a scoring method in percentage.
Global percentages of similarity and identity may also be determined using one of the methods available in the MatGAT software package (Campanella et al., BMC Bioinformatics. 2003 Jul ;4:29. MatGAT: an application that generates similarity/identity matrices protein or using DNA sequences.). Minor manual editing be performed to optimise alignment between conserved motifs, as would be apparent to a person skilled in the art. Furthermore, instead of using full-length sequences for the identification of homologues, specific domains may also be used. The sequence identity values be determined over the entire nucleic acid or amino acid sequence or over selected domains or conserved motif(s), using the programs mentioned Smith-Waterman above using the default parameters. For local alignments, the algorithm is particularly useful (Smith TF, Waterman MS (1981) J. Mol. Biol 147(1);195-7).
Reciprocal BLAST Typically, this involves a first BLAST involving BLASTing a sequence (for example using query of the sequences listed in Table A of the Examples section) against sequence database, any any such as the publicly available NCBI database. BLASTN or TBLASTX (using standard default values) are generally used when starting from a nucleotide sequence, and BLASTP or TBLASTN (using standard default values) when starting from a protein sequence. The BLAST results may be filtered. The full-length sequences of either the filtered results or non-filtered optionally results are then BLASTed back (second BLAST) against sequences from the organism from which the sequence is derived. The results of the first and second BLASTs are then compared. A query identified hit the first is from from paralogue is if a high-ranking from blast the same species as which the sequence is derived, a BLAST back then ideally results in the sequence query query amongst the highest hits; an orthologue is identified if a high-ranking hit in the first BLAST is not from the same species as from which the sequence is derived, and results query preferably upon BLAST back in the query sequence being among the highest hits.
High-ranking hits are those having a low E-value. The lower the E-value, the more significant the score in other words the lower chance the hit was (or the that found chance).
Computation of the E-value is well known in the art. In addition to E-values, comparisons are also scored percentage identity. Percentage identity refers to the number of identical nucleotides (or amino acids) between the two compared nucleic acid (or polypeptide) sequences over a particular length. In the case of families, ClustalW be used, followed large may a neighbour tree, to visualize clustering of related and to identify by joining help genes orthologues and paralogues.
Construct 40 Additional regulatory elements may include transcriptional as well as translational enhancers.
Those skilled in the art will be aware of terminator and enhancer sequences that may be suitable for use in the invention. An intron sequence also be added to the 5 untranslated performing may region or in the coding sequence to increase the amount of the mature message that (UTR) accumulates in the cytosol, as described in the definitions section. Other control sequences (besides enhancer, silencer, intron sequences, 3UTR and/or 5UTR be promoter, regions) may protein and/or RNA stabilizing elements. Such sequences would be known or may readily be obtained a person skilled in the art.
The genetic constructs of the invention further include an of replication sequence may origin that is required for maintenance and/or replication in a specific cell One example is when type. a genetic construct is required to be maintained in a bacterial cell as an episomal genetic element plasmid or cosmid molecule). (e.g.
For the detection of the successful transfer of the nucleic acid sequences as used in the methods of the invention and/or selection of transgenic microorganisms comprising these nucleic acids, it is advantageous to use marker reporter Therefore, the genetic construct genes (or genes). optionally comprise a selectable marker gene. The marker genes be removed or may may excised from the transgenic cell once are no needed. Techniques for marker removal they longer are known in the art, useful techniques are described above in the definitions section.
Regulatory element/Control sequence/Promoter element", "control "promoter" The terms "regulatory sequence" and are all used interchangeably herein and are to be taken in a broad context to refer to nucleic acid regulatory sequences capable of effecting expression of the sequences to which they are ligated. The term "promoter" refers to a nucleic acid control sequence located upstream from the typically transcriptional start of a gene and which is involved in recognising and binding of RNA and other thereby directing transcription of an linked nucleic polymerase proteins, operably acid. Encompassed the aforementioned terms are transcriptional regulatory sequences derived from a classical eukaryotic genomic (including the TATA box which is required for gene accurate with or without and additional transcription initiation, a CCAAT box sequence) elements upstream activating enhancers and silencers) which alter regulatory (i.e. sequences, tissue-specific gene expression in response to developmental and/or external stimuli, or in a manner. Also included within the term is a transcriptional regulatory sequence of a classical -35 -10 prokaryotic gene, in which case it may include a box sequence and/or box transcriptional element" sequences. The term "regulatory also encompasses a synthetic fusion regulatory molecule or derivative that confers, activates or enhances expression of a nucleic acid molecule in a cell, tissue or organ.
Constitutive promoter A "constitutive promoter" refers to a promoter that is transcriptionally active during most, but not necessarily all, phases of growth and development and under most environmental conditions, in at least one cell, tissue or organ.
Transgenic/Transgene/Recombinant "transgenic", "transgene" "recombinant" For the purposes of the invention, or means with regard to, for example, a nucleic acid sequence, an expression cassette, gene construct or a vector comprising the nucleic acid sequence or an organism transformed with the nucleic acid 40 sequences, expression cassettes or vectors according to the invention, all those constructions brought about recombinant methods in which either the nucleic acid sequences encoding proteins useful in the methods of the invention, or genetic control sequence(s) which is operably linked with the nucleic acid sequence according to the invention, for example a promoter, or a) and b) are not located in their natural genetic environment or have been modified by recombinant methods, it being possible for the modification to take the form of, for example, a substitution, addition, deletion, inversion or insertion of one or more nucleotide residues. The natural genetic environment is understood as meaning the natural genomic or chromosomal locus in the original microorganism or the presence in a genomic library. In the case of a genomic library, the natural genetic environment of the nucleic acid sequence is preferably retained, at least in The environment flanks the nucleic acid sequence at least on one side and has a part. sequence length of at least 50 preferably at least 500 especially preferably at least 1000 bp, bp, most at least 5000 A naturally occurring expression cassette for example the preferably bp. naturally occurring combination of the natural promoter of the nucleic acid sequences with the corresponding nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide useful in the methods of the present invention, as defined above becomes a transgenic expression cassette when this expression cassette is modified non-natural, synthetic artificial" methods such for by as, example, mutagenic treatment. Suitable methods are described, for example, in US 5,565,350 or WO 00/15815.
A transgenic microorganism for the of the invention is thus understood as purposes meaning, as above, that the nucleic acids used in the method of the invention are not present in, or originating from, the genome of said microorganism, or are present in the genome of said microorganism but not at their natural locus in the genome of said microorganism, it being possible for the nucleic acids to be expressed homologously or heterologously. However, as mentioned, transgenic also means that, while the nucleic acids according to the invention or used in the inventive method are at their natural position in the genome of a microorganism, the sequence has been modified with regard to the natural sequence, and/or that the regulatory sequences of the natural sequences have been modified. Transgenic is preferably understood as meaning the expression of the nucleic acids according to the invention at an unnatural locus in the i.e. homologous preferably, heterologous expression of the nucleic acids genome, or, takes place. Preferred transgenic microorganism are mentioned herein. "isolated It shall further be noted that in the context of the present invention, the term nucleic acid" "isolated or polypeptide" may in some instances be considered as a synonym for a "recombinant acid" "recombinant nucleic or a polypeptide", respectively and refers to a nucleic acid or polypeptide that is not located in its natural genetic environment and/or that has been modified recombinant methods.
Modulation WO 2I/18/122225 PCT/EP2il17/084593 "modulation" The term means in relation to expression or gene expression, a process in which the expression level is changed said expression in comparison to the control by gene microorganism, the expression level may be increased or decreased. The original, unmodulated expression may be of any kind of expression of a structural RNA (rRNA, tRNA) or mRNA with subsequent translation. For the of this invention, the original unmodulated expression purposes also be absence of expression. The term "modulating the activity" shall mean may any any change of the expression of the inventive nucleic acid sequences or encoded proteins, which leads to increased production yield and/or increased growth of the microorganisms. The expression can increase from zero (absence or immeasurable expression) to a certain amount, or can decrease from a certain amount to immeasurable small amounts or zero.
Expression "expression" "gene expression" The term or means the transcription of a specific gene or "expression" "gene specific or specific genetic construct. The term or expression" in genes particular means the transcription of a gene or genes or genetic construct into structural RNA or mRNA with or without subsequent translation of the latter into a protein. The (rRNA, tRNA) process includes transcription of DNA and processing of the resulting mRNA product.
Increased expression/overexpression "increased expression" "overexpression" The term or as used herein means any form of expression that is additional to the original wild-type expression level. For the of this purposes invention, the original wild-type expression level might also be zero, i.e. absence of expression or immeasurable expression.
Methods for increasing expression of genes or gene products are well documented in the art and include, for overexpression driven promoters, the use of example, by appropriate transcription enhancers or translation enhancers. Isolated nucleic acids which serve as promoter or enhancer elements be introduced in an position may appropriate (typically upstream) of a non-heterologous form of a polynucleotide so as to upregulate expression of a nucleic acid encoding the of interest. For endogenous promoters be polypeptide example, may altered in vivo by mutation, deletion, and/or substitution (see, Kmiec, US 5,565,350; Zarling et al., W09322443), or isolated promoters be introduced into a microorganism cell in the proper orientation and distance from a gene of the present invention so as to control the expression of the gene.
If polypeptide expression is desired, it is generally desirable to include a polyadenylation region 3-end at the of a polynucleotide coding region. The polyadenylation region can be derived from T-DNA. the natural gene, from a variety of other microorganism genes, or from Moreover, the present invention relates to the following specific embodiments: 1. Method for the production of sialylated compounds, the method comprising: culturing a microorganism in a culture medium, said culture medium optionally comprising an 40 exogenous precursor, N-acetylglucosaminephosphate wherein said microorganism intracellularly converts to acetylglucosamine, said N-acetylglucosamine to N-acetylmannosamine and said N-acetyl-neuraminate; acetylmannosamine to and wherein said microorganism is unable to convert N-acetylglucosamineP to glucosamine- 6-P, convert N-acetyl-glucosamine to N-acetyl-glucosamineP, and convert N-acetyl- ii) iii) N-acetyl-mannosamine. neuraminate to 2. The method according to embodiment 1 wherein: said conversion of N-acetylglucosaminephosphate to N-acetylglucosamine is obtained i) by the action of an intracellularly expressed phosphatase, said N-acetylglucosamine to N-acetylmannosamine conversion is performed an ii) by intracellularly expressed N-acetylmannosamine and epimerase; iii) intracellular expressed sialic acid synthase converts said N-acetylmannosamine to N-acetyl- neuraminate. 3. The method according to any one of embodiment 1 or 2 wherein said organism is unable to produce following enzymes a N-acetylglycosaminephosphate deacetylase, a i) ii) acetylglucosamine kinase, and iii) a N-acetylneuraminate aldolase. 4. The method according to one of embodiment 1 to wherein all said conversions are any 3, catalysed enzymes encoded constitutively expressed genes. by by The embodiment wherein . method according to 2 the phosphatase is chosen from the HAD-like HAD superfamily or the phosphatase family, preferably said phosphatase is chosen from the comprising: enzymes expressed the genes inhX, group i) by ygaB, yniC, ybi V, yidA, ybj I, yigt or cof from Escherichia co/i, ii] the phosphatase of Blastocladiella emersonii and iii) other I-IAD-alike phosphatase families, more preferably said phosphatase is a phosphatase polypeptide as defined in the claims. 6. The method according to one of the embodiments 4 or wherein the any 2, 3, 5, acetylmannosamineepimerase is chosen from the group comprising acetylmannosamineepimerase from cyanobacteria, more in particular from Acoryochloris marina, Anobaena variabilis, Anabaena Nostoc marina, punctiforme, Acaryochloris species, Anabaena Nostoc species and Synechocystis N-acetylmannosamine species, species; ii) epimerase from Bacteroides species, more in particular from Bacteroides ovatus, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, canimorsus and Mobiluncus mulieris/ N-acetyl-D- Capnocytophaga iii) glucosmineepimerase from 6/ycin max, Mus musculus, Homo sapiens, Rattus norvegi cus, Bos Taurus, Sus scrofa or Canis lupus. 7. The method one the embodiments wherein sialic according to any of 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, the acid synthase is chosen from the comprising; sialic acid synthase from Streptococcus group agalatiae, Bacillussubtilis, Eegione))a pneumophilla, Campylobacterjejuni, ldiomarina loihiensis, Moritella viscosa, Aliivibrio salmonicida, Escherichia co/i, Methanocaldococcus jannaschi, Neisseria Clostridium sordellii, Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus, Micromonas commoda or meningitis. 8. The method according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein said sialylated compound is selected from the consisting of N-acetylneuramic acid, sialylated group oligosaccharide, sialylated lipids, sialylated protein, sialylated aglycon. 9. The method according to the previous embodiment, wherein said sialylated compound is a sialylated oligosaccharide.
. The method according to embodiment wherein said sialylated oligosaccharide is sialyllactose, one of 3-SL or 6-SL. preferably any 11. The method according to embodiment wherein said sialylated oligosaccharide is lacto-N-tetraose. disialyl 12. The method according to embodiment wherein said sialylated compound is acetylneuraminic acid. 13. The method according to any one of embodiment 1 to 10 wherein said sialylated compound is a sialylated lacto-N-triose, lacto-N-tetraose or a lacto-N-neotetraose, and wherein said microorganism further comprises the activity of a galactosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.38), said galactosyltransferase originates from the Homo Bos preferably group comprising sapiens, taurus, Mus mulatta, Gallus gallus, Dan/a rerio, Helicobacter pylori and Haemophilus ducrey; and/or said microorganism comprises the activity of a N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase 2 4.1 90), preferably said N acetylglucosaminyltransferase originates from the group comprising Bos taurus, Homo sapiens and Mus musculus. 14. The method according to embodiment 13 wherein said microorganism is unable to express the coding for UDP sugar hydrolase and galactosephosphate genes uridylyltransferase.
. The method according to one of embodiments 1 to wherein said microorganism any 14, produces less than 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%, 5%, 2% extracellular N-acetylglucosamine and/or N-acetylmannosamine than sialylated compound and/or said micro-organism produces equal or more than 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 98% sialylated compound on total carbohydrate 16. A method for producing a sialylated oligosaccharide, comprising; culturing method of one embodiments to 14 a) a microorganism according to the any of 1 7, and and wherein said microorganism produces internally, activated N-acetylneuraminate as donor substrate for a sialyltransferase; and culturing said microorganism in a culture medium an exogenous precursor b) comprising lacto-N-biose, selected from the group consisting of lactose, N-acetyllactosamine, galactose, beta-galactoside, and alpha-galactoside such as but not limited to globotriose (Gal-alpha- wherein active into of said 1,4Gal-beta-1,4Glc)galactose, uptake the microorganism exogenous precursor occurs and wherein said exogenous precursor is the acceptor substrate for said sialytransferase for producing the sialylated oligosaccharide. 17. The method according to embodiment wherein one or more of said 2, any phosphatase, N-acetylmannosamine epimerase and sialic acid synthase is overexpressed in the microorganism. 18. The method according to embodiment 2, wherein any one or more of said phosphatase, N-acetylmannosamine epimerase and sialic acid synthase is introduced and expressed in the microorganism. 19. The method according to embodiment wherein said microorganism lacks the genes encoding for following enzymes a N-acetylglycosaminephosphate deacetylase, a /) /i) acetylglucosamine kinase, and/ll) a N-acetylneuraminate aldolase.
. The method according to embodiment wherein in said microorganism the 3, genes encoding for following enzymes a N-acetylglycosaminephosphate deacetylase, a i) ii) N-acetylneuraminate acetylglucosamine kinase, and i//) a aldolase are reduced in activity, preferably said genes are deleted or knocked-out. 21. The method according to one of the embodiments 1 to wherein said any 20, microorganism further encodes a protein that facilitates uptake of lactose and lacks enzymes that metabolize lactose. 22. The method according to any one of embodiments 1 to 21, wherein said microorganism Escher/chio col/ Escherichia co/i is a bacteria, preferably an strain, more preferably an strain which is a K12 strain, even more preferably the Escherichia coli K12 strain is Escherichla co// MG1655. 23. The method according to any one of embodiments 1 to 21, wherein said microorganism is a yeast. 24. The method according to any one of embodiments 1 to 23, wherein the exogenous precursor is chosen from the comprising lactose, galactose, beta-galactoside, and alpha- group galactoside, such as globotriose (Gal-alpha-1,4Gal-beta-1,4Glc).
. A microorganism for the production of sialylated compounds, said microorganism intracellularly converts N-acetylglucosaminephosphate to N-acetylglucosamine, said acetylglucosamine to N-acetylmannosamine and said N-acetylmannosamine to N-acetyl- neuraminate; and is unable to convert N-acetylglucosamineP to glucosamineP, convert N-acetyl- /) ii) N-acetyl-glucosamineP, and convert N-acetyl-neuraminate to N-acetyl- glucosamine to /ll) mannosamine. 26. A microorganism for the production of a sialylated compound, said microorganism defined in one of embodiments 2 to 24. being any 27. A cell culture medium comprising lactose as precursor and the microorganism of any one of embodiments 25 or 26. 28. method of embodiments for of The according to one 1 to 24, the production 3sialyllactose or 6sialyllactose, wherein the microorganism is cultivated at high cell density on a carbon substrate, such as glucose or and fed with lactose which is internalized the glycerol, lactose permease and sialylated said recombinant sialyltransferase the CMP- N-acetyl- by using neuraminate endogenously generated from N-acetylglucosamine. 29. The method according to any one of embodiments 1 to 24, wherein said sialylated compound is isolated from said culture medium means of a unit operation selected from the group centrifugation, filtration, microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, ion exchange, electrodialysis, chromatography, simulated moving bed, evaporation, precipitation, crystallization, lyophilization and/or spray drying . A sialylated compound produced according to the method described in one of embodiments 1 to 24, wherein said sialylated compound is purified by centrifugation and/or filtration, ion-exchange, concentration through evaporation or nanofiltration, formulation through crystallization or spraydrying or lyophilization. 31. A sialylated compound produced according to the method described in any one of embodiments 1 to wherein said sialylated compound is added to food formulation, feed formulation, pharmaceutical formulation, cosmetic formulation, or agrochemical formulation. 32. The method according to one of embodiments 1 to wherein said culture medium any 24, comprises any one or more of the following: a monosaccharide, disaccharide, oligosaccharide, polysaccharide, polyol, a complex medium as the main carbon source. 33. The method according to embodiment 32, wherein said main carbon source provides at least 99% or'00% of all %, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, required carbon for the growth of said microorganism. 34. The method according to embodiment wherein said monosaccharide is chosen from the comprising glucose, fructose, galactose, mannose, ribose or arabinose. group . The method according to embodiment wherein said disaccharide is chosen from the group comprising maltose, sucrose, lactose, trehalose, cellobiose or chitobiose. 36. The method according to embodiment wherein said oligosaccharide is chosen from the group comprising maltotriose, fructo-oligosaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides, mannan oligosaccharides, isomaltooligosaccharide or glucooligosaccharides. 37. The method according to embodiment 32, wherein said polyol is chosen from the group comprising glycerol. 38. The method embodiment wherein said is chosen according to 32, complex medium from the molasses, corn or extract. group comprising steep liquor, peptone, tryptone yeast In a preferred aspect, the present invention relates to the following preferred specific embodiments: 1. A method for the production of a sialylated compound in a microorganism, the method comprising; culturing a microorganism in a culture medium, said culture medium optionally comprising an exogenous precursor, wherein said microorganism comprises at least one nucleic acid encoding a phosphatase, at least one nucleic acid encoding an N-acetylmannosamine epimerase; and at least one nucleic acid encoding a sialic acid synthase, and wherein said microorganism is unable to/) convert N-acetylglucosamineP to glucosamine convert N-acetyl-glucosamine to N-acetyl-glucosamineP, and convert N-acetyl- P, /I) ///) N-acetyl-mannosamine; neuraminate to and modulating expression in said microorganism of a nucleic acid encoding a HAD-alike phosphatase wherein said HAD-alike phosphatase comprises; polypeptide, polypeptide at least one of the following motifs: Motif 1: hDxDx[TV] ID NO: or (SEQ 73), Motif 2: [GSTDE][DSEN]x(1-2)[hP] x(1-2) [DGTS] (SEQ ID NOs: 74, 75, 76, 77) wherein h means a hydrophobic amino acid and x can be (A, I, L, M, F, V, P, G) any distinct amino acid; or a homologue or derivative of one of ID NOs: any SEQ 43,44, 45, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 54, 55 or 57 having at least 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 %, %, %, %, %, %, %, %, %, %, %, 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 ol 99 % overall sequence identity to said %, %, %, %, %, %, %, %, polypeptide. 2. The method according to preferred embodiment wherein said HAD-alike 1, polypeptide comprises any one of SEQ ID NOs: 43,44, 45, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 54, 55, 57. 3. Method according to preferred embodiment wherein said modulated expression is effected nucleic acid HAD-alike introducing and expressing in a microorganism a encoding a polypeptide. 4. Method according to preferred embodiment 1, wherein said modulated expression is effected the action of a constitutive promoter. 5. The method according to any one of the preceding preferred embodiments, wherein said sialylated compound is selected from the consisting of N-acetylneuramic acid, group sialylated oligosaccharide, sialylated lipids, sialylated protein, sialylated aglycon. 6. The method according to the previous preferred embodiment, wherein said sialylated compound is a sialylated oligosaccharide. 7. The method according to preferred embodiment wherein said sialylated oligosaccharide is sialyllactose. 8. The method according to preferred embodiment wherein said sialylated lacto-N-tetraose. oligosaccharide is disialyl 9. The method according to preferred embodiment wherein said sialylated compound is N-acetylneuraminic acid.
. The method according to any one of preferred embodiment 1 to 9 wherein said sialylated compound is a sialylated lacto-N-triose, lacto-N-tetraose or a lacto-N-neotetraose, and wherein said microorganism further comprises the activity of a galactosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.38), preferably said galactosyltransferase originates from the group comprising Homo Bos taurus, Mus mu)atta, Gal)us Danio rerio, Helicobacter and sapiens, ga))us, pylori Haemophilus ducrey; and/or said microorganism comprises the activity of a acetylglucosaminyltransferase (86 2.4.1.90), preferably said N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase originates from the Bos taurus, Homo sapiens and Mus musculus. group comprising 11. The method according to preferred embodiment 12 wherein said microorganism is unable to express the genes coding for UDP sugar hydrolase and galactosephosphate uridylyltransferase. 12. The method according to any one of preferred embodiments 1 to 13, wherein said microorganism produces less than 50/o, 40/o, 30/o, 20/o, 10/o, 5/o, 2/o extracellular acetylglucosamine and/or N-acetylmannosamine than sialylated compound and/or said micro- organism produces equal or more than 50/., 60/., 70/o, 80/., 90/., 95/., 98/. sialylated compound on total carbohydrate 13. A method for producing a sialylated oligosaccharide, comprising: a) culturing a microorganism according to the method of any one of preferred embodiments 1 to 12, and wherein said microorganism produces internally, activated N-acetylneuraminate as donor substrate for a sialyltransferase; and b) culturing said microorganism in a culture medium comprising an exogenous precursor selected from the consisting of lactose, N-acetyllactosamine, lacto-N-biose, galactose, group (Gal-alpha- beta-galactoside, and alpha-galactoside such as but not limited to globotriose 1,4Gal-beta-1,4Glc)galactose, wherein active uptake into the microorganism of said exogenous precursor occurs and wherein said exogenous precursor is the acceptor substrate for said sialytransferase for producing the sialylated oligosaccharide. 14. The method according to preferred embodiment 1, wherein any one or more of said acetylmannosamine epimerase and sialic acid synthase is overexpressed in the microorganism.
. The method according to preferred embodiment 1, wherein any one or more of said acetylmannosamine epimerase and sialic acid synthase is introduced and expressed in the microorganism. 16. The method according to preferred embodiment wherein said microorganism lacks the genes encoding for following enzymes l) a N-acetylglycosaminephosphate deacetylase, ll) a N-acetylglucosamine kinase, andlli) a ly-acetylneuraminate aldolase. 17. The method according to preferred embodiment 1, wherein in said microorganism the genes encoding for following enzymes a N-acetylglycosaminephosphate deacetylase, li) a N-acetylglucosamine N-acetylneuraminate aldolase are reduced kinase, and ill) a in activity, preferably said are deleted or knocked-out. genes 18. The method according to any one of the preferred embodiments 1 to 17, wherein said microorganism further encodes a protein that facilitates uptake of lactose and lacks enzymes that metabolize lactose. 19. The method according to any one of preferred embodiments 1 to 18, wherein said microorganism is a bacterium, an Escherichia co/i strain, more an preferably preferably Escheri chio Escherichia co/i strain which is a K12 strain, even more preferably the co/i K12 strain is Escheri chio co/i MG1655. 20. The method according to one of preferred embodiments 1 to wherein said any 18, microorganism is a yeast. 21. The method according to one of preferred embodiments 1 to wherein the any 20, exogenous precursor is chosen from the lactose, galactose, beta-galactoside, group comprising (Gal-alpha-1,4Gal-beta-1,4Glc). and alpha-galactoside, such as globotriose 22. Microorganism, obtainable a method according to one of claims 1 to 21, wherein said by any microorganism comprises a recombinant nucleic acid encoding a HAD-alike polypeptide. 23. A microorganism for the production of sialylated compounds wherein said microorganism comprises at least one nucleic acid encoding a at least one nucleic acid encoding phosphatase, N-acetylmannosamine an epimerase; and at least one nucleic acid encoding a sialic acid N-acetylglucosamineP synthase, and wherein said microorganism is unable to/) convert to glucosamineP, i/) convert N-acetyl-glucosamine to N-acetyl-glucosamineP, and l//) convert N-acetyl-neuraminate to N-acetyl-mannosamine; characterised in that said microorganism HAD-alike comprises a modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a phosphatase as defined in preferred embodiment 1. polypeptide 24. Construct comprising: nucleic acid encoding a HAD-alike as defined in preferred embodiment polypeptide 1 or one or more control sequences capable of driving expression of the nucleic acid (ii) sequence of and optionally (i); a transcription termination sequence. (iii) . Construct according to preferred embodiment 24, wherein one of said control sequences is a constitutive promoter. 26. construct to embodiment 24 or method for Use of a according preferred 25 in a producing sialylated compounds. 27. A sialylated compound produced according to the method described in any one of preferred embodiments 1 to wherein said sialylated compound is added to food formulation, feed formulation, pharmaceutical formulation, cosmetic formulation, or agrochemical formulation. 28. A microorganism for the production of a sialylated compound, said microorganism being in of embodiments 21. defined any one 2 to 29. A cell culture medium comprising lactose as precursor and the microorganism of any one of embodiments 23 or 28.
. The method according to one of embodiments 1 to for the production of 3sialyllactose or 6sialyllactose, wherein the microorganism is cultivated at high cell density on a carbon substrate, such as glucose or glycerol or sucrose, and fed with lactose which is internalized by the lactose permease and sialylated by said recombinant sialyltransferase using the CMP- N-acetyl-neuraminate endogenously generated from N-acetylglucosamine. 31. The method according to any one of embodiments 1 to 21, wherein said sialylated compound is isolated from said culture medium means of a unit operation selected from the centrifugation, filtration, microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, ion group exchange, electrodialysis, chromatography, simulated moving bed, evaporation, precipitation, crystallization, lyophilization and/or spray drying 32. A sialylated compound produced according to the method described in one of wherein embodiments 1 to 21, said sialylated compound is purified by centrifugation and/or filtration, ion-exchange, concentration through evaporation or nanofiltration, formulation through crystallization or or lyophilization. spraydrying 33. A sialylated compound produced according to the method described in any one of embodiments 1 to wherein said sialylated compound is added to food formulation, feed formulation, pharmaceutical formulation, cosmetic formulation, or agrochemical formulation. 34. The method according to any one of embodiments 1 to 21, wherein said culture medium comprises any one or more of the following: a monosaccharide, disaccharide, oligosaccharide, a complex medium as the main carbon source. polysaccharide, polyol, . The method according to embodiment 34, wherein said main carbon source provides at least 99% or 100% of all %, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, required carbon for the growth of said microorganism. 36. The method according to embodiment wherein said monosaccharide is chosen from the group comprising glucose, fructose, galactose, mannose, ribose or arabinose. 37. The method according to embodiment wherein said disaccharide is chosen from the group comprising maltose, sucrose, lactose, trehalose, cellobiose or chitobiose. 38. The method according to embodiment wherein said oligosaccharide is chosen from the group comprising maltotriose, fructo-oligosaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides, mannan oligosaccharides, isomaltooligosaccharide or glucooligosaccharides. 39. The embodiment wherein is chosen from method according to 34, said polyol the group comprising glycerol. 40. The method according to embodiment 34, wherein said complex medium is chosen from the molasses, corn or extract. group comprising steep liquor, peptone, tryptone yeast The following drawings and examples will serve as further illustration and clarification of the present invention and are not intended to be limiting.
Brief of the description drawings Fig. 1 shows an exemplary pathway as used in example 2 for the production of sialic acid according to the present invention. 1A shows the without all KO and Fig. pathway knock-out overexpression signs. Fig. 1B shows the pathway as used in example 2 with the indicated with a cross and overexpression with an arrow next to the indicated enzyme. upgoing 2 shows the production results of the Escherichia co//strain capable of sialic acid Fig. producing as described in example 2. 3 shows examples of different sialylated compounds which can be produced in the method Fig. of the present invention.
Fig. 4 shows the optical density and sialic acid production of strains supplemented with the indicated phosphatases. shows the rates of strains with the indicated phosphatases.
Fig. growth supplemented Fig. 6 shows the parts of an alignment of the phosphatases tested in the examples.
Exam le 1: Materials and methods Method and materials Escherichia co/i Media Three different media were used, namely a rich Luria Broth a minimal medium for shake (LB), flask trace (MMsf) and a minimal medium for fermentation (MMf). Both minimal media use a element mix.
Trace element mix consisted of 3.6 FeCI2.4H20, 5 CaCI2.2H20, 1.3 MnCI2.2H20, 0.38 g/L g/L g/L CuCI2.2H20, 0.5 CoCI2.6H20, 0.94 ZnCI2, 0.0311 H3B04, 0.4 Na2EDTA.2H20 g/L g/L g/L g/L g/L and 1.01 thiamine.HCI. The molybdate solution contained 0.967 Na2Mo04.2H20. The g/L g/L selenium solution contained 42 Se02.
Broth medium The Luria (LB) consisted of 1% tryptone peptone (Difco, Erembodegem, Belgium), 0.5 % yeast extract (Difco) and 0.5% sodium chloride (VWR, Leuven, Belgium).
Luria Broth plates consisted of the LB media, with 12 Erembodegem, agar (LBA) agar (Difco, added.
Belgium) Minimal medium for shake flask experiments (MMsf) contained 2.00 NH4CI, 5.00 g/L g/L 2.993 KH2P04, 7.315 K2HP04, 8.372 MOPS, 0.5 NaCI, 0.5 (NH4)2504, g/L g/L g/L g/L g/L carbon source chosen not limited fructose, MgS04.7H20. A from, but to glucose, maltose, glycerol and maltotriose, was used. The concentration was default 15 but this was subject g/L, to on the experiment. 1 trace element 100 molybdate change depending mL/L mix, PL/L solution, and 1 mL/L selenium solution. The medium was set to a of 7 with 1M KOH.
Depending on the experiment lactose could be added as a precursor.
The minimal medium for fermentations contained 6.75 NH4CI, 1.25 (NH4)2S04, 1.15 g/L g/L g/L KH2P04 or KH2P04 7.31 KH2P04 (low phosphate medium) 2.93 and g/L (high phosphate medium), 0.5 NaCI, 0.5 MgS04.7H20, a carbon source including but not limited to g/L g/L sucrose, fructose, maltose, glycerol and maltotriose, 1 mL/L trace element mix, 100 glucose, PCT/EP2//17/084593 PL/L molybdate solution, and 1 mL/L selenium solution with the same composition as described above.
Complex medium, e.g. LB, was sterilized by autoclaving (121 21) and minimal medium (MMsf and MMf) filtration (0.22 Sartorius). If necessary the medium was made selective by pm by an antibiotic ampicillin chloramphenicol carbenicillin adding (e.g. (100mg/L), (20 mg/L), spectinomycin and/or kanamycin (100mg/L), (40mg/L) (50mg/L)).
Strains Escheri eh/a co/i MG1655 [lambda, rph-1] was obtained from Coli Genetic Stock Center F, (US), Strain/8 CGSC 7740 in March 2007. Mutant strains were constructed using the homologous recombination, as described Datsenko and Wanner (PNAS 97 6640-6645). by (2000), Plasmids pKD46 (Red helper plasmid, Ampicillin resistance), pKD3 (contains an FRT-flanked chloramphenicol resistance (contains an FRT-flanked kanamycin resistance (cat) gene), pKD4 and pCP20 (expresses FLP recombinase activity) plasmids were obtained from Prof. (kan) gene), R. Cunin Universiteit Brussel, Belgium in 2007).
(Vrije Plasmid pCX-CjneuB was constructed using Gibson assembly. The gene Cjneu81 was expressed the expression vector as described Aerts et. al Life Sci. 2011, No. 10-19). using by (Eng. 11, 1, Plasmid pCX-CjneuB-NmneuA-Pdbst was constructed using Gibson assembly. The genes neuB1, NmneuA and Pdbst were expressed the expression vector as described Aerts Cj using by et. al (Eng. Life Sci. 2011, 11, No. 10-19).
Plasmids for phosphatase expression were constructed Golden Gate assembly. The using phosphatases (EcAphA, EcCof, EcHisB, EcOtsB, EcSurE, EcYaed, EcYcjU, EcYedP, EcYfbT, EcyidA, EcYigB, EcYihX, EcYniC, EcYqaB, EcYrbL and PsMupP) were expressed using promoters apFAB87 and apFAB346 and UTRs gene10 SD2-junction HisHA and UTR1 AATTCGCCGGAGGGATATTAAAAtgaatggaaaattgAAACATCTTAATCATGCTAAGGAGGTTTTCTAATG (SEQ ID NO: 41). All promoters and UTRs except UTR1 are described by Mutalik et. al (Nat.
Methods 2013, No. 354-360). Also phosphatases EcSerB, EcYbhA, , EcAppA, EcGph, EcNagD, ScDOG1 BsAraL are EcYbiV, EcYbjL, EcYfbR, EcYieH, EcYjgL, Ec EcYrfG, EcYbiU, and YjjG, expressed the same promoters and UTRs. using pBR322-NmneuB Plasmid was constructed using a pBR322 vector via Golden Gate assembly.
The promoter and UTR used for the expression of NmNeuB are promoter apFAB299 and UTR SD2-junction pSC101-NmneuA-Pdbst galE BCD12. Plasmid was constructed using a pSC101 vector via Golden Gate assembly. The promoters and UTRs used for the expression of NmneuA UTR SD2-junction The UTRs for are promoter apFAB37 and galE BCD18. promoters and used SD2-junction the expression of Pdbst are promoter apFAB339 and UTR galE BCD12. All promoters and UTRs are described Mutalik et. al Methods 2013, No. 354-360). by (Nat. 10, Plasmids were maintained in the host E. coll DH5alpha phi80d/acZde/taM15, delta(/acZYA- mk'), th/-1, argE) U169, deoR, recA1, endA1, hsdR17(rk, phoA, supE44, lambda, gyr496, re/A1). 40 Bought from lnvitrogen.
Gene disruptions Gene disruptions as well as introductions were performed the technique published gene using 6640-6645). by Datsenko and Wanner (PNAS 97 (2000), This technique is based on antibiotic selection after homologous recombination performed lambda Red recombinase. Subsequent catalysis of a recombinase ensures removal of the antibiotic selection cassette in the flippase final production strain.
In Table A the necessary primers for the construction of the disruption cassette are listed. gene Table A; Lists of primers to construct disruption cassette for the target gene.
Gene target Fw primer Rv primer ' '' ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ nagABCDE CGCTTAAAGATGCCTAATCCGCCAACGG GGCGTTTGTCATCAGAGCCAACCACGT CTTACATTTTACTTATTGAGGTGAATAGT CCGCAGACGTGGTTGCTATCATATGAAT GTAGGCTGGAGCTGCFTC ID NO: ATCCTCCTTAG ID NO: (SEQ (SEQ 4) I J I l k ~ ~ ~ ~ s ~ ~ I I k 4 I k l 4 I I I 4 I I l I I I I I I J k I J k I l I I I 4 I I J 4 '' ' ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ For the genomic integration of the necessary genes into the production hosts genome based on the same technique used for the disruption, discussed before, with specific alterations to gene the disruption cassette. Between a homology site and the FRT site of the disruption cassette, the to be integrated constructed is located. This allows for elegant integration of the constructed in the region dictated the homology sites. this workf a direct disruption and genomic integration is possible. Primers that Using low, gene were used for target integration are at specific sites are listed in Table B.
Table B: Primers used for genomic integration GTGTAGGCI GGAGCTGCTTC TTAAGCGACTTCATTCACC ID (SEQ (SEQ ID NO: 9) NO: 10) nanATEK CATGGCGGTAATGCGCCGCCAGTA CCAACAACAAGCACTGGATAAAGCG AATCAACATGAAATGCCGCTGGCTC AGTCTGCGTCGCCTGGTTCAGTTCAC CGTGTAGGCTGGAGCTGCTTC TTAAGCGACTTCATTCACC ID (SEQ (SEQ ID NO: NO; 11) 12) '' ' ' s ~ ~ iacZYA GCGCAACGCAATTAATGTGAGTTAG GCTGAACTTGTAGGCCTGATAAGCG CTCACTCATTAGGCACCCCAGGCTT CAGCGTATCAGGCAATTTTTATAATC GTGTAGGCTGGAGCTGCTTC TTAAGCGACTTCATTCACC ID (SEQ (SEQ ID NO: 15) NO: 16) atpl-g/dB CAAAAAGCGGTCAAATTATACGGTG ATAACGTGGCTTTTTTTGGTAAGCAG CGCCCCCGTGATTTCAAACAATAAG AAAATAAGTCATTAGTGAAAATATCT GTGTAGGCTGGAGCTGCTTC (SEQ TAAGCGACTTCATTCACC ID (SEQ ID NO: NO: 17) 18) Clones carrying the temperature sensitive pKD46 helper plasmid were grown in 10 mL LB media with ampicillin and L-arabinose at 30 to an of 0.6. The cells were (100 mg/L) (10 mM) ODsoonm ice-cold made electro competent sequential washing, once with 50 mL, and once with 1mL deionized water. the cells were resuspended in 50 of ice-cold water. 10-100 Next, pL Finally, ng of disruption/integration cassette was added to 50 of the washed cell solution for electroporation. Electroporation was performed a Gene Pulser (trademark of BioRad) using (600 Ohm 25 PFD, and 250 V).
After electroporation, cells were resuscitated in 1 mL LB media for 1 h at 37 and finally plated onto LB-agar of of select out containing 25 chloramphenicol or 50 kanamycin to mg/L mg/L antibiotic resistant transformants. The selected mutants were verified PCR with primers upstream and downstream of the modified region and were subsequently grown on LB-agar at 42 for the loss of the pKD46 helper plasmid. The mutants were finally tested for ampicillin sensitivity.
The selected mutants (chloramphenicol or kanamycin resistant) were transformed with pCP20 which ampicillin and chloramphenicol resistant that shows temperature- plasmid, is an plasmid sensitive replication and thermal induction of FLP synthesis. The ampicillin-resistant transformants were selected at 30 after which a few were colony purified in LB at 42 and then tested for loss of all antibiotic resistances and thus also of the FLP helper plasmid. The gene disruptions and/or integration are checked with control primers and sequenced. These gene primers are listed in Table C.
Table C: Primers to validate either gene disruption and/or genomic integration for specific gene targets.
Gene targets Fw primer Rv primer lacZYA CAGGTTTCCCGACTGGAAAG TGTGCGTCGTTGGGCTGATG (SEQ (SEQ ID NO; 19) ID NO; 20) nagABCDE CGCTTGTCATTGTTGGATGC GCTGACAAAGTGCGATTTGTTC (SEQ (SEQ ID NO; ID NO; 21) 22) nanATEK GTCGCCCTGTAATTCGTAAC CTTTCGGTCAGACCACCAAC ID (SEQ (SEQ ID NO; 23) NO; 24) manXYZ ACGCCTCTGATTTGGCAAAG (SEQ AGCCAGTGCGCTTAATAACC (SEQ ID ID NO; 25) NO; 26) atpl-gidB GCTGAACAGCAATCCACTTG (SEQ TGAACGATATGGTGAGCTGG (SEQ ID NO; ID NO; 27) 28) Heterolo ous and homolo ous ex ression Genes that needed to be expressed, be it from a plasmid or from the genome were synthetically synthetized with one of the following companies: DNA2.0, Gen9 or IDT.
Escherl co/I native as the E, coll K-12 eh/a genes, e.g., phosphatases, were picked from MG1655 genome. The origin of other genes are indicated in the relevant table.
Expression could be further facilitated the codon to the codon of the by optimizing usage usage expression host. Gene were optimized using the tools of the supplier.
Cultivation conditions A preculture of 96well microtiter plate experiments was started from single colony on a LB plate, in 175 and was incubated for Bh at 37 C on an orbital shaker at 800 rpm. This culture was as inoculum for 96well microtiter with 175 medium 300x. used a plate, MMsf diluting PL by These cultures in turn, were used as a preculture for the final experiment in a 96well plate, again by diluting 300x. The 96well plate can either be microtiter plate, with a culture volume of 175 or a 24well deepwell plate with a culture volume of 3mL.
A preculture for shake flask experiments was started from a single colony on a LB-plate, in 5 mL medium incubated for at orbital shaker From this LB and was 8 h 37 on an at 200 rpm. culture, 1 mL was transferred to 100 mL minimal medium in a 500 mL shake flask and incubated (MMsf) at 37 on an orbital shaker at 200 rpm. This setup is used for shake flask experiments.
A shake flask experiment for 16h could also be used as an inoculum for a bioreactor. 4% grown Dcu-B of this cell solution was to inoculate a 2L Biostat with a 4 L working volume, controlled by MFCS control software (Sartorius Stedim Biotech, Melsungen, Germany). Culturing condition were set to 37 800 rpm stirring, and a gas flow rate of 1.5 L/min. The pH was controlled at 7 0.5 M H2504 and 25% NH4OH. The exhaust was cooled. 10% solution of silicone using gas antifoaming agent was added when foaming raised during the fermentation (approximately 10 6L). The use of an inducer is not required as all genes are constitutively expressed.
Material and methods Saccharom ces cerev/sae Media Strains are grown on Synthetic Defined yeast medium with Complete Supplement Mixture (SD or CSM drop-out CSM-Ura) containing 6.7 Yeast Nitrogen Base without amino acids CSM) (SD (YNB w/o AA, Difco), 20 agar (Difco) (solid cultures), 22 glucose monohydrate or 20 g/L g/L g/L lactose and 0.79 CSM or 0.77 CSM-Ura Biomedicals). g/L g/L (MP Strains cerev/s/ae et 14:115-32) Saccharomyces BY4742 created by Bachmann al. (Yeast (1998) was used available in the Euroscarf culture collection. All mutant strains were created homologous recombination or plasmid transformation the method of Gietz 11:355- using (Yeast 360, 1995). Kluyveromyces marx/anus lact/s is available at the LMG culture collection (Ghent, Belgium).
Plasmids sia 70 for Yeast expression plasmid p2a 2p GFA1 (Chan 2013 (Plasmid (2013) 2-17)) was used expression of foreign genes in Saccharomyces cerev/sae. This plasmid contains an ampicillin resistance and a bacterial origin of replication to allow for selection and maintenance in E. gene coll. The plasmid further contains the yeast ori and the Ura3 selection marker for selection and maintenance in yeast. Finally, the plasmid can contain a beta-galactosidase expression cassette. Next, this plasmid also contains a /y-acetylglucosamineepimerase (for example from Bactero/des ovatus and a sialic acid synthase example from un/ (BoAGE)) (for Campylobacterj ej fructoseP-aminotransferase (CjneuB)). Finally, it also contains the from Saccharomyces cerev/s/ae, ScGFA1. sia is based sia modified in that Yeast expression plasmid p2a 2p glmS on p2a 2p but a way also (fructoseP-aminotransferase from Escherl eh/a coll is expressed. 9/mS Yeast expression plasmids p2a sia~lmS phospha is based on p2a sia~lmS but 2p 2p modified in a that also EcAphA ID NO; EcCof ID NO: EcHisB ID NO: way (SEQ 42), (SEQ 43), (SEQ 44), EcOtsB (SEQ ID NO: 45), EcSurE (SEQ ID NO: 46), EcYaed (SEQ ID NO: 47), EcYcjU (SEQ ID NO: EcYedP ID NO: EcYfbT ID NO: EcYidA ID NO: EcYigB 48), (SEQ 49), (SEQ 50), (SEQ 51), (SEQ NO: EcYihX ID NO: NO: ID NO: ID 52), (SEQ 53), EcYniC (SEQ ID 54), EcYqaB (SEQ 55), EcYrbL (SEQ ID NO: PsMupP ID NO: ID NO: EcGph ID NO: EcSerB 56), (SEQ 57), EcAppA (SEQ 58), (SEQ 59), (SEQ ID NO: 60), EcNagD (SEQ ID NO: 61), EcYbhA (SEQ ID NO: 62), Ecybiy (SEQ ID NO: 63), EcYbjL ID NO: EcyfbR ID NO: EcYieH ID NO: EcYjgL ID NO: Ec (SEQ 64), (SEQ 65), (SEQ 66), (SEQ 67), YjjG (SEQ ID NO; 68), EcYrfG (SEQ ID NO: 69), EcYbiU (SEQ ID NO: 70), ScDOG1 (SEQ ID NO: 71) and BsAraL (SEQ ID NO: 72) are expressed.
SL-glmS Yeast expression plasmid p2a 2p is based on p2a 2p sia but modified in a way that also KILAC12 (lactose permease from Kluyveromyces NmneuA (CMP-sialic acid synthase /act/s), Ne/sser/a Pdbst Photabacterium from mening/t/des) and (sialyltransferase damselae) are expressed.
Plasmids were maintained in the host E. coli DHSalpha phi80d/acZdeltaM15, delta(/acZYA- mk"), th/-1, argF)U169, deoR, recA1, endA1, hsdR17(rk, supE44, lambda, re/A1). phoA, gyrA96, Bought from lnvitrogen.
Gene ex ression romoters Genes are expressed using synthetic constitutive promoters, as described in by Blazeck (Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Vol. 109, No. 11, 2012).
Heterolo ous and homolo ous ex ression Genes that needed to be expressed, be it from a plasmid or from the genome were synthetically synthetized with one of the following companies: DNA2.0, Gen9 or IDT Expression could be further facilitated optimizing the codon usage to the codon usage of the expression host. Gene were optimized the tools of the using supplier.
Cultivations conditions In strains were initially on SD CSM plates to obtain single colonies. These general, yeast grown 2-3 30'C. plates were grown for days at Starting from a single a preculture was grown over night in 5 mL at 30 shaking at colony, flask inoculated with of 200rpm. Subsequent 500 mL shake experiments were 2% this preculture, in 100 mL media. These shake flasks were incubated at 30 with an orbital shaking of 200 rpm. The use of an inducer is not required as all genes are constitutively expressed.
Material and methods Bacillus subt///s Media Two different media are used, namely a rich Luria Broth (LB), a minimal medium for shake flask (MMsf). The minimal medium uses a trace element mix.
Trace element mix consisted of 0.735 CaCI2.2H20, 0.1 MnCI2.2H20, 0.033 g/L g/L g/L CuCI2.2H20, 0.06 CoCI2.6H20, 0.17 ZnCI2, XX H3B04, XX Na2EDTA.2H20 and 0.06 g/L g/L g/L g/L Na2Mo04. The Fe-citrate solution contained Na-Citrate 0. 135 FeCI3.6H20, 1 (Hoch g/L g/L g/L 1973 PMC1212887).
The Luria Broth (LB) medium consisted of 1% tryptone peptone (Difco, Erembodegem, Belgium), 0.5% yeast extract (Difco) and 0.5% sodium chloride (VYVR, Leuven, Belgium).
Luria Broth agar (LBA) plates consisted of the LB media, with 12 agar (Difco, Erembodegem, Belgium) added.
Minimal medium for shake flask experiments (MMsf) contains 2 (NH4)2S04, 7.5 KH2P04, g/L g/L 17.5 K2HP04, 1.25 Na-Citrate, 0.25 MgS04.7H20, from 10 to g/L g/L g/L 0.05g/L tryptophan, up glucose or another carbon source including but not limited to glucose, fructose, maltose, glycerol and maltotriose, 10 mL/L trace element mix, and 10 mL/L Fe-citrate solution. The medium was set to a of 7 with 1M KOH.
Complex medium, e.g. LB, was sterilized autoclaving (121 and minimal medium by 21) (MMsf) by filtration (0.22 pm Sartorius). If necessary, the medium was made selective by adding an antibiotic zeocin (e.g. (20mg/L)).
Strains Bacillus subtilis 168, available at Bacillus Genetic Stock Center (Ohio, USA).
Plasmids and ene overex ression Plasmids for gene deletion via Cre/lox are constructed as described yan et al. /k by (Appl environm microbial, 2008, p5556-5562). sept Expression vectors can be found at Mobitec (Germany), or at ATCC (ATCCa number 87056). The ScGNA1 and CjneuB are cloned in these expression vectors. A suitable promoter genes Bsg/mS, for expression can be derived from the part repository (iGem): sequence id: BBa K143012, BBa K823000, BBa K823002 or BBa K823003. Cloning can be performed Gibson using Assembly, Golden Gate assembly, Cliva assembly, LCR or restriction ligation.
Plasmids are maintained in the host E. co/i DHSalpha 80dlacZdeltaM15, delta(/acZYA- (F, phi argF)U169, deoR, recA1, endA1, hsdR17(rk, mk'), phoA, supE44, lambda, thi-l, gyrA96, re/A1).
Bought from lnvitrogen.
~GN H of is done via homologous recombination with linear DNA and transformation Disrupting genes 183-191). via the electroporation as described Xue et al. microb. Meth. 34 (1999) The by (2 method of knock-outs is described Liu et al. (Metab. Engine. 24 61-69). This gene by (2014) method uses 1000bp homologies up- and downstream of the target gene. The homologies to be used in this invention, are listed in table D. After the modification, the mutants are verified and downstream of modified These are in using primers upstream the region. primers given table E. Next, the modification is confirmed at LGC Genomics by sequencing (performed (LGC group, Germany)).
Table D Gene to be Upstream Downstream homology homology disrupted nagA-nagB Gactgcaagatttcggcctgggcggacgggaat Aaggaacatgctgacttatgaatatcaataaaca cgtcagttttgtaatttctgtatcaatgattttcat atcgcctattccgatttactatcagattatggagca ggtctcttcctcaagtccgagccggtcgtattgct attaaaaacccaaattaagaacggagagctgcag tgccctgctcccagagttcaagattcatgacaat ccggatatgcctcttccttctgagcgcgaatatgcc cgtgattcgtttattgcttctgaccgcgccagcgc gaacaattcgggatcagccggatgacagttcgcc caaatagcgtcatcacattgataatgccaaggcc aggcgctttctaatttagttaatgaaggcttgctct cctgatctcaagaaggtgctcaattaattccgga atcgcctgaaagggcggggcacctttgtcagcaa gcgtttcccacaagagtatcctgatcctcctgccg gccaaaaatggaacaagcacttcaagggctgaca tatttcaacgcaatcatcggcaacaaggcgatgc agctttaccgaggatatgaaaagccgcgggatga cctcttttcacaagctctagcgctgtttcgctttttc caccgggcagcaggctcattgattatcagcttatt cgacgccgctttttcctgtgatcagcacgccga gattcaactgaggagctcgcggctatattaggctg accatatatatcgacaagaacgccatgaattgct cgggcacccctcctctatccataaaatcactcggg gtggtaggcgccagcctgctctcaaggaagttgg tgcggctggcaaatgatattccgatggcgattgag ttaaacggcttgacagtcttgtcgttttcagcggc tcctcacatattccgtttgagcttgcgggtgaattg gatctgaggacaggcaccccatttttctcggagg aacgaatcgcattttcagtcgtcgatctatgatcat cgtcaatcagctcctgcgggatgggcatatctct attgaaaggtacaacagcataccgatttcccgtgc agaaagaataatagctggtgttacatcagtgcac aaaacaggagcttgagccaagcgctgccaccacg agagaatccattcgctgctttttctcctcttcagga gaagaagcgaatattcttggtattcaaaagggag agctgttcaaagaaagaaagctctgtttttccga cgcctgtcctattaattaaacgaacaacatatctgc gaagctgcacgcgctccctcgggtaatatgtaaa agaacggaactgcttttgagcatgcaaaatccgta atatccggcaatttcaatacctggtcttgataggt tacagaggcgaccgttatacatttgtccactatatg gatcgtctttcataaaaaaagcctccaacccttttt cactcattgtaatcgggcggttaattccttcttctc cgctgattaattccaaattgaactgttccattacg aaggattggagacatggcgaaaatcaaactggtc tcttttgtgcgaacctttgccacgatatgttcctcc tggtgccggacgatatgtttcttttttcgtcttgaac tgttccgggctgccccgagcttgctcacaatactt ttccagatcggtgatttcgttttgccgttaaaactgt tcattttatcactttcgggcttgaacctaaaacag cttccactataatgtaccaataataaacagactgc attttataaaaggggggaaaacacctcagctggt ggttcaagatgatcccagcggaattcagctgtgtc ctagatcactagtctgaaaaagagtaaaataaa cccgctcttcacttgctcccgttttccgagctcttca ggtattcaaattccagaaaggcggatcatet ttggtatatacgtta ID NO: (SEQ 34) ID NO: (SEQ 33) gamA Tggcggacatggaataaatcacaaacgacaaa Gtgacaccccctcaaagagatagacaagcaccat atttgttatgaccaatttatgatacttgtcattacga gatgacgccggcaagaatagagttaatcaaata gagcacgggcgcaacgaacaagaaagaaaact atttagcaccgcccttatcaaactgtcaatattaat caaccggttctgtaattccggtcagcatagatgt ttctgaaaatttgttataaaagaaggatacaaatc gagcgccgcagaaatcatcacgccggagatcat tttcatattgggagggcaaatggtattatggtctca ttttttcttttccggacgcgcggtatggataatggc atgaaaaagaacggattgcatacagaatgggga aagagcaacggccggcagacagaaaatcatgt gaatgaaatgacagctttatattctgttatcaagtt aagggaaatcccccatcataaagcgcccggctg taaaatcattgagttaattaaatcgggcaaatatc tcgggtctcccgcgaaaaaccttgtcaggtcgcc aggcgaatgatcagctgccgacggagagtgagtt ggttacggtgttgcctgttgatgggtctgtgtattc ttgcgaacaatatgatgtcagcagaacaactgtga tcccatcataaaatagaaaggcgtataaaaaat gactggctctgcagcagctagagcttgagggatat attaaaagaattcaaggaaaagggacatttgtat atgatgcaggccaaaaggaatcagcaaacgat agatcgttgcataaaagaacaggccgactgttg cggcggccaaaatacaaacgccgattccgcataa aatcggcaattaaactgctggctgcgttaattcc gattacgagctttgcagaacaaatgagaggacttc gttttggatcagcggccaaacgaatgagaaaat gttctgaatcaaaagtgcttgagcttgtggtgattc gacgccgatcaccaatgaactgacggaagtaat ctgccgatcattccatcgccgagcttttgaaaatga gatcgggacaaagcgttttccagagaaaaatcc aagagaatgaacctgtcaacaagcttgtcagagt aaggaccggatgcagctcgattgatgaaaatcg cagatacgccgagggggaacctttgcagtatcat cttatataaataggcggcgagaagcccgataat acctcatatattccctggaaggcggcaccggggct gattcctccgaaaacccccatatcaatcaggtgc ggcgcaggaggaatgcaccggctcgctgtttgaat tcggctccttcatacggaggctgaaggccgagta tgttaaggacaaaatacaatattgaaatcagcag attttcccatattgtcgagggtgacggttaaaatt gggcacggaatcgatcgaaccgattttaacggat aagtatccgatgacagcggcaagtccggctaca gaaacgatcagcggacacttattaaccaatgtcg ccccca gagcgcctgcgtttttatcagaatcccttacctatg ccttctccgccggctaatccgatcgcga cggcgaaaatcagcggaaggttatcgaatacaa ataaaaatgaagaagtggtggaatatgcgcaaat cgccgcccgcatcctttataatagggatgttcagt tattacacggggagaccgaacgaaattcaccgta gaacagtcatatcattcataaagcaatgtgttttaa aaatccttgtctccgaaacggagcaaaagacct gaagggaatggtggttctatgtttttatttacgaat gctgccggcaggacggcaaccggagtcatcaac gcgcggccaagctgctgcagaatttgaaatgcct ggaaaagtgctgtggggagcagt (SEQ ID NO: ttttaaacatgacagtctccttttattgtg 36) (SEQ ID NO: Table E Heterolo ous and homolo ous ex ression Genes that needed to be expressed, be it from a plasmid or from the genome were synthetically synthetized with one of the following companies: DNA2.0, Gen9 or IDT.
Expression could be further facilitated by optimizing the codon usage to the codon usage of the expression host. Gene were optimized using the tools of the supplier.
Cultivations conditions A preculture, from a single colony on a LB-plate, in 5 mL LB medium was incubated for 8 h at 37 on an orbital shaker at 200 rpm. From this culture, 1 mL was transferred to 100 mL minimal medium in a 500 mL shake flask and incubated at 37 C on an orbital shaker at 200 (MMsf) rpm.
This setup is used for shake flask experiments. The use of an inducer is not required as all genes are constitutively expressed.
Anal tical methods i d it ~Oti Cell density of the culture was frequently monitored measuring optical density at 600 nm Nanophotometer NP80, Cell was obtained (Implen Westburg, Belgium). dry weight by centrifugation (10 min, 5000 Legend X1R Thermo Scientific, Belgium) of 20 reactor broth in g, g pre-dried and weighted falcons. The pellets were subsequently washed once with 20 mL solution and dried at 70 to a constant weight. To be able to convert physiological (9 g/L NaCI) ODeoonm measurements to biomass concentrations, a correlation curve of the OD6oonm to the biomass concentration was made.
Measurement of cell dr wei ht From a broth sample, 4 x 10 was transferred to centrifuge tubes, the cells were spun down 4 5 and the cells were washed twice with 0.9% NaCI solution. The centrifuge (5000g, min), tubes containing the cell pellets were dried in an oven at 70 for 48 h until constant weight. cell dry weight was obtained gravimetrically; the tubes were cooled in a desiccator prior to weighing.
Li uid chromato ra h The concentration of carbohydrates like, but not limited to, glucose, fructose and lactose were determined with a Waters UPLC H-class system with an ELSD detector, a Acquity using Acquity UPLC BEH amide, 130 1.7 2.1 mm x 50 mm heated at 35 using a 75/25 A, pm, acetonitrile/water solution with 0.2% triethylamine (0.130 mL/min) as mobile phase.
Sialyllactose was quantified on the same machine, with the same column. The eluent however was modified to 75/25 acetonitrile/water solution with 1% formic acid. The flow rate was set to 0.130 mL/min and the column temperature to 35 Sialic acid was quantified on the same machine, the REZEX ROA column x 7.8 mm using (300 ID).
The eluent is 0.08% acetic acid in water. The flow rate was set to 0.5 mL/min and the column temperature to 65 C. GlcNAc and ManNAc were also measured using this method.
Growth rate measurement The maximal growth rate was calculated based on the observed optical densities at (pMax) 600nm using the R package grofit.
Exam le 2: roduction of sialic acid in Escherlchla coll A first example provides an Escherl chio co/i strain capable of producing ly-acetylneuraminate (sialic acid) (see figure 18).
A strain capable of accumulating glucosaminephosphate using sucrose as a carbon source was further engineered to allow for N-acetylneuraminate production. The base strain overexpresses a sucrose phosphorylase from Bifidobacterium adolescentis a (BaSP), fructoseP-aminotransferase fructokinase from Zymomonas mabilis (Zmfrk), a mutant "54, 419-429 as described Deng et al. (Biochimie 88, To allow for gene sia lie by (2006))).
(EcglmS acid the nanATEK and manXYZ were BaSP production operons nagABCDE, disrupted. and Zmfrk were introduced at the location of nagABCDE and was introduced at the location of EcglmS nanATEK. modifications were described in are based on These done as example 1 and the principle of Datsenko & Wanner (PNAS USA 97, 6640-6645 (2000)).
In this strain, the biosynthetic for sialic acid as described in this invention, pathway producing was implemented overexpressing a glucosamineP-aminotransferase from Saccharomyces cerev/s/ae a N-acetylglucosamineepimerase from Bacteroides ovatus and (ScGNA1), (BoAGE) a sialic acid synthase from Campylobacterjejun/ (CjneuB). 5cGNA1 and BoAGE were expressed on locations nagABCDE and manXYZ, respectively. CjneuB was expressed the using high copy plasmid pCX-CjneuB.
The strain was cultured as described in example 1 (materials and methods). Briefly, a SmL LB preculture was inoculated and overnight at 37 This culture was used as inoculum in a grown shake flask experiment with 100mL medium which contains sucrose and was made as 10g/L described in example 1. Regular samples were taken and analyzed as described in example 1.
The evolutions of the concentrations of biomass, sucrose and sialic acid are easily followed and N-acetylneuraminate an end concentration of 0.22g/L was produced extracellularly, as can be seen in figure 2.
The same organism also produces N-acetylneuraminate based on maltose or glucose, glycerol as carbon source. 6-sial Escherichia Exam le 3: roduction of llactose in cali Another example according to present invention is the use of the method and strains for the 6-sialyllactose. production of The strain of example 3 is a daughter strain of the strain used in example 2. The strain is further Escher/ch/a co/i modified by overexpressing a lactose permease Eclacy from (as described and demonstrated in example 1 of yyO 2016/075243 which is here also incorporated reference), CMP-sialic a acid synthethase from Ne/sser/a menlng/tides (NmneuA) and a sialyltransferase from Photobacterium damselae On of that lacZ is disrupted.
(Pdbst). top NmneuA The genes and Pdbst, are expressed from a plasmid, together with CjneuB. This plasmid is pCX-CjneuB-NmneuA-Pdbst, and is made as described in example 1.
Said strain is inoculated of 5ml described in as a preculture consisting LB medium as example 1. 37'C After growing overnight at in an incubator. 1% of this preculture is inoculated in a shake flask containing 100ml medium containing sucrose as carbon source and 10 (MMsf) 10g/I 37'C. lactose as precursor. The strain is for 300h at grown 6-sialyllactose.
This strain produces quantities of Exam le 4: roduction of sialic acid in 5accharom ces cerevisiae usin heterolo ous fructoseP-aminotransferase Another use of in form of 5accharomyces example provides an eukaryotic organism, the cerev/sae, for the invention. This method utilizing the of the invention shall be obtained pathway N-acetylglucosamineepimerase in 5accharomyces cerevlsi ae by introducing and expressing a (for example from Bactero/des ovatus (BoAGE)) and a sialic acid synthase (for example from Campylobacterj ej un/ neuB)).
As starting point, a strain with increased metabolic flux towards N-acetylglucosamine is needed. This achieved fructoseP-aminotransferase phosphate is overexpressing the "Szf}. mutant from Escher/ch/o col/ (Ecglm5 To create a N-acetylneuraminate producing 5accharomyces cerevislae according to this invention, the genes are introduced via a 2-micron plasmid (Chan 2013 (Plasmid 70 (2013} 17)) and the genes are expressed using synthetic constitutive promoters (Blazeck 2012 and Bioengineering, Vol. No. as also described in example 1. The (Biotechnology 109, 11)) specific plasmid used in this embodiment is p2a 2p sia glmS. This plasmid is introduced into Saccharomyces cerevisae using the transformation technique described Gietz and Woods PMID 12073338) and a mutant strain is obtained (2002, Said strain is capable of converting fructosephosphate into glucosaminephosphate, N-acetylglucosaminephosphate. followed by glucosaminephosphate conversion in This acetylglucosaminephosphate moiety is further converted to N-acetylglucosamine, said N-acetylmannosamine N-acetylmannosamine acetylglucosamine into and finally this is converted into N-acetylneuraminate.
A preculture of said strain is made in SmL of the synthetic defined medium SD-CSM containing 'C 22 glucose and grown at as described in example 1. This preculture is inoculated in 'C. 100mL medium in a shakeflask with sucrose as sole carbon source and at 10g/L grown Regular samples are taken and the production of N-acetylneuraminate is measured as described in example 1. This strain and method produces quantities of N-acetylneuraminate.
The same organism also produces N-acetylneuraminate based on glucose, maltose or glycerol as carbon source. 6-sial cerevlsiae Exam le 5: roduction of llactose in Saccharom ces Another example provides use of an eukaryotic organism, in the form of Saccharomyces cerevisae, for the invention. This method utilizing the of the invention shall be obtained pathway N-acetylglucosamineepimerase in Saccharomyces cerevislae by introducing and expressing a (for example from Bacteroides ovatus (BoAGE)) and a sialic acid synthase (for example from Campylobacterj neuB)). ej (Cj On top of that, further modifications are made in order to produce 6sialyllactose. These CMP-sialic modifications comprise the addition of a lactose permease, a acid synthase and a sialyltransferase. The preferred lactose permease is the KILAC12 gene from Kluyveromyces lactls CMP-sialic (). The preferred acid synthase and the sialyltransferase are respectively NmneuA from Neisseria meningitides and Pdbst from Photobacterl um damselae, as also described in example 3.
As starting a strain with increased metabolic flux towards N-acetylglucosamine point, needed. This is achieved the fructoseP-aminotransferase phosphate is by overexpressing mutant from Escherl eh/a coll (Ecglm5*54).
N-acetylneuraminate To create a producing Saccharomyces cerevisiae according to this invention, the genes are introduced via a 2-micron plasmid (Chan 2013 (Plasmid 70 (2013) and the are expressed synthetic constitutive promoters (Blazeck 2012 17)) genes using (Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Vol. No. as also described in example 1. The 109, 11)) used in this embodiment is sia This introduced into specific plasmid p2a 2p glmS. plasmid is Saccharomyces cerevlsae using the transformation technique described Gietz and Woods and a mutant strain is obtained (2002) fructosephosphate Said strain is capable of converting into glucosaminephosphate, said glucosaminephosphate into N-acetylglucosaminephosphate, said N-acetylglucosamine N-acetylmannosamine phosphate into N-acetylglucosamine, said N-acetylglucosamine into and finally said N-acetylmannosamine into N-acetylneuraminate. Said N-acetylmannosamine is then converted to CMP-sialic acid and transferred to lactose to obtain 6sialyllactose.
SD-CSM A preculture of said strain is made in SmL of the synthetic defined medium containing 'C 22 glucose and grown at as described in example 1. This preculture is inoculated in 'C. 100mL medium in a shakeflask with 10g/L sucrose as sole carbon source and grown at N-acetylneuraminate Regular samples are taken and the production of is measured as described in example 1. This strain and method produces quantities of 6sialyllactose.
The same organism also produces N-acetylneuraminate based on maltose or glucose, glycerol as carbon source.
Saccharom cerev/siae Exam le 6: roduction of sialic acid in ces usin autolo ous fructoseP-aminotransferase Another example provides use of an eukaryotic organism, in the form of Saccharomyces cerevisae, for the invention. This method utilizing the of the invention shall be obtained pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae introducing and a N-acetylglucosamineepimerase by expressing Bacteroides ovatus (for example from (BoAGE)) and a sialic acid synthase (for example from Campy/obacterjejuni (CjneuB)).
As starting a strain with increased metabolic flux towards N-acetylglucosamine point, fructoseP- phosphate is needed. This is achieved overexpressing the native aminotransferase ScGFA1.
To create a N-acetylneuraminate producing Saccharomyces cerevisiae according to this via 2-micron 70 invention, the genes are introduced a plasmid (Chan 2013 (Plasmid (2013) and the genes are expressed using synthetic constitutive promoters (Blazeck 2012 17)) and Vol. No. as also described in example 1. The (Biotechnology Bioengineering, 109, 11)) specific plasmid used in this embodiment is p2a sia GFA1. This plasmid is introduced into Saccharomyces cerevisae the transformation technique described Gietz and Woods using by (2002) and a mutant strain is obtained strain is fructosephosphate into said Said capable of converting glucosaminephosphate, glucosaminephosphate into N-acetylglucosaminephosphate, said N-acetylglucosamine into N-acetylglucosamine, said N-acetylglucosamine into N-acetylmannosamine and phosphate N-acetylneuraminate. finally said N-acetylmannosamine into A preculture of said strain is made in 5mL of the synthetic defined medium SD-CSM containing 22 glucose and grown at 30 C as described in example 1. This preculture is inoculated in 100mL medium in a shakeflask with sucrose as sole carbon source and at 30 C. 10g/L grown Regular samples are taken and the production of /V-acetylneuraminate is measured as described in example 1. This strain and method produces quantities of N-acetylneuraminate.
N-acetylneuraminate The same organism also produces based on glucose, maltose or glycerol 40 as carbon source.
Exam le 7: roduction of sial llactoses and othersial lated cpm ounds In an alternative embodiment of example the sialyltransferase is changed to another sialyltransferase with different activity. This can be an alpha-2,3-sialyltransferase alpha-2,6- sialyltransferase, an alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase or a combination thereof. These sialyltransferases are widely available in nature and well annotated.
In this production of different sialyllactoses like for example 6-sialyllactose, 3-sialyllactose way, or a mixture thereof can be obtained.
The strains are cultivated as stated in example 1 and example 3.
The pathways created in examples 2 to 7 can also be combined with other pathways for the synthesis of larger oligosaccharides, sialyl-lacto-N-triose, sialyllacto-N-tetraose, e.g. disialyllactose-N-tetraose, sialyllacto-N-neotetraose, disialyllactose-N-neotetraose. and To this end, the transferases to synthetize these glycosidic bonds are co-expressed with the pathway CMP-sialic genes to form acid and the transferase (as described above) to sialylate said oligosaccharide.
Examples of such sialyltransferases are ST6Gall, ST6Galll, ST3Gall until Vl, ST6GalNAc I until Vl and ST85ia I until as described Datta (Current 2009, 483-498) and Vl, by Drug Targets, 10, Harduin-Lepers 727-737).
(Biochimie 83 (2001) Further examples originating from marine organisms are described yamamoto (Mar. Drugs 2010, 2781-2794). by 8, lacto-N-neotetraose Exam le 8: roduction of sial lated The aim of this experiment was to demonstrate the functionality of presented invention of the production of other sialylated oligosaccharides, in this case sialyltated lacto-N-neotetraose. lacto-N-neotetraose strain described in A producing was developed following the protocol example 1. For production, the expression of a N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase and a galactosyltransferase are needed, this is achieved introduction of the NmlgtA and by genes NmlgtB respectively, both from Ne/sser/a mening/tides. Next, the lactose importer Ec/acy from Escherl chio co// is described and demonstrated in example 1 of which is here also incorporated reference). Finally, the genes ushA and galT are knocked out. In this a lacto-N-neotetraose strain is obtained. way, producing To be able to grow on lactose and produce N-acetylglucosaminephosphate, a sucrose from Bifldobacterium ado/escent/s a fructokinase from Zymomonas phosphorylase (BaSP), fructoseP-aminotransferase mobilis and a mutant (EcglmS*54, as described Deng et (frk) by al (Biochimie 419-429 were overexpressed as described in example 1. 88, (2006))) In this strain, the method for producing sialic acid as described in this invention, was implemented overexpressing a glucosamineP-aminotransferase from Saccharomyces N-acetylglucosamineepimerase ovatus cerevisiae (ScGNA1), a from Bacteroides (BoAGE) and a sialic acid synthase from Campy/obacterjejuni ScGNA1 and BoAGE are expressed on (Cjneug). locations and manXYZ, is from pCX-CjneuB- nagABCDE respectively. CjneuB expressed plasmid NmneuA-Pdbst.
WO 2II18/122225 PCT/EP2il17/084593 lacto-N-neotetraose Sialylation of the moiety is performed by the conversion of sialic acid to CMP-salic acid a CMP sialic acid synthethase, NmneuA from Neisseria meningtides, by e.g.
Photobacterium damselae. subsequently followed by a sialyl transferase, e.g. Pdbst, from These genes (NmneuA and Pdbst) are expressed from the high plasmid pCX-Cjneug-NmneuA- copy Pdbst.
The strain is cultured as described in example 1 (materials and methods). Briefly, a 5mL LB 37'C. preculture is inoculated and grown overnight at This culture was used as inoculum in a shake flask experiment with 100mL medium which contains 10g/L sucrose as carbon and energy source, 10g/L lactose as precursor and was made according to the description in example 1. lacto-N- Regular samples are taken and analyzed. This strain produces quantities of sialylated neotetraose.
Alternative glycosyltransferases are possible. If Ecyygbo (from Escherichia coli 055rH7) is expressed instead of Nmfgtg for production of sialylated lacto-N-tetraose is obtained. example, Exam le 9; Production of sialic acid with Bacillus subtifis N-acetylneuraminate In another embodiment, this invention can be used for production of in Bacigus subtifis, another bacterial production host.
N-acetylneuraminate A producing strain is obtained through this invention by starting with a strain, capable of overproducing glucosaminephosphate intracellularly. For this, the native fructoseP-aminotransferase (BsglmS) is overexpressed. The following enzymatic activities are disrupted knocking out the and N-acetylglucosaminephosphate by genes nagA, nagB gamA: deacetylase and glucosaminephosphate isomerase.
In this strain, the method for producing sialic acid as described in this invention, is implemented glucosamineP-aminotransferase Saccharomyces cerevisiae by overexpressing a from (ScGNA1), a N-acetylglucosamineepimerase from Bacteroides ovatus (BoAGE) and a sialic acid synthase from Campylobacterjejuni (CjneuB). These genes are introduced via a plasmid, as described in examplel.
The strain is cultured as described in example 1 (materials and methods). Briefly, a SmL LB preculture is inoculated and grown overnight at 30 This culture is used as inoculum in a shake flask with medium which contains sucrose to experiment 100mL 10g/L and is made according the description in example 1. This strain produces quantities of N-acetylneuraminic acid. 6-sialyllactose Example 10: Fermentations of producing strain with no excretion of GlcNAc, ManNAc or sialic acid Another example according to the present invention provides use of the method and strains for the production of 6-sialyllactose.
An Escherichia coli strain capable of accumulating glucosaminephosphate using sucrose as a N-acetylneuraminate carbon source was further engineered to allow for production. This base strain overexpresses a sucrose phosphorylase from Bifidobacterium adolescentis a (BaSP), fructokinase from Zymomonas mobilis a mutant fructoseP-aminotransferase (Zmfrk), 419-429 6- (EcglmS"54, as described Deng et ak (Biochimie 88, (2006)). To allow for 40 sialyllactose production the operons nagABCDE, nanATEK and manXYZ were disrupted. BaSP EcglmS"54 and Zmfrk were introduced at the location of nagABCDE, was introduced at the location of nanATEK. These modifications were done as described in example 1 and are based 6640-6645 on the principle of Datsenko & Wanner (PNAS USA 97, (2000)).
In this strain, the biosynthetic pathway for producing 6-sialyllactose as described in this invention, was implemented overexpressing a glucosamineP-aminotransferase from 5accharomyces cerevisiae (ScGNA1), a N-acetylglucosamineepimerase from Bacteroides ovatus (BoAGE) and a sialic acid synthase from Neisseria meningitides (IymneuB). ScGNA1 and BoAGE were expressed on locations nagABCDE and manXYZ, respectively. NmNeuB was pBR322-NmNeuB. expressed using the high copy plasmid The strain is further modified by overexpressing a lactose permease EclacY from Escherichia coli (as described and demonstrated in example 1 of which is here also incorporated reference), a CMP-sialic acid synthethase from Neisseria meningitides (NmNeuA) and a sialyltransferase from Photobacterium damselae On of lacZ is disrupted. NmNeuA and Pdbst were (Pdbst). top that, pSC101-NmneuA-Pdbst. expressed using the low plasmid copy The strain was cultured in a bioreactor as described in example 1 (materials and methods).
Briefly, a 5mL LB preculture was inoculated and grown overnight at 37 This culture was used as inoculum in a shake flask experiment with 500mL medium which contains 10g/L sucrose and was made as described in example 1. This culture was used as inoculum in a 2L bioreactor experiment. Regular samples were taken and analyzed as described in example 1. The final concentration of 6-sialyllactose was 30.5 g/L. No extracellular GlcNAc, ManNAc and sialic acid was detected during the fermentation and in the final broth. 6-sialyllactose The same organism also produces based on glucose, maltose or glycerol as carbon source.
Exam le 11: Effect of hos hatase on rowth and roduction of sialic acid A further example provides growth results and sialic acid production of several Escherichia coll N-acetylneuraminate strains capable of producing (sialic acid) wherein the strains are expressing an extra phosphatase as indicated hereunder. strain mutant fructoseP-aminotransferase "54, The base overexpresses a as (EcglmS 419-429 described et al. (Biochimie a glucosamineP-aminotransferase by Deng 88, (2006)), from 5accharomyces cerevisiae N-acetylglucosamineepimerase from Bacteroides (ScGNA1), a ovatus (BoAGE) and a sialic acid synthase from Campylobacterj ejuni (CjneuB). To allow for gene sialic acid production the operons nagABCDE and nanATEK. The lac YZA was replaced operon by only a single gene operon, the native lacY, which is required for the production of sialyllactose as described in example 10. These modifications were done as described in example 1 and are based on the principle of Datsenko & Wanner (PNAS USA 97, 6640-6645 (2000)).
This strain with different for base was then supplemented phosphatase bearing plasmids comparing the effect of the phosphatase on growth and sialic acid production. The base strain was used as blank in the comparison. These plasmids consisted besides the and of, phosphatase 40 a promoter driving expression of the phosphatase, a pSC101 ori and a spectomycin resistance marker. The following phosphatases were expressed: EcAphA (SEQ ID NO: 42), EcCof (SEQ ID NO: 43), EcHisB (SEQ ID NO: 44), EcOtsB (SEQ ID NO: 45), EcSurE (SEQ ID NO: 46), EcYaed (SEQ ID NO: EcYcjU ID NO: EcYedP ID NO; EcYfbT ID NO: EcYidA 47), (SEQ 48), (SEQ 49), (SEQ 50), (SEQ ID NO; 51), EcYigB (SEQ ID NO: 52), EcYihX (SEQ ID NO: 53), EcYniC (SEQ ID NO; 54), EcYqaB (SEQ ID NO; EcYrbL (SEQ ID NO: 56) and PsMupP (SEQ ID NO; 57). Other phosphatases that are 55), expressed are ID NO: ID NO: EcSerB ID NO: EcAppA (SEQ 58), EcGph (SEQ 59), (SEQ 60), EcNagD ID NO: EcYbhA ID NO: EcYbiV ID NO: ID NO: EcYfbR (SEQ 61), (SEQ 62), (SEQ 63), (SEQ 64), EcYbjL (SEQ ID NO: 65), EcYieH (SEQ ID NO: 66), EcYjgL (SEQ ID NO: 67), Ec YjjG (SEQ ID NO: 68), EcYrfG ID NO: EcYbiU ID NO: ScDOG1 ID NO: 71) and BsAraL ID NO: 72).
(SEQ 69), (SEQ 70), (SEQ (SEQ first In a experiment a subset of the above described strains was used. In a second experiment a second subset of the above described strains were tested.
Each strain was cultured as described in example 1 (materials and methods). the Briefly, workflow consists of 3 growth steps: first growth on LB, followed growth on MMsf with 15 and finally a MMsf. The first is performed in g/L glycerol, growth stage using 15g/L glycerol step a 96well plate, using 175 LB per well, and incubated overnight at 37 The second step is 37'C. performed in a 96well 175 medium, incubated for 24 h at The final growth plate using pL step was performed in;/j in a 96well plate using 175 medium, incubated at 37 to determine the pMax for the first experiment (see figure 5) and//j in a 24well deepwell plates using 3 mL do determine sialic acid production and optical densities for the second experiment (see figure Reference table for Figure 4 and 5: label phosphatase SEQ ID NO Promotor blank NA NA NA EcAphA apFAB346 42 apFAB87 EcAphA EcCof 43 apFAB87 EcCof 43 apFAB346 EcHisB 44 apFAB346 EcOtsB 45 apFAB346 EcSurE 46 apFAB346 EcSurE 46 apFAB87 EcYaed 47 apFAB346 EcYaed 47 apFAB87 EcYcjU 48 apFAB87 12 EcYedP 49 apFAB87 EcYfbT 50 apFAB87 14 EcYidA 51 apFAB346 EcYidA 51 apFAB87 16 52 apFAB346 EcYigB 17 EcYihX 53 apFAB346 EcYihX 18 53 apFAB87 19 EcYniC 54 apFAB346 EcYniC 54 apFAB87 21 EcYqaB 55 apFAB87 22 EcYqaB 55 apFAB346 Based on figures 4 and 5 enabling strains to better than the blank strain phosphatases grow (no crippled growth) and producing more sialic acid than the blank strain, can be chosen.
Based on the above, it was found that phosphatases at least Motif 1 and Motif 2 comprising provide a strain which is not crippled and produces more sialic acid than the blank strain.
Exam le 12: Identification of further se uences related to the hos hatases used in the methods of the invention Sequences related to SEQ ID NOs; 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 54, 55 and 57 (polypeptides) were identified amongst those maintained in the Entrez Nucleotides database at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) using database sequence search tools, such as the Basic Local Alignment Tool (Altschul et al. 1 Mol. Biol. 215:403-410; and Altschul (BLAST) (1990) et al. (1997) Nucleic Acids Res. 25:3389-3402). The program is used to find regions of local similarity between sequences nucleic acid or sequences to sequence by comparing polypeptide databases and calculating the statistical significance of matches. The output of the analysis was viewed by pairwise comparison, and ranked according to the probability score (E-value), where the score reflect the probability that a particular alignment occurs chance (the lower the E-value, the more significant the In addition to E-values, comparisons were also scored hit). percentage identity. Percentage identity refers to the number of identical amino acids between the two compared sequences over a particular length. In some instances, polypeptide the default parameters may be adjusted to modify the stringency of the search. For example the E-value be increased to show less stringent matches. This short nearly exact may way, matches may be identified.
Table 1A to 1K provides a list of homologue sequences related to SEQ ID NO: polypeptide 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 54, 55 and 57, respectively.
Table 1A: Examples of polypeptides related to Ec Cof (SEQ ID NO; 43), showing sequence identity to SEQ ID 43: short identifier ID NO % identity (matgat) genbank SEQ Shigella flexneri WP 095762248.1 78 99,6 WP 095785299.1 79 99,3 Shigella boydii 98,2 Escherichia fergusonii WP 024256925.1 80 Staphylococcus aureus WP 094409981.1 81 89,3 Escherichia albertii WP 000113024.1 89 82 Citrobacter amalonaticus WP 046476411.1 83 81,6 Salmonella enterica WP 023234244.1 81,6 84 80,5 Escherichia coli WP 088543831.1 85 WO 2I/18/122225 PCT/EP2il17/084593 Table 1B: Examples of polypeptides related to Ec HisB (SEQ ID NO: 44), showing sequence identity to SEQ ID 44; % identity (matgat) short genbank identifier SEQ ID NO K-315 99,4 Shigella flexneri EIQ21345.1 86 99,2 Escherichia albertii WP 059217413.1 98,9 Shigella flexneri WP 094085559.1 98,6 Shigella sonnei WP 077125326.1 Escherichia coli WP 088129012.1 90 98,6 98 Shigella dysenteriae WP 000080078.1 98 Escherichia marmotae WP 038355110.1 Salmonella bongori WP 000080052.1 93 94,6 Table 1C: Examples of related to Ec OtsB ID NO: showing sequence polypeptides (SEQ 45), identity to SEQ ID 45: SEQ ID NO % identity (matgat) short genbank identifier 99,6 Shigella sonnei WP 077124555.1 Escherichia coli WP 032172688.1 99,6 99,2 Shigella flexneri WP 064198868.1 Escherichia albertii WP 059227241.1 85,7 83,1 Escherichia fergusonii WP 000165652.1 Table 1D: of related Ec Yaed NO: Examples polypeptides to (SEQ ID 47), showing sequence identity to SEQ ID 47: % identity (matgat) short genbank identifier NO Escherichia fergusonii WP 001140180.1 99,5 sonnei WP 047565591.1 100 99,5 Shigella 99 Escherichia coli WP 061103769.1 Escherichia albertii WP 001140171.1 102 95,8 93,2 Kluyvera intermedia WP 047371746.1 Citrobacter koseri WP 047458784.1 93,2 Kosakonia arachidis 090122712.1 105 89 WP Kluyvera cryocrescensWP 061282459.1 85,9 Leclercia WP 039030283.1 107 85,9 adecarboxylata Table 1E: of related to ID Examples polypeptides Ec Yc)UB (SEQ NO; 48), showing sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 48: ID NO % identity short genbank identifier SEQ (matgat) 99,5 Shigella sonnei WP 094313132.1 Escherichia coli WP 000775764.1 97,7 95,4 Escherichia coli WP 032302947.1 92,7 Shigella flexneri OUZ88260.1 PCT/EP2tl17/084593 Table 1F: Examples of related to Ec YfbT ID NO: showing sequence polypeptides (SEQ 50), identity to SEQ ID NO; 50: SEQ ID NO Io identity (matgat) short genbank identifier Shigella sonnei WP 094323443.1 99,1 87,5 Citro bacter werkmanii N BRC 105721 GAL43238.1 Citrobacter freundii KGZ33467.1 86,6 86,6 Citrobacter amalonaticus Y19 AKE59306.1 85,6 Salmonella enterica WP 080095242.1 Escherichia fergusonii WP 001203376.1 85,6 Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar 118 Hadar KKD79316.1 85,6 Table 1G; Examples of related to Ec YidA ID NO: showing sequence polypeptides (SEQ 51), identity to SEQ ID NO; 51: SEQ ID Io identity (matgat) short genbank identifier NO Escherichia coli WP 053263719.1 99,6 99,3 Escherichia fergusonii WP 000985562.1 99,3 Shigella sonnei WP 094337696.1 Trabulsiella guamensis WP 038161262.1 94,4 Citrobacter amalonaticus 061075826.1 123 94,1 WP 93,7 Klebsiella pneumoniae WP 048288968.1 Trabulsiella odontotermitis 054178096.1 93,3 WP 90 Enterobacter kobei WP 088221256.1 Table 1H: Examples of polypeptides related to Ec YigB (SEQ ID NO: 52), showing sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 52: Io identity short genbank identifier SEQ ID NO (matgat) 99,6 Shigella sonnei WP 094322240.1 Shigella sonnei WP 052962467.1 93,7 87 Salmonella enterica WP 079797638.1 85,7 Citrobacter braakii WP 080625916.1 Enterobacter hormaechei WP 047737367.1 131 81,9 81,1 Lelliottia amnigena WP 059180726.1 80,3 Leclercia adecarboxylata WP 039031210.1 Table ll: Examples of polypeptides related to Ec YniC ID NO: showing sequence identity (SEQ 54), to SEQ ID NO: 54: SEQ ID NO Io identity short genbank identifier (matgat) Shigella flexneri 1235-66 EIQ75633.1 134 85,6 85,1 Kosakonia sacchari WP 074780431.1 85,1 Enterobacter mori WP 089599104.1 Lelliottia amnigena WP 064325804.1 84,7 84,7 Enterobacter sp. 638 WP 012017112.1 Kosakonia radicincitans WP 071920671.1 84,2 Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar 140 2010K-2159 84,2 Newport str. CDC AKD18194.1 Table 1J: Examples of related to Ec YqaB ID NO: showing sequence polypeptides (SEQ 55), identity to ID NO: 55: SEQ ID NO % identity (matgat) short genbank identifier Shigella flexneri K-315 EIQ18779.1 97,9 059215906.1 142 93,6 Escherichia albertii WP Salmonella enterica WP 079949947.1 88,3 85,6 Kluyvera intermedia WP 085006827.1 85,1 Trabulsiella odontotermitis WP 054177678.1 Yokenella regensburgei WP 006817298.1 84,6 84,6 Raoultella terrigena WP 045857711.1 Klebsiella pneumoniae WP 064190334.1 83,5 Table 1K: Examples of related to Ps ID NO: showing sequence polypeptides MupP (SEQ 57), NO: 57: identity to SEQ ID SEQ ID NO % identity (matgat) short genbank identifier Pseudomonas putida WP 062573193.1 94,6 group 94,6 Pseudomonas sp. GM84 WP 008090372.1 93,3 Pseudomonas entomophila 92,4 Pseudomonas vranovensis WP 028943668.1 83,9 Pseudomonas cannabina WP 055000929.1 Pseudomonas monteilii WP 060480519.1 93,3 Sequences have been tentatively assembled and publicly disclosed research institutions, such as The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR; beginning with TA). The Eukaryotic Gene Orthologs database may be used to identify such related sequences, either keyword search or (EGO) by by using the BLAST algorithm with the nucleic acid sequence or polypeptide sequence of interest.
Special nucleic acid sequence databases have been created for particular organisms, such as Joint Institute. the Genome 13: Identification of domains motifs in Example and comprised polypeptide sequences useful in the methods of invention performing the The Integrated Resource of Protein Families, Domains and Sites database is an (InterPro) text- sequence- integrated interface for the commonly used signature databases for and based searches. The lnterPro database combines these databases, which use different methodologies and degrees of biological information about well-characterized proteins to derive varying SWISS-PROT, protein signatures. Collaborating databases include PROSITE, TrEMBL, PRINTS, ProDom and Pfam, Smart and TIGRFAMs. Pfam is a large collection of multiple sequence alignments and hidden Markov models covering common protein domains and families. many Pfam is hosted at the Sanger Institute server in the United Kingdom. Interpro is hosted at the European Bioinformatics Institute in the United Kingdom. results of the InterPro scan of the polypeptide sequences as represented by SEQ ID NOs: 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 54 and 55 are presented in Table 2.
Table 2: InterPro scan results (major accession numbers) of the polypeptide sequence as represented ID NOs: 54 and 55. by SEQ 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, Alignment of the tested was done and 6 shows of the phosphatase polypeptides figure part alignment. Motif 1 and motif 2 are indicated with boxes. Alignment was made using clustalomega.
Example 14: Effect of phosphatase on growth and production of sialic acid in 5accharomyces cerevisiae A further example of sialic acid production of several saccharomyces cerev/siae strains capable of producing N-acetylneuraminate (sialic acid) wherein the strains are expressing an extra indicated hereunder. phosphatase as The strain used here is derived from the strain described in example 4. To enhance growth and production of sialic acid in Saccharomyces cerevisiae according to this invention, the phosphatase are introduced via a 2-micron plasmid 2013 {Plasmid 70 2-17)) genes (Chan (2013) and the genes are expressed using synthetic constitutive promoters (Blazeck 2012 (Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Vol. No. as also described in example 1. The 109, 11)) used in this embodiment is This based on specific plasmids p2a 2p sia~lmS-phospha. plasmid the plasmid sia~lmS plasmid is described in example 1. It is introduced into p2a 2p Saccharomyces cerevisae using the transformation technique described by Gietz and Woods (2002, PMID 12073338) and a mutant strain is obtained. The effect of phosphatase expression on and production of sialic acid of these mutants are evaluated as described in example growth Example 15: Effect of phosphatase on growth and production of sialic acid in Bacillus subtills In another embodiment, this invention can be used to enhance growth and production of sialic acid in Bacillus subtilis, yet another bacterial production host.
The strain used here is derived from the strain described in example 9. Additionally to the alterations described in example 9, phosphatase genes EcAphA (SEQ ID NO: 42), EcCof (SEQ ID NO: EcHisB ID NO: EcOtsB ID NO: EcSurE ID NO: EcYaed 43), (SEQ 44), (SEQ 45), (SEQ 46), (SEQ ID NO: 47), EcYcjU (SEQ ID NO: 48), EcYedP (SEQ ID NO: 49), EcYfbT (SEQ ID NO: 50), EcYidA (SEQ ID NO: EcYigB ID NO: EcYihx ID NO: EcYniC ID NO: EcYqaB 51), (SEQ 52), (SEQ 53), (SEQ 54), (SEQ ID NO: 55), EcYrbL (SEQ ID NO: 56), PsMupP (SEQ ID NO: 57), EcAppA (SEQ ID NO: 58), EcGph ID NO: EcSerB ID NO: EcNagD ID NO: EcYbhA ID NO: (SEQ 59), (SEQ 60), (SEQ 61), (SEQ 62), EcybiV (SEQ ID NO: 63), (SEQ ID NO: 64), EcyfbR (SEQ ID NO: 65), EcYieH (SEQ ID NO; 66), EcYbjL EcYjgL (SEQ ID NO: Ec (SEQ ID NO: EcYrfG (SEQ ID NO: EcYbiU (SEQ ID NO: 67), YjjG 68), 69), 70), ScDOG1 ID NO: and BsAraL ID NO: are overexpressed on a as (SEQ 71) (SEQ 72) plasmid, described in example 1. Subsequently, this plasmid is introduced in Bacillus subtl lls. The effect of phosphatase expression on growth and production of sialic acid of the created mutants are evaluated as described in example 11.
PCT/EP20 1 7/084593

Claims (23)

Claims 1.
1. A method for the production of a sialylated compound in a microorganism, the method comprising: culturing a microorganism in a culture medium, said culture medium optionally comprising an exogenous precursor, wherein said microorganism comprises at least one nucleic acid encoding a phosphatase, at least one nucleic acid encoding an N-acetylmannosamine epimerase; and at least one nucleic acid encoding a sialic acid synthase, and wherein said microorganism is unable convert N-acetylglucosamineP to glucosamineP, ii to if ) N-acetyl-glucosamineP, N-acetyl-neuraminate convert N-acetyl-glucosamine to and iii convert to N-acetyl-mannosamine; and HAD-alike modulating expression in said microorganism of a nucleic acid encoding a phosphatase wherein said HAD-alike phosphatase polypeptide comprises: polypeptide, at least one of the following motifs: Motif 1: hDxDx[TV] ID NO: or (SEQ 73), Motif 2: [GSTDE][DSEN]x(1-2) [hP]x(1-2)[DGTS] (SEQ ID NOs: 74, 75, 76, 77) wherein h means a amino acid and x can be hydrophobic (A, I, L, M, F, V, P, G) any distinct amino acid; or a homologue or derivative of one of ID NOs: 55 or any SEQ 43,44, 45, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 54, 57 having at least 80 %, 81%, 82 %, 83 %, 84 %, 85 %, 86%, 87 %, 88 %, 89 %, 90 %, 91%, 92 %, or'9 94 97 overall said 93 %, %, 95 %, 96 %, %, 98 %, % sequence identity to polypeptide. The method claim wherein HAD-alike
2. according to said polypeptide comprises any one of SEQ ID NOs: 55 or 57. 43,44, 45, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 54,
3. Method according to claim 1, wherein said modulated expression is effected by introducing and in a microorganism a nucleic acid encoding a HAD-alike expressing polypeptide.
4. Method according to claim 1, wherein said modulated expression is effected by the action of a constitutive promoter.
5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said sialylated compound is selected from the consisting of N-acetylneuramic acid, sialylated oligosaccharide, sialylated group lipid, sialylated protein, sialylated aglycon.
6. Method according to the previous claim, wherein said sialylated compound is a sialylated oligosaccharide.
7. Method according to claim wherein said sialylated oligosaccharide is sialyllactose. lacto-N-tetraose.
8. Method according to claim 6, wherein said sialylated oligosaccharide is disialyl
9. Method according to claim wherein said sialylated compound is N-acetylneuraminic acid.
10. Method according to one of claim 1 to 9 wherein said sialylated compound is a sialylated lacto-N-triose, lacto-N-tetraose lacto-N-neotetraose, or a and wherein said microorganism further comprises the activity of a galactosyltransferase 2.4.1.38).
11. Method according to claim 10 wherein said microorganism is unable to express the genes coding for UDP hydrolase and galactosephosphate uridylyltransferase. sugar
12. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein said microorganism produces less than 2% extracellular N-acetylglucosamine than sialylated compound. 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%, 5%,
13. Method for producing a sialylated oligosaccharide, comprising: culturing a microorganism according to the method of one of claims 1 to and wherein said a) any 12, N-acetylneuraminate microorganism produces internally, activated as donor substrate for a sialyltransferase; and b) culturing said microorganism in a culture medium comprising an exogenous precursor selected beta- from the consisting of lactose, N-acetyllactosamine, lacto-N-biose, galactose, group (Gal-alpha-1,4Gal- beta- galactoside, and alpha-galactoside such as but not limited to globotriose 1,4Glc)galactose, wherein active uptake into the microorganism of said exogenous precursor occurs and wherein said exogenous precursor is the acceptor substrate for said sialytransferase for producing the sialylated oligosaccharide.
14. Method claim wherein one of said N-acetylmannosamine according to 1, any or more epimerase and sialic acid synthase is overexpressed in the microorganism.
15. Method according to claim wherein one or more of said N-acetylmannosamine epimerase 1, any and sialic acid synthase is introduced and expressed in the microorganism.
16. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein said microorganism is a bacterium, preferably an Escherich/a col/ strain, more preferably an Escherichia co/i strain which is a K12 strain, Escher/ch/a co/i strain is Escher/chio co/i MG1655. even more preferably the K12
17. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein said microorganism is a yeast.
18. Microorganism, obtainable a method according to one of claims 1 to wherein said by any 17, HAD-alike microorganism comprises a recombinant nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide.
19. A microorganism for the production of sialylated compounds wherein said microorganism comprises at least one nucleic acid encoding a phosphatase, at least one nucleic acid encoding an least nucleic acid sialic acid acetylmannosamine epimerase; and at one encoding a synthase, and wherein said microorganism is unable to/) convert IV-acetylglucosamineP to glucosamineP, //) convert N-acetyl-glucosamine to N-acetyl-glucosamineP, and/ii) convert N-acetyl-neuraminate to N-acetyl-mannosamine; characterised in that said microorganism comprises a modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding a HAD-alike phosphatase polypeptide as defined in claim 1 or 2.
20. Construct comprising: HAD-alike nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide as defined in claim 1 or 2; one or more control sequences capable of driving expression of the nucleic acid sequence of (ii) (a); and optionally a transcription termination sequence. (iii)
21. Construct according to claim 20, wherein one of said control sequences is a constitutive promoter.
22. Use of a construct according to claim 20 or 21 in a method for producing sialylated compounds.
23. A sialylated compound produced according to the method described in one of claims 1 to any 17, wherein said sialylated compound is added to food formulation, feed formulation, pharmaceutical formulation, cosmetic formulation, or agrochemical formulation.
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