Vitamin K2 plays a vital role in reducing the risk of osteoporosis, treating hemorrhagic diseases and promoting the production of prothrombin. The group around Zhiming ZHENG found gene cassettes from Streptomyces niveus suitable for the prenylation reaction which occurs during vitamin K2 biosynthesis. After expresseing them in Pichia pastoris and after optimizing reaction conditions, yields of 90 mg/L of vitamin K2 was achieved.
CAS news release, April 12, 2017