NOVELTY - An isolated or recombinant amino acid sequence, which is at least 50% homologous to a 271 amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 4) fully defined in the specification, is new. The amino acid sequence is of a functional phloroglucinol reductase.    USE - The isolated or recombinant phloroglucinol reductase polypeptide is useful for producing dihydrophloroglucinol and resorcinol (all claimed) and other derivatives and precursors including trimethylphloroglucinol. The dihydrophloroglucinol is useful as pharmaceutical agent e.g. antispasmodics, stain for microscopy samples that contain lignin e.g. wood samples, antioxidant, stabilizer, corrosion resistance agent, coupling agent for photosensitive duplicating paper, substitute for silver iodide in rain-making, bone sample decalcifying agent and floral preservative. The resorcinol and its derivatives are useful in cosmetics, topical skin medicaments for treating conditions including acne, dandruff, eczema, and psoriasis. The resorcinol is also useful as cross-linking agent for neoprene, bonding agent for organic polymers e.g. melamine and rubber, in fabrication of fibrous and other composite materials, preparing resins and resin adhesives, plasticizers, hexylresorcinol, and p-aminosalicylic acid. The resorcinol-based resins are useful as resin adhesives, starting materials for rayon and nylon production. The resorcinol-formaldehyde resins and particulate composites are also used in dentistry as a root canal filling material. Modified resorcinol-aldehyde resin adhesives can also used as biological wound sealant compositions both on topical wounds and on internal wounds or surgical cuts. The dihydrophloroglucinol and the resorcinol are useful as starting material or intermediate in pharmaceuticals and in preparing dyes e.g. leather, textile and hair dyes, adhesives, epoxy resin curing agent and explosives.    ADVANTAGE - The isolated or recombinant phloroglucinol reductase polypeptide enables preparation of dihydrophloroglucinol and resorcinol at high yield as phloroglucinol-based cytotoxicity is mitigated, and is cost-effective as it uses no caustics and does not require high temperature and deplete fossil fuel and petroleum reserves and hence environmentally-friendly.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following:    (1) an isolated or recombinant nucleic acid sequence, which is at least 80% homologous to a 819 base pair sequence (SEQ ID NO: 3) fully defined in the specification, where the nucleic acid sequence encodes a functional phloroglucinol reductase;    (2) system for producing renewable dihydrophloroglucinol, comprising a cell (C1) containing the recombinant nucleic acid;    (3) method (M1) for producing renewable dihydrophloroglucinol, involves contacting the system and renewable carbon source;    (4) an isolated or recombinant nucleic acid vector comprising an open reading frame comprising the above-mentioned nucleic acid;    (5) transformed or recombinant cell (C2) comprising the above-mentioned nucleic acid vector; and    (6) method (M2) for producing renewable resorcinol, involves (a) performing the above-mentioned method (M1) and contacting the renewable dihydrophloroglucinol and proton source or (b) contacting the system and the renewable carbon source in culture medium to obtain renewable dihydrophloroglucinol, removing cells and proteins from the culture medium, contacting the renewable dihydrophloroglucinol and acid in the culture medium to obtain renewable resorcinol and separating the renewable resorcinol from the culture medium.