Use of a modified tryptophanase promoter to direct high-level expression of foreign proteins in E. coli.

We have modified the tryptophanase promoter (PtnaA) for use as a temperature-independent promoter for the production of recombinant proteins. Although any protein will have a temperature range in which its expression is optimal, we find the tryptophanase promoter functions at all physiologically relevant temperatures (20 degrees C to 42 degrees C). Induction at temperatures below 37 degrees C avoids eliciting the heat-shock response and may favor the production of protein in the soluble state. A short segment of the E. coli tnaA promoter containing the catabolite gene activator protein (CAP) binding site but no tryptophan-responsive elements was used to direct synthesis of various proteins. Conditions for high cell density fermentation and induction control were developed. Expression was induced by depletion of glucose and was maximal when an alternative nonrepressing carbon source was supplied. Expression of certain proteins was tightly controlled; however, pre-induction expression was observed with other reporter genes. The tnaC leader portion of the tnaA promoter was found to reduce pre-induction expression in the presence of glucose, although maximal expression was observed only in the absence of this region. The effect of temperature on expression of several recombinant proteins was investigated. Although some proteins were produced only in inclusion bodies as insoluble material, the production of one protein in soluble form was clearly temperature dependent.

Phosphate glass as a phosphate source in high cell density Escherichia coli fermentations.

Polyphosphate glass (sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium polyphosphate, glassy) was identified and tested as a source of phosphate that supports growth of recombinant Escherichia coli to cell densities over 110 g dry wt/L. Polyphosphate glasses cost no more than sodium and potassium phosphates, are more soluble than any other inorganic phosphate source, and do not form metallophosphate precipitates when mixed with other nutrients in proportions found in fermentation medias. Using a typical fermentation medium, 40% higher cell densities were obtained using polyphosphate glass rather than orthophosphate. Polyphosphate glasses will allow more flexibility in designing and executing high cell density fermentations.

Effect of preinduction specific growth rate on secretion of granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor by Escherichia coli.

The effect of preinduction specific growth rate on the rate of synthesis and processing of granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GMCSF) secreted by Escherichia coli was investigated. A chemostat was used to explore preinduction growth rates ranging from 0.038 to 0.2/h. The maximum yields of both total GMCSF and processed GMCSF were found to occur at a preinduction growth rate of 0.13/h. It was also discovered that if the postinduction feed rate is reduced at a preinduction growth rate near 0.13/h, then the same amount of processed GMCSF is formed, but no unprocessed GMCSF is produced. It was hypothesized that the rate of synthesis of total GMCSF increases with an increased preinduction specific growth rate, but translocation across the cytoplasmic membrane and processing is rate-limiting. Increased degradation of GMCSF during induction at higher preinduction specific growth rates decreased the amount of GMCSF produced.

Design and evaluation of a two-stage, cyclic, recombinant fermentation process.

A two-stage, cyclic fed-batch fermentation process to produce recombinant human lymphokine was designed. The organism used in the study was Escherichia coli K-12 containing a temperature-sensitive walkaway plasmid bearing an insert which codes for a human lymphokine. Transcription of the recombinant gene is controlled by a lambda repressor/pL promoter system. The lambda promoter is regulated by the temperature-sensitive product of the cl857 gene at 30 degrees C, but at 42 degrees C the promoter is derepressed. The first or growth, stage of the process was maintained at 28 degrees C and operated in the fed-batch mode. The vessel was fed at a rate which gives a constant specific growth rate using a media designed to maintain a constant optical density OD(600) of 50. After the volume in the first stage reached the maximum working volume of the vessel (12 L), a portion of the vessel contents was transferred to the second stage. The second, or induction/product formation, stage also operated in the fed-batch mode, was kept at 42 degrees C, and was fed with a media that is conducive to recombinant human lymphokine synthesis. An optical density of more than 100 was consistently achieved in the second stage. Thirty cycles were completed with a consistent yield of human lymphokine and cell density in each cycle. The process was used to produce 200 L of OD(600) 50 material from the first stage in 10 days. The volumetric productivity (g lymphokine/L. day) of the two-stage, cyclic fed-batch process is twice that of a single-stage, fed-batch fermentation process.

Effect of preinduction specific growth rate on recombinant alpha consensus interferon synthesis in Escherichia coli.

The effect of preinduction specific growth rate on the yield of recombinant alpha consensus interferon in Escherichia coli K-12 was investigated. The cells used in the investigation contain a temperature-sensitive, walkaway plasmid bearing an insert that codes for alpha consensus interferon. Transcription of the recombinant gene is controlled by a lambda repressor/pL promoter system. The lambda promoter is regulated by the temperature-sensitive gene cI857 at 30 degrees C, but at 42 degrees C the promoter is derepressed. The cells were grown under glucose-limited conditions in a chemostat at pH 7 and 30 degrees C. Once steady state was achieved, the vessel temperature was raised to 42 degrees C and a fed-batch mode was initiated. Six dilution rates ranging from 0.025/h to 0.2/h were investigated. Cell dry weight, alpha consensus interferon content, glucose concentration, acetate concentration, and plasmid stability were measured. At each dilution rate, the expression level of alpha consensus interferon (g/g of cell dry wt) reached its maximum value approximately 3 h after induction. In addition, the expression level of alpha consensus interferon increases 4-fold as the dilution rate prior to induction is increased from 0.025/h to 0.2/h. Consequently, the expression of recombinant protein produced by E. coli is dependent on the preinduction specific growth rate.

Characterization of a cysteine-free analog of recombinant human basic fibroblast growth factor.

Using oligo site-directed mutagenesis, we have modified our synthetic gene for human basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) to replace all four cysteine codons with serine codons. The corresponding protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified from inclusion bodies by solubilization in urea followed by a series of column chromatographies and a folding step. The resulting protein, having no cysteine residues, is unable to form either intramolecular or intermolecular disulfide bonds. The secondary and tertiary structures of the purified analog, as determined by circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy, were identical within experimental error to recombinant bovine and human bFGF with unaltered amino acid sequences. Reflecting the similar conformation, the analog protein exhibited mitogenic activity on NIH 3T3 cells which was indistinguishable from the natural sequence molecule.

Control of misincorporation of de novo synthesized norleucine into recombinant interleukin-2 in E. coli.

Interleukin-2 produced from a recombinant E. coli was found to contain as much as 19% norleucine in place of methionine in a minimal medium fermentation. Medium supplementation experiments and use of a leucine-requiring mutant host strain indicated the origin of norleucine to be de novo biosynthesis by reactions involving the enzymes of the leucine biosynthetic pathway. The misincorporation was highly suppressed by addition of either L-leucine or L-methionine to the fermentation and completely suppressed by adding both amino acids.