Optimal temperature control policy for a two-stage recombinant fermentation process.

The optimal temperature control policy to be followed in the operation of a two-stage fermentation system in which gene expression is induced by a temperature-sensitive gene switching system was studied. A genetically structured model was used to describe product formation, and kinetic equations based on experimental data were used to quantify the specific gene expression rate and parameters that affect plasmid instability. A constant temperature control policy and temperature profiling control policy including temperature cycling were studied and compared. Maximum average production rate was obtained from a temperature control policy in which the second stage was operated initially at about 40.5 degrees C and the temperature decreased slightly to a constant value at 40.0 degrees C. The maximum average production rate, which corresponds to the optimal temperature control policy, for an operation of 180 h was 29.7 units of protein (mg of cells)-1 h-1.     

Analysis of two-stage recombinant bacterial fermentations using a structured kinetic model

A structured kinetic model has been employed to analyze the performance of a two-stage continuous fermentation of a recombinant Escherichia coli. Separating the cell growth phase from the gene expression phase in two fermentors minimizes the growth rate difference between the recombinant cells and the plasmid-free cells in the first fermentor, thereby increasing the plasmid stability. The plasmid-harboring cells from the first fermentor are continuously fed into the second fermentor, in which the foreign protein synthesis is turned on by the addition of the inducer. Consequently, the recombinant cells experience an immediate reduction in growth rates as soon as they enter the second stage and then recover to synthesize the foreign protein. To analyze the fermentation performance contributed by these cells with different intracellular foreign protein levels and growth rates, a novel method for determining the residence time distribution of the growing cells in the second stage has been formulated. Combined with this method, the structured kinetic model for recombinant bacterial cells is used to predict the plasmid stability and foreign productivity at various operation conditions, such as induction strength and dilution rates. This model can provide us with thorough understanding of the characteristics of the two-stage fermentations, and is useful for the development of large scale continuous cultures of recombinant bacteria.     

A comparison of mathematical model predictions to experimental measurements for growth and recombinant protein production in induced cultures of Escherichia coli

Recombinant cell growth and protein synthesis by a recombinant Escherichia coli under various inducing conditions are compared to the predictions of a mathematical model. The mathematical model used was a combination of two literature models: (1) an empirical kinetic model for recombinant growth and product formation and (2) a genetically structured model of the lac promoter-operator on a multicopy plasmid. The experimental system utilized was recombinant E. coli CSH22 bearing the temperature-sensitive plasmid pVH106/172, which codes for the synthesis of beta-galactosidase and the other lac operon genes under the control of a lac promoter. Mathematical model predictions for recombinant beta-galactosidase yield and specific growth rate were compared with fermentation measurements of these same quantities for conditions of chemical induction with cyclic AMP and IPTG, copy number amplification (by shifting culture temperature), and combined chemical induction and copy number amplification. The model successfully predicted experimental product yields for most cases of chemical induction even though the product yields varied from 0.34 x 10(3) to 1500 x 10(3) units/g cell mass. The kinetic model also correctly predicted a decline in the specific growth rate with increasing levels of plasmid and recombinant protein. The model was less successful at predicting product amplification at high copy numbers. A comparison of model predictions and experimental results was also used to investigate some of the assumptions used in constructing the mathematical models.     

Two-stage cultivation of recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae to enhance plasmid stability under non-selective conditions: experimental study and modeling

A leucine auxotroph strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used to study plasmid stability and expression using a recombinant plasmid, which contained a foreign gene for firefly luciferase (luc). This recombinant yeast was tested in a series of continuous cultures in semi-defined media with varying concentrations of yeast extract in order to study its effect on stability. While the biomass concentration and luciferase activity increased with increasing concentrations of yeast extract, the plasmid stability declined. An analysis of the growth rates showed that the recombinants enjoyed a growth rate advantage over the plasmid-free cells at critically low yeast extract concentrations, possibly due to leucine starvation in the media. A two-stage cultivation strategy was designed in order to create a yeast extract limited environment so that plasmid-free cells could not grow and overtake the recombinant cells. The cells were cultivated in selective media in the first stage, and then transferred continuously to the second stage where the media was enriched by feeding yeast extract. The feed rate was kept low in order to ensure yeast extract and hence leucine starvation, thereby selecting against the plasmid-free cells. This strategy resulted in a stable existence of recombinant cells, which stabilized around 60% at steady state during the tested period of cultivation. The complex nitrogen feed helped in increasing the cell density and volumetric activity by approximately 9 and 18-fold respectively with respect to that achieved in minimal medium. The experimental data was used to formulate a mathematical model to predict cell growth and plasmid stability in two-stage cultivation, which correctly explained the experimental data.     

Immobilization of genetically engineered cells: a new strategy for higher stability.

The r-DNA clones improve the bioprocess and provide better economics, if and when properly developed. In recent times, many approaches were made to improve the stability of recombinants in a reactor which includes both genetic and environmental methods, but many of them were proved to be unsuccessful in the scale-up process. The immobilization technique, exploited recently for the cultivation of recombinants, in many cases gave high cell concentrations, better expression of cloned gene products and also maintained plasmid stability for longer periods in a host under continuous operation in comparison to a free cell system. Many plasmids and hosts were tested for improved stabilities. So far, no explanation was provided for higher stability in the immobilized system. However, it was observed to reduce the competition between the plasmid harboring and plasmid free cells in a matrix. The stability of recombinant strains under immobilization technique is affected by various factors, and these are important parameters for the commercial process. Thus, the immobilization system is promising for the successful cultivation and scale-up of genetically engineered cells.     

Effects of plasmid amplification and recombinant gene expression on the growth kinetics of recombinant E. coli

An experimental study was undertaken to identify and quantitate the effects of plasmid amplification and recombinant gene expression on Escherichia coli growth kinetics. Identification of these effects was possible because recombinant gene expression and plasmid copy number were controlled by different mechanisms on plasmid pVH106/172. Recombinant gene expression of the lactose operon structural genes was under the control of the lac promoter and was activated by the addition of the chemicals, IPTG and cyclic AMP, to the fermentation medium. Plasmid content was amplified in a separate fermentation by increasing culture temperature since the plasmid replicon was temperature-sensitive. A final fermentation was performed in which both plasmid content and recombinant gene expression were induced simultaneously by adding chemicals and raising the culture temperature. Recombinant growth rates were found to be reduced by the expression of high levels of recombinant lac proteins in the chemical induction experiments and by the amplification of plasmid levels in the temperature induction experiment. High expression of recombinant lac proteins following chemical induction was accompanied by a loss in recombinant cell viability. In the plasmid amplification experiment, the recombinant cells did not lose viability but the recombinant product yields were much lower than those achieved in the chemical induction experiments. Combining temperature and chemical induction increased the recombinant product yield by a factor of 4400 but also lowered cellular growth rates by 70%.     

A kinetic model describing cell growth and production of highly active, recombinant ice nucleation protein in Escherichia coli

A structured kinetic model, which describes the production of the recombinant ice nucleation protein in different conditions, was applied. The model parameters were estimated based on the variation of the specific growth rate and the intracellular product concentration during cultivation. The equations employed relate the cellular plasmid content or plasmid copy number with the cloned-gene expression; these correlations were successfully tested on the experimental data. The optimal nutrient conditions for the growth of Escherichia coli expressing the inaZ gene of Pseudomonas syringae were determined for the production of active ice nucleation protein. The kinetics of the cultures expressing the inaZ gene were studied in a bioreactor at different growth temperatures and nutrient conditions.     

A novel structured kinetic modeling approach for the analysis of plasmid instability in recombinant bacterial cultures

The instantaneous specific growth rate of a recombinant bacterial culture is directly calculated using a simple structured kinetic modeling approach. Foreign plasmid replication and foreign protein expression represent metabolic burdens to the host cell. The individual effects of these plasmid-mediated activities on the growth rate of plasmid-bearing cells are estimated separately. The dynamic and steady state simulations of the model equations show remarkable agreement with widely observed experimental trends in plasmid copy number and foreign protein content. The model provides an important tool for understanding and controlling plasmid instability in recombinant bacterial fermentations. The modeling framework employed here is suitable for studying the metabolism and growth of a variety of microbial cultures.     

Mo MLV gag-pol基因在NIH3T3细胞中的表达和鉴定

目的 构建含MoMLV gag-pol基因的重组表达载体,实现其在NIH3T3细胞中稳定表达。方法 应用RT-PCR方法反转录并扩增gag-pol基因,克隆入真核表达载体pcDNA4/HisMaxA上,构建重组表达载体pcDNA4/HisMaxA-gag-pol,用脂质体法转染NIH3T3细胞,Zeocin筛选稳定表达细胞株,通过SDS-PAGE分析检测表明, gag-pol基因在NIH3T3细胞实现了表达,产物相对分子质量(kD)为194.78×103。然后,将逆转录病毒载体导入此细胞系,包装逆转录病毒。用PCR与标记基因补救分析法检测野生型辅助病毒。结果 酶切鉴定的片段大小分别为5.2-kb,与预期大小一致,经Zeocin筛选后获得稳定表达细胞株,SDS-PAGE实验表明产物融合蛋白相对分子质量(kD)为194.78×103,与预期相符。脂质体转染包装细胞,嘌呤霉素加压筛选出高病毒滴度(4.0×106CFU/ml)的细胞克隆,且未检测到辅助病毒。结论 本工作构建的融合表达载体pcDNA4/HisMaxA-gag-pol及其在NIH3T3细胞中的表达,构建成功具有靶向性的逆转录病毒包装细胞系,该细胞系能够包装出高滴度的逆转录病毒,为肝细胞的基因治疗提供了一种新的基因转移系统。     

An experimental and theoretical study of the inhibition of Escherichia coli lac operon gene expression by antigene oligonucleotides

Previously, we have developed a genetically structured mathematical model to describe the inhibition of Escherichia coli lac operon gene expression by antigene oligos. Our model predicted that antigene oligos targeted to the operator region of the lac operon would have a significant inhibitory effect on beta-galactosidase production. In this investigation, the E. coli lac operon gene expression in the presence of antigene oligos was studied experimentally. A 21-mer oligo, which was designed to form a triplex with the operator, was found to be able to specifically inhibit beta-galactosidase production in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast to the 21-mer triplex-forming oligonucleotide (TFO), several control oligos showed no inhibitory effect. The ineffectiveness of the various control oligos, along with the fact that the 21-mer oligo has no homology sequence with lacZYA, and no mRNA is transcribed from the operator, suggests that the 21-mer oligo inhibits target gene expression by an antigene mechanism. To simulate the kinetics of lac operon gene expression in the presence of antigene oligos, a genetically structured kinetic model, which includes transport of oligo into the cell, growth of bacteria cells, and lac operon gene expression, was developed. Predictions of the kinetic model fit the experimental data quite well after adjustment of the value of the oligonucleotide transport rate constant (9.0 x 10(-)(3) min(-)(1)) and oligo binding affinity constant (1.05 x 10(6) M(-)(1)). Our values for these two adjusted parameters are in the range of reported literature values.     

日本血吸虫(中国大陆株)谷胱甘肽转移酶编码区基因的体外扩增、克隆及在原核细胞的高效表达

为表达、获取日本血吸早谷胱甘肽转移酶（ＳｊＧＳＴ）基因工程重组蛋白,以日本血吸虫（中国大陆株）ｃＤＮＡ为模板,设计、合成特定寡核苷酸引物,ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ法扩增ＧＳＴ编码基因序列,将扩增产物连接ｐＧＥＭ－Ｔ克隆载体,再亚克隆到真、原核表达质粒ｐＢＫ－ＣＭＶ中,转染大肠杆菌ＸＬ１－ｂｌｕｅ,经ＩＰＴＧ诱导后用ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ分析表达效果。结果 ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ法特异性扩增出日本血吸虫ＧＳＴ编码区基因片段,其     

LC-MS/MS-based metabolic profiling of Escherichia coli under heterologous gene expression stress

Escherichia coli is frequently exploited for genetic manipulations and heterologous gene expression studies. We have evaluated the metabolic profile of E. coli strain BL21 (DE3) RIL CodonPlus after genetic modifications and subjecting to the production of recombinant protein. Three genetically variable E. coli cell types were studied, normal cells (susceptible to antibiotics) cultured in simple LB medium, cells harboring ampicillin-resistant plasmid pET21a (+), grown under antibiotic stress, and cells having recombinant plasmid pET21a (+) ligated with bacterial lactate dehydrogenase gene grown under ampicillin and standard isopropyl thiogalactoside (IPTG)-induced gene expression conditions. A total of 592 metabolites were identified through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry analysis, feature and peak detection using XCMS and CAMERA followed by precursor identification by METLIN-based procedures. Overall, 107 metabolites were found differentially regulated among genetically modified cells. Quantitative analysis has shown a significant modulation in DHNA-CoA, p-aminobenzoic acid, and citrulline levels, indicating an alteration in vitamin K, folic acid biosynthesis, and urea cycle of E. coli cells during heterologous gene expression. Modulations in energy metabolites including NADH, AMP, ADP, ATP, carbohydrate, terpenoids, fatty acid metabolites, diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A), and l -carnitine advocate major metabolic rearrangements. Our study provides a broader insight into the metabolic adaptations of bacterial cells during gene manipulation experiments that can be prolonged to improve the yield of heterologous gene products and concomitant production of valuable biomolecules.     

A structured, segregated model for genetically modified Escherichia coli cells and its use for prediction of plasmid stability

A structured, segregated model is presented for an asynchronously growing population of genetically modified Escherichia coli cells. A finite representation method was modified so that 272 cells could be used to represent a microbial population. The concept of a "limbo" compartment was introduced to allow random plasmid distribution to daughter cells upon cell division while restricting the number of computer cells included in the calculation. This scheme enabled us to predict plasmid instability and distribution of plasmid-originated properties in a population without a priori determination of growth rates or probability of forming plasmid-free cells from plasmid-containing cells. Predictions of population behavior using a single-cell model requires no adjustable parameters. The results comparing different induction strategies suggest that in continuous culture, there exists an optimum efficiency of partial induction that maximizes the long-term productivity of the gene product due to plasmid stability. With the optimum efficiency of partial induction, constant induction appears to prove more stable than cycling induction.     

Determination of kinetic parameters related to the piasmid instability: for the recombinant fermentation under repressed condition

The plasmid stability under the repressed state of cloned gene was studied theoretically as well as experimentally using recombinant E. coli K12DeltaH1Deltatrp/pPLc23trpA1 as a "host-vector" model system. The important kinetic parameters studied were the plasmid loss rate (theta) describing the rate at which the plasrnid-harboring cells lose plas-mids and the plasmid-free cells are generated per unit time and the difference in growth rates (Delta) between the two genotypes. These parameters were carefully defined, studied, and compared with other key kinetic parameters involved in the recombinant fermentation to further our understanding of metabolism of recombinants. The ratio of the concentration of plasmid-free cells to plasmid-harboring cells (Omega) was introduced, and the mathematical model was derived and used for the determination of the kinetic parameters associated with plasmid instability. These methods developed based on the theoretical considerations were tested experimentally. The results of these methods were compared, and the best method was selected and recommended. The effect of temperature and dilution rate on kinetic parameters theta and Delta were also studied in continuous culture, in order to provide some practical information related to the operation and control of recombinant fermentation processes.     

创建可视化的家蚕杆状病毒表达系统表达家蚕二分浓核病毒非结构蛋白NS1

重组杆状病毒感染昆虫细胞是表达外源蛋白常用的一种方法。为有效鉴定转染的细胞中是否产生了重组病毒粒子,对质粒pFastBacI进行改造,构建了极早期基因ie1启动子控制的绿色荧光蛋白egfp基因表达盒,以及多角体基因启动子控制的外源DNA的一个通用型双表达载体;通过酶切、连接的方式,将家蚕二分浓核病毒ns1基因连接到多角体启动子下游;在转座酶的介导下,该供体质粒上部分序列可转座到穿梭载体Bm-Bacmid上,进而构建可同时表达egfp和ns1基因的重组杆粒。将构建的该重组杆粒DNA转染BmN细胞,通过观察可视化的绿色荧光信号,可迅速判定转染后的细胞中重组病毒粒子产生的情况,收集转染后的细胞培养上清,将其感染BmN细胞,对感染4 d后的细胞总蛋白进行Western blotting分析,结果表明能杂交到一条36 kDa大小的特异蛋白,表明NS1蛋白成功获得了表达,进而为深入研究ns1基因的功能奠定了基础。     

Construction and properties of a recombinant plasmid containing gene 32 of bacteriophage T4D

This paper describes the construction and characterization of a chimeric plasmid that encodes the single-stranded DNA-binding protein of bacteriophage T4D (the product of gene 32). The plasmid contains a 2·6 × 10³ base HindIII segment of T4 DNA that includes genes 59 and 32 as well as a portion of gene 33. Isolation of bacteria carrying the recombinant plasmid became possible when the segment of phage DNA contained an amber mutation in gene 32. This suggests that a functional gene 32 is deleterious to the cell. Using antibody to gene 32 protein, we have been able to demonstrate expression of the plasmid-borne gene 32 in uninfected bacteria. Deletion variants of the gene 32 plasmid have been constructed in vitro. These have been used to align the genetic map of the region with the restriction map and to study phage gene expression from the plasmid in both infected and uninfected cells. In phage-infected cells the level of functional gene 32 product regulates the efficiency of translation of its own messenger RNA. We also observe such self-regulation for gene 32 present on the plasmid.