A model-based feeding strategy for fed-batch fermentation of recombinant Pichia pastoris

A two stage, exponential feeding strategy with mixed glycerol/methanol substrate was used in a fed-batch recombinant Pichia pastorisfermentation. The feeding strategy was developed using a simple model based on mass balances, Monod-type growth kinetics, and constant specific heterologous protein production rate. The model accurately predicted cell growth, and demonstrated the usefulness of a rational, model-based approach for improving the productivity of recombinant P. pastoris fermentation.     

Establishing a versatile fermentation and purification procedure for human proteins expressed in the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia pastoris for structural genomics

We describe the introduction of the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia pastoris as eukaryotic hosts for the routine production of recombinant proteins for a structural genomics initiative. We have previously shown that human cDNAs can be efficiently expressed in both hosts using high throughput procedures. Expression clones derived from these screening procedures were grown in bioreactors and the over-expressed human proteins were purified, resulting in obtaining significant amounts suitable for structural analysis. We have also developed and optimized protocols enabling a high throughput, low cost fermentation and purification strategy for recombinant proteins for both S. cerevisiae and P. pastoris on a scale of 5 to 10 mg. Both batch and fed batch fermentation methods were applied to S. cerevisiae. The fed batch fermentations yielded a higher biomass production in all the strains as well as a higher productivity for some of the proteins. We carried out only fed batch fermentations on P. pastoris strains. Biomass was produced by cultivation on glycerol, followed by feeding methanol as carbon source to induce protein expression. The recombinant proteins were expressed as fusion proteins that include a N-terminal His-tag and a C-terminal Strep-tag. They were then purified by a two-step chromatographic procedure using metal-affinity chromatography and StrepTactin-affinity chromatography. This was followed by gel filtration for further purification and for buffer exchange. This three-step purification procedure is necessary to obtain highly purified proteins from yeast. The purified proteins have successfully been subjected to crystallization and biophysical analysis.     

毕赤酵母高密度发酵工艺的研究

高密度发酵是毕赤酵母提高蛋白表达量的一种重要策略,发酵工艺是高密度发酵的一个重要因素。采用下列措施均可以有效地提高表达水平：调节基础培养基,采用变pH和变温发酵,提高DO,选择最适的诱导前菌体密度和比生长速率并降低甘油初始浓度和采用分段式指数流加进行调控。选择合适的甲醇补料策略：甲醇限制补料（MLFB）、氧气限制补料（OLFB）、甲醇不限制补料（MNLFB）和温度限制补料（TLFB）。采用两种方式调控补料：诱导阶段菌体生长时,甲醇比消耗速率(qMeOH)为0.02-0.03gg-1h-1,而菌体不生长时,qMeOH采用较高值。     

Mixed feeds of glycerol and methanol can improve the performance of Pichia pastoris cultures: A quantitative study based on concentration gradients in transient continuous cultures

Transient continuous cultures constitute a means to speed up strain characterization, by avoiding the need for many time-consuming steady-state experiments. In this study, mixed substrate growth on glycerol and methanol of a Pichia pastoris strain expressing and secreting recombinant avidin was characterized quantitatively by performing a nutrient gradient with linear increase of the methanol fraction in the feed medium from 0.5 to 0.93 C-mol C-mol(-1) at a dilution rate of 0.06 h(-1). The influence of the methanol fraction in the feed medium on recombinant avidin productivity and on specific alcohol oxidase activity were also examined. Results showed that, compared with cultures on methanol as sole carbon source, the specific recombinant avidin production rate was the same provided the methanol fraction in the feed medium was higher than 0.6 C-mol C-mol(-1). The volumetric avidin production rate was even 1.1-fold higher with a methanol fraction in the feed medium of 0.62 C-mol C-mol(-1) as a result of the higher biomass yield on mixed substrate growth compared with methanol alone. Moreover, since heat production and oxygen uptake rates are lower during mixed substrate growth on glycerol and methanol, mixed substrate cultures present technical advantages for the performance of high cell density P. pastoris cultures. Results obtained in a high cell density fed-batch culture with a mixed feed of 0.65 C-mol C-mol(-1) methanol and 0.35 C-mol C-mol(-1) glycerol were in agreement with results obtained during the transient nutrient gradient.     

毕赤酵母发酵产S-腺苷蛋氨酸的甘油-甲醇混合流加策略

在毕赤酵母发酵生产S-腺苷蛋氨酸(SAM)的诱导阶段,以不同甘油-甲醇比例的甘油-甲醇混合培养基进行诱导培养,结果表明以10%(w/v)甘油含量的甘油-甲醇混合培养基进行诱导培养时最有利于SAM的表达,SAM产量达6.09 g/L,比0%甘油含量条件下的SAM产量提高了20.4%。对诱导方式进行优化,先以100%甲醇诱导24 h,然后再连续流加10%(w/v)甘油含量的甘油-甲醇混合培养基,SAM产量可达7.94 g/L,在此基础上,进一步改进诱导方式,SAM产量得到进一步的提高,达到9.80 g/L。     

Sorbitol co-feeding reduces metabolic burden caused by the overexpression of a Rhizopus oryzae lipase in Pichia pastoris

To improve the specific production rate of Rhizopus oryzae lipase (ROL) in Pichia pastoris, a protein that triggers the unfolded protein response in P. pastoris, the effect of sorbitol/methanol mixed substrates was tested in batch and fed-batch cultures. Remarkably, a different substrate consumption behaviour was observed depending on the host's phenotype (Mut(+) or Mut(s)) in batch cultures: when the methanol assimilation capacity is genetically reduced (Mut(s) phenotype), both substrates were consumed simultaneously, allowing not only a higher specific growth rate but also higher lipase levels (8.7-fold) compared to those obtained by cells growing on methanol as a sole carbon source in batch culture. This effect was not observed in Mut(+) phenotype, where the two substrates were consumed sequentially and the levels of heterologous product were only slightly higher (1.7-fold). A mixed substrate strategy was also applied to a Mut(s) fed-batch culture at a low methanol concentration set-point (0.5 gl(-1)). This resulted in a 2.2-fold increase in the heterologous protein level achieved, compared with the methanol-only feeding strategy. In addition, sorbitol co-feeding permitted the achievement of higher specific growth rates, and avoided the drastic decrease of the specific production rate observed after the start of the induction phase when methanol was used as sole carbon source This resulted in a significant increase in the overall bioprocess volumetric productivity (2.2-fold) and specific productivity (1.7-fold). Moreover, whereas increased ROL gene dosage in Mut(s) strains have been previously reported to be deleterious for P. pastoris cells growing on methanol, sorbitol co-feeding allowed for sustained cell growth and lipase production.     

表达血管生长抑制素的重组毕赤酵母在诱导阶段混合碳源的流加

为进行高密度发酵并实现外源基因的高表达,在表型为Mut^S的重组毕赤酵母（Pichia pastoris）表达人血管生长抑制素的诱导阶段,采用了甘油甲醇混合补料的培养方式。以溶氧水平作为甘油代谢指针来控制甘油限制性流加既可维持一定菌体生长,又不会发生发酵液中残余甘油及有害代谢产物（乙醇）阻遏蛋白表达。当表达阶段的菌体平均比生长速率控制于0.012h^-1,菌体浓度达150 g/L,血管生长抑制素浓度最高达到108 mg/L,血管生长抑制素的平均比生产速率为0.02 mg/(g·h),菌体关于甘油的表观得率为0.69 g/g,菌体关于甲醇的表观得率为0.93g/g,较没有采用甘油限制性流加时都有所提高。     

Effect of dilution rate and methanol‐glycerol mixed feeding on heterologous Rhizopus oryzae lipase production with Pichia pastoris Mut+ phenotype in continuous culture

The induction using substrate mixtures is an operational strategy for improving the productivity of heterologous protein production with Pichia pastoris. Glycerol as a cosubstrate allows for growth at a higher specific growth rate, but also has been reported to be repressor of the expression from the AOX1 promoter. Thus, further insights about the effects of glycerol are required for designing the induction stage with mixed substrates. The production of Rhizopus oryzae lipase (ROL) was used as a model system to investigate the application of methanol‐glycerol feeding mixtures in fast metabolizing methanol phenotype. Cultures were performed in a simple chemostat system and the response surface methodology was used for the evaluation of both dilution rate and methanol‐glycerol feeding composition as experimental factors. Our results indicate that productivity and yield of ROL are strongly affected by dilution rate, with no interaction effect between the involved factors. Productivity showed the highest value around 0.04–0.06 h^?1, while ROL yield decreased along the whole dilution rate range evaluated (0.03–0.1 h^?1). Compared to production level achieved with methanol‐only feeding, the highest specific productivity was similar in mixed feeding (0.9 UA g‐biomass^?1 h^?1), but volumetric productivity was 70% higher. Kinetic analysis showed that these results are explained by the effects of dilution rate on specific methanol uptake rate, instead of a repressor effect caused by glycerol feeding. It is concluded that despite the effect of dilution rate on ROL yield, mixed feeding strategy is a proper process option to be applied to P. pastoris Mut⁺ phenotype for heterologous protein production. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 31:707–714, 2015     

不同甲醇流加策略对重组毕赤醇母高密度发酵生产水蛭素的影响

考察了不同甲醇流加策略对毕赤酵母高密度发酵生产水蛭素的影响。溶氧控制法不能有效地防止甲醇的过量流加。气相色谱离线检测法虽然防止了甲醇流加过量 ,但甲醇浓度的波动较大。利用甲醇传感器在线检测控制甲醇的流加可维持较恒定的甲醇浓度。在流加甲醇的同时 ,以限制性速率流加甘油可以增加表达期间的能量供应 ,提高产物的表达量。经优化后 ,采用甲醇甘油混合流加时细胞干重达到 16 2g L ,水蛭素活性达到 2 4×10 4ATU mL ,即 1 7g L。     

A rational approach to improving productivity in recombinant Pichia pastoris fermentation

A Mut(S) Pichia pastoris strain that had been genetically modified to produce and secrete sea raven antifreeze protein was used as a model system to demonstrate the implementation of a rational, model-based approach to improve process productivity. A set of glycerol/methanol mixed-feed continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) experiments was performed at the 5-L scale to characterize the relationship between the specific growth rate and the cell yield on methanol, the specific methanol consumption rate, the specific recombinant protein formation rate, and the productivity based on secreted protein levels. The range of dilution rates studied was 0. 01 to 0.10 h(-1), and the residual methanol concentration was kept constant at approximately 2 g/L (below the inhibitory level). With the assumption that the cell yield on glycerol was constant, the cell yield on methanol increased from approximately 0.5 to 1.5 over the range studied. A maximum specific methanol consumption rate of 20 mg/g. h was achieved at a dilution rate of 0.06 h(-1). The specific product formation rate and the volumetric productivity based on product continued to increase over the range of dilution rates studied, and the maximum values were 0.06 mg/g. h and 1.7 mg/L. h, respectively. Therefore, no evidence of repression by glycerol was observed over this range, and operating at the highest dilution rate studied maximized productivity. Fed-batch mass balance equations, based on Monod-type kinetics and parameters derived from data collected during the CSTR work, were then used to predict cell growth and recombinant protein production and to develop an exponential feeding strategy using two carbon sources. Two exponential fed-batch fermentations were conducted according to the predicted feeding strategy at specific growth rates of 0.03 h(-1) and 0.07 h(-1) to verify the accuracy of the model. Cell growth was accurately predicted in both fed-batch runs; however, the model underestimated recombinant product concentration. The overall volumetric productivity of both runs was approximately 2.2 mg/L. h, representing a tenfold increase in the productivity compared with a heuristic feeding strategy.     

Enhancement of alkaline polygalacturonate lyase production in recombinant Pichia pastoris according to the ratio of methanol to cell concentration

Polygalacturonate lyase (PGL) production by Pichia pastoris GS115 was used as a model to study the mechanism and strategy for enhancing heterologous protein production. It was found that the ratio of methanol to cell concentration had a significant influence on PGL production. In this study, an advanced glycerol exponential feeding strategy was developed for biomass accumulation in cell growth phase, by which cell concentration reached 140 g L(-1) after 19 h glycerol feeding. In subsequent production phase, a methanol feeding profile was proposed according to the optimal ratio of methanol to cell concentration at a range of 0.163-0.171 g g(-1), and PGL activity and productivity reached 430 U mL(-1) and 4.34 U mL(-1)h(-1), respectively. The strategy for enhancing PGL production by controlling the optimal ratio may provide an alternative approach to enhance heterologous protein production with P. pastoris.     

双碳源流加对重组毕赤酵母高效表达葡萄糖氧化酶的影响

葡萄糖氧化酶(GOD)是一种具有广泛应用前景的工业酶.为了实现葡萄糖氧化酶的高效生产,提高重组毕赤酵母生产GOD的产量和增强生产强度,对重组毕赤酵母诱导阶段的初始菌体浓度和甲醇浓度进行了优化.在此基础上,诱导期采用了双碳源(甘油、山梨醇和甘露醇)与甲醇混合流加的模式.研究发现,最佳诱导前初始菌体浓度和甲醇浓度分别为100 g/L和18 g/L,此时GOD产量为427.6 U/mL.在诱导阶段采用甘油、山梨醇和甘露醇与甲醇的混合添加均可以提高GOD产量,其中甘露醇与甲醇的混合流加效果最为显著.当甲醇与甘露醇混合流加的比例为20∶1(W/W)时,诱导156h GOD产量和生产强度分别可达711.3 U/mL和4.60 U/(mL·h),比甲醇单一流加策略结果分别提高了66.3％和67.9％.此外采用合适的甘露醇混合流加策略不但不会抑制AOX1启动子的表达,甚至有一定促进作用,AOX酶活性为8.8 U/g(对照为5.2 U/g).双碳源流加方式还能推广到毕赤酵母其他表型中,为该系统高效表达外源蛋白提供一种新策略.     

重组毕赤酵母产青霉素G酰化酶的分批发酵动力学研究

构建了重组毕赤酵母产青霉素G酰化酶的分批发酵动力学模型。实验考察了分批发酵过程中甘油消耗、甲醇浓度、菌体浓度、溶氧、补料时间对青霉素G酰化酶活力的影响。应用Matlab软件,对菌体生长、基质消耗和产物生成方程进行最优参数估算和非线性拟合,得到相应的动力学模型。模型的计算值与实验值能较好地拟合,表明所建模型能较好反映重组毕赤酵母产青霉素G酰化酶的分批发酵过程。     

A novel feeding strategy for enhanced protein production by fed-batch fermentation in recombinant Pichia pastoris

A novel feeding strategy for enhanced protein production of hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) in fed-batch fermentation, recombinant Pichia pastoris, has been developed. A minimal salt medium was used to grow cells in the initial batch fermentation, followed by a glycerol+salts fed-batch phase. At the end of the fed-batch phase a dry cell weight of 130 g l⁻¹ was achieved. In the absence of basal salts, the same amount of glycerol feed resulted in only 90 g l⁻¹ cell dry weight. When a limited amount of casamino acids were also included every 24 h during methanol induction, there was a two-fold increase in expression levels of HBsAg. After 192 h of induction, the expression levels of HBsAg (soluble and insoluble) reached >1 g l⁻¹ using the Mut⁻ strain. Thus, the use of basal salts in the glycerol feed, along with the addition of limited amounts of casamino acids with the methanol feed, resulted in an increased expression of total HBsAg.     

Enhanced truncated-t-PA (CT-b) expression in high-cell-density fed-batch cultures of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pichia pastoris</Emphasis> through optimization of a mixed feeding strategy by response surface methodology

Recently, Pichia pastoris has been the focal point of interest as an expression system for production of many recombinant proteins. The study and optimization of feeding strategy are of major importance to achieve maximum volumetric productivity in fed-batch cultivations. Among different feeding strategies used in P. pastoris fed-batch cultures, those trying to maintain a constant specific growth rate have usually resulted in superior productivities. The objective of the present study was to investigate and optimize the co-feeding of glycerol and methanol to attain maximum expression of t-PA in P. pastoris fed-batch cultures with constant specific growth rate. The experiments were designed by response surface methodology, considering the specific feeding rates of methanol and glycerol as independent variables. In each experiment, glycerol and methanol were fed according to a predetermined equation to maintain a constant specific growth rate. It was found that with glycerol feeding for higher specific growth rates, the inhibitory properties of glycerol are more pronounced, while the best expression level was achieved when the ratio of µ _set glycerol to that of methanol was around 1.67. In all specific growth rates tested, almost a similar ratio of the specific glycerol feeding rate to that of methanol led to the maximum protein production and activity. The statistical model predicted the optimal operating conditions for µ _set glycerol and that of methanol to be 0.05 and 0.03 h^?1, respectively. Applying the optimum strategy, maximum of 52 g/L biomass, 300 mg/L t-PA and 340,000 IU/mL enzyme activity were obtained.     

Regulation of alcohol oxidase of a recombinant Pichia pastoris Mut+ strain in transient continuous cultures

In the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris, alcohol oxidase (AOX) is a key enzyme involved in the dissimilation of methanol. Heterologous proteins are usually expressed under the control of the AOX1 promoter, which drives the expression of alcohol oxidase 1 in the wild-type strain. This study investigates the regulation of the alcohol oxidase enzyme of a recombinant P. pastoris Mut+ strain in cultures on glycerol and methanol as sole carbon sources and in mixed substrate cultures on both substrates. The aim was to have a better insight in the transition from growth on glycerol to growth on methanol, which is a key step in standard high cell density P. pastoris cultures for the production of foreign proteins. Nutrient shifts in chemostat cultures showed that after growth on glycerol use of mixed feeds of glycerol and methanol allowed faster induction of alcohol oxidase and faster adaptation of cellular metabolism than with a feed containing methanol as sole carbon source. The results of this study showed also how critical it is to avoid transient methanol accumulation during P. pastoris cultures operated at low residual methanol concentrations. Indeed, pulse experiments during chemostat cultures showed that sudden increase in methanol concentrations in cultures performed under methanol-limited or dual methanol and glycerol-limited growth conditions leads to wash-out of the culture because of too high consumption rate of methanol, which leads to excretion of toxic intermediates. High rate of methanol consumption was due to high specific AOX activities observed at low residual methanol concentrations.     

混合碳源流加对重组毕赤酵母生产碱性果胶酶的影响

为提高重组毕赤酵母生产碱性果胶酶(PGL)的产量和生产强度,在诱导期采用多种碳源与甲醇混合添加的模式。实验结果发现:甘油、山梨醇、乳酸与甲醇的混合添加均可以提高PGL的产量,其中山梨醇与甲醇的混合流加效果最为显著。研究表明,通过双碳源混合流加可以提高细胞活力,增强醇氧化酶活力,提高毕赤酵母表达外源蛋白效率。当山梨醇的流速为3.6g/(h·L)时,PGL酶活可达1593U/mL,生产强度为16.7U/(mL·h),比对照分别提高了84.6%和45.2%,实现了碱性果胶酶的高效生产。     

甲醇/山梨醇共混流加控制溶氧改善毕赤酵母表达猪圆环病毒Cap蛋白的发酵性能

研究在重组毕赤酵母(GS115,Mut+)表达猪圆环病毒Cap蛋白的发酵过程中,甲醇毒害作用以及溶氧波动影响目的蛋白的正常表达。基于对甲醇和山梨醇代谢途径的分析,将C源流加的手动调节与反馈控制相结合,提出了1种新型的甲醇/山梨醇共混诱导策略,能够将溶氧稳定地控制于某一设定值,同时避免甲醇毒害作用。使用该策略将溶氧控制于20%的批次,C源(甲醇和山梨醇)添加过少,导致Cap蛋白表达量较低(54 mg/L);而将溶氧控制于10%的批次,C源流加速率适宜,Cap蛋白表达量达到198 mg/L,表达水平明显高于采用传统甲醇诱导策略(0 mg/L)和DO-stat诱导策略的批次(121 mg/L)。     

甘油及甲醇补料策略对毕赤酵母表达猪α-干扰素的影响

本文研究了甘油及甲醇补料策略对重组毕赤酵母细胞生长及猪α-干扰素(p IFN-α)表达的影响。结果表明,甘油采取不同的补料策略,以及甲醇浓度控制于不同水平时,细胞生长速度不同,p IFN-α抗病毒活性水平也明显不同。高密度发酵阶段,甘油采用指数方式流加控制时,相较于40 g/L/h、10 g/L/h,恒速流加组的细胞浓度最先达最高水平132 g/L,后一直保持稳定,且发酵液中几乎无残留甘油;与之相应的p IFN-α抗病毒活性水平最高。诱导表达阶段,甲醇浓度须控制并恒定于12 g/L时,p IFN-α抗病毒活性最高水平能达到5.95×106IU/m L,而当甲醇浓度稳定于3.5 g/L、16.0 g/L、或者浓度波动较大(10.2~13.8 g/L)时,p IFN-α抗病毒活性均远低于最高水平。     

Mixed-feed exponential feeding for fed-batch culture of recombinant methylotrophic yeast

A simple, accurate model capable of predicting cell growth and methanol utilization during the mixed substrate fed-batch fermentation of Mut^S recombinant Pichia pastoris was developed and was used to design an exponential feeding strategy for mixed substrate fed-batch fermentation at a constant specific growth rate. Mixed substrate feeding has been shown to boost productivity in recombinant fed-batch culture of P. pastoris, while fixed growth rate exponential feeding during fed-batch culture is a useful tool in process optimization and control.