IPTG can replace lactose in auto‐induction media to enhance protein expression in batch‐cultured Escherichia coli

Auto‐induction media containing glucose, lactose, and glycerol are a simple and efficient approach for high‐throughput protein expression in Escherichia coli with lac‐derived expression systems. Its principle is based on inducer exclusion between glucose and lactose, preventing the induction by lactose before the depletion of glucose. Isopropyl‐β‐d ‐1‐thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG)—at least in typically used millimolar concentrations—is thought to be unsuitable for this purpose since it can enter the cell by diffusion independently of inducer exclusion. In this study, using parallel batch cultivations in stirred‐tank bioreactors on a milliliter scale, we show that the induction by micromolar concentrations of IPTG is prevented in the presence of glucose. With up to 40 μM IPTG, full induction and heterologous protein expression start only after the depletion of glucose. Thus, auto‐induction is possible with either lactose or IPTG, and the expression greatly depends on the type and concentration of the inducer. The best expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein was achieved with 40 μM IPTG in stirred‐tank bioreactors on a milliliter scale. The IPTG‐based auto‐induction was also reproduced in shaking flasks. Therefore, IPTG can be used in auto‐induction media for protein expression in batch‐cultured E. coli. Furthermore, we show that acetate or arabinose can have significant effects on the auto‐induction mechanism.     

Lactose Induction Increases Production of Recombinant Keratinocyte Growth Factor-2 in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>

Recombinant human keratinocyte growth factor-2 (rhKGF-2) has previously been expressed in Escherichia coli using isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG), a non-metabolizable and expensive compound, as the inducer. In order to determine whether IPTG could be replaced with the cheap and natural lactose to induce rhKGF-2 expression, we examined the expression of rhKGF-2 in flask culture and 30-l fermentation using lactose as the inducer. The optimized fermentation induced with lactose resulted in 1,382 g of cell mass, corresponding to a 84% enhancement in cell mass compared with IPTG induction. While the expression level of rhKGF-2 induced with lactose was comparable to that induced with IPTG, the solubility of target protein was increased by lactose induction than by IPTG induction. The recombinant protein was further purified by cation exchange and heparin-affinity chromatography. 255 milligrams of pure rhKGF-2 was achieved per liter culture by lactose induction, 52% higher than that obtained by IPTG induction. A preliminary biochemical characterization of purified rhKGF-2 was performed by Western blotting and mitogenic activity analysis, and the results demonstrated that the purified lactose-induced rhKGF-2 could react with anti-human KGF-2 antibody and stimulate the proliferation of FGFR2-IIIb-transfected mouse BaF3 cells as IPTG-induced rhKGF-2 could do.     

Maximizing the expression of a recombinant gene in Escherichia coli by manipulation of induction time using lactose as inducer

Summary The use of isopropyl--d-thiogalactoside (IPTG) for induction of the lac-promoter in small-scale cultivations is well established. However, for large-scale microbiological processes the cost of this inducer is a severe limitation. Here is described a method by which lactose is used as inducer of the lac promoter with the same efficiency as that of IPTG. It was found that after growth on glucose the time of the addition of lactose is important for the quality of induction. the resulting yield of the recombinant protein increased when lactose was added to the culture if the glucose concentration was rather low. By careful monitoring of the glucose level in the fermentation, using a biosensor, it was possible to add the inducer when the carbon source was nearly depleted. Using Escherichia coli BL21 (pET3), in which was cloned the main antigen coat protein of the foot and mouth disease virus, induction of the gene led to expression of the target protein at a level exceeding 20% of the total cell protein.Offprint requests to: P. Neubauer     

Effect of lacY expression on homogeneity of induction from the P(tac) and P(trc) promoters by natural and synthetic inducers

The role of the Escherichia coli lactose permease (LacY) in the homogeneous induction of the lactose-inducible promoters P(tac) and P(trc) by the natural inducer lactose and the synthetic inducer isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) was investigated. Lactose requires active transport by LacY, whereas IPTG can freely penetrate the cell wall. In E. coli strains lacking a functional LacY, IPTG is required for induction of P(tac) and P(trc). In E. coli strains carrying a functional LacY, induction of P(trc) and P(tac) with intermediate concentrations of lactose gave rise to two subpopulations, one fully induced and one uninduced, whereas a single, fully induced population resulted when high inducer concentrations were used. In contrast, induction with IPTG gave rise to a single population of cells at all inducer concentrations in both lacY and lacY(+) strains.     

乳糖诱导木聚糖酶基因在大肠杆菌中的可溶性表达

以构建好的大肠杆菌工程菌BL21(DE3)/xylanase为研究对象,研究了以IPTG和乳糖作为诱导剂时重组蛋白的表达规律。在摇瓶发酵条件下研究了诱导剂浓度、诱导时机、诱导培养时间和诱导培养温度对目标蛋白表达的影响。实验结果表明,乳糖作为诱导剂时,重组菌产酶活力33.9 U/mg略高于IPTG作为诱导剂时重组菌产酶活力28.10 U/mg,这为乳糖作为诱导剂应用于重组大肠杆菌生产木聚糖酶提供了参考依据。     

乳糖代替IPTG诱导重组人胸腺肽α1在大肠杆菌中的表达

研究以乳糖代替IPTG作为诱导剂诱导重组人胸腺肽α1表达的可行性,对乳糖诱导的时机、乳糖浓度、诱导持续时间以及其它诱导条件进行研究,确定了乳糖诱导的最佳条件。结果表明,乳糖能有效地诱导重组人胸腺肽α1的表达,并且目的蛋白的表达量略高于IPTG的诱导量。     

乳糖诱导的重组人血管内皮抑素(rhEndostatin)蛋白的表达

研究用乳糖替代IPTG作为诱导剂进行重组蛋白的表达,观察乳糖对乳糖操纵子调控的基因工程菌发酵及重组血管内皮抑素表达的影响,从而选取最佳诱导表达条件。以重组人血管内皮抑素表达工程菌pETrhEN/BL21(DE3)作为研究对象,分别用IPTG和乳糖作为诱导剂,在摇瓶中进行表达实验。并对重组蛋白质表达量进行分析。然后在5 L发酵罐中进行验证。在摇瓶培养条件下,乳糖浓度大于0.5 g/L即可以诱导目的蛋白的表达。乳糖浓度1 g/L时诱导目的蛋白表达量与1 mmol/L的IPTG相当,当乳糖浓度为10 g/L,目的蛋白表达量达到最大。在发酵罐培养条件下,补料4 h后葡萄糖浓度基本耗尽,此时开始加入乳糖。诱导后1 h,即有重组蛋白表达,在诱导后4 h达到高峰(占菌体可溶性蛋白的56%),与此同时,诱导后5 h菌体浓度也达到最高值。在以乳糖操纵子为调控手段的工程菌表达系统中,可以使用乳糖作为诱导剂,诱导应在葡萄糖消耗完后进行。     

Assessing post-induction cellular response in a recombinant E. coli lactose-inducible system by monitoring β-galactosidase levels

Summary A synthetic lactose-inducible promoter was chosen to study host cell responses to the over-expression of heterologous genes. Fermentations were conducted to compare the effect of induction strategies on the synthesis of -galactosidase versus the production of recombinant protein. The levels of lactose, IPTG and glucose during induction were manipulated to adjust the utilization of lactose as the inducer and/or the carbon source. In addition, the involvement of the gal operon in lactose metabolism was also explored in order to optimize lactose transport and utilization during induction.     

乳糖作为诱导剂对重组目的蛋白表达的影响

将重组粒细胞-巨噬细胞集落刺激因子/白细胞介素3(GM-CSF/IL-3)融合蛋白表达菌BL21(DE3)(pFu)作为研究对象,对于以乳糖作为诱导剂时重组目的产物的诱导表达规律进行了深入的研究。分析比较了不同培养基中,不同生长阶段进行诱导对于产物表达的影响。对诱导所需的乳糖浓度、诱导持续时间长短等因素亦进行了研究。实验结果表明,在对诱导条件进行优化控制的前提下,利用乳糖作为诱导剂可以达到与IPTG类似的诱导效果。随后的研究中,将乳糖作为诱导剂应用于高密度发酵过程。这些研究结果为乳糖作为诱导剂最终应用于重组基因工程药物的工业化生产提供了有益的参考和借鉴。     

乳糖诱导重组尿酸酶基因在大肠杆菌中的表达

对用乳糖替代异丙基-β-D-硫代半乳糖苷(IPTG)诱导重组产朊假丝酵母尿酸酶基因在E.coli JM109(DE3)中表达进行了研究,拟建立一种高效低成本的生产重组尿酸酶的工艺路线。通过摇瓶试验对诱导所采用的乳糖浓度,诱导时机和诱导持续时间进行了优化,并考察在乳糖诱导下的目的产物表达动力学,随后在5 L发酵罐上进行扩大化培养以验证摇瓶优化的结果,进一步将乳糖作为诱导剂应用于高密度发酵过程。实验结果表明乳糖诱导的最佳浓度为5 g/L,最佳诱导时机是对数生长期中后期,诱导持续时间为9~10h;按照优化的条件在摇瓶和5 L发酵罐上进行分批培养,重组尿酸酶最大表达量可达菌体总蛋白的26%左右,可溶性蛋白的36%左右,略高于IPTG的诱导效果;高密度发酵过程菌体终密度达到OD600值40以上,尿酸酶表达量占菌体总蛋白25%左右。     

The Effect of the lacY Gene on the Induction of IPTG Inducible Promoters, Studied in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas fluorescens

The role of the Escherichia coli lacY gene product (the lactose permease) in the induction of isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) inducible promoters was studied in E. coli and P. fluorescens. This was done by comparing strains containing a lacIPOZYA chromosomal insert with newly constructed strains containing inserts without the lacY gene (lacIPOZ). The lactose operon inserts were introduced as single-copy chromosomal inserts to eliminate differences in expression caused by differences in copy number. Comparison between the two types of inserts showed that the lactose permease was essential to allow growth on lactose by both bacteria and that the lactose permease plays an important role in transporting the inducer IPTG across the membrane of P. fluorescens. The use of a functional lactose permease allows expression of β-galactosidase to increase more than fivefold from a wild-type lac promoter in P. fluorescens SS1001. We suggest that an increase in the rate of protein synthesis from lac-type promoters could be enhanced if an active lactose permease is present as well. Received: 29 October 1997 / Accepted: 8 December 1997     

High cell density cultivation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> with surface anchored transglucosidase for use as whole-cell biocatalyst for α-arbutin synthesis

A fed-batch culture strategy for the production of recombinant Escherichia coli cells anchoring surface-displayed transglucosidase for use as a whole-cell biocatalyst for α-arbutin synthesis was developed. Lactose was used as an inducer of the recombinant protein. In fed-batch cultures, dissolved oxygen was used as the feed indicator for glucose, thus accumulation of glucose and acetate that affected the cell growth and recombinant protein production was avoided. Fed-batch fermentation with lactose induction yielded a biomass of 18 g/L, and the cells possessed very high transglucosylation activity. In the synthesis of α-arbutin by hydroquinone glucosylation, the whole-cell biocatalysts showed a specific activity of 501 nkat/g cell and produced 21 g/L of arbutin, which corresponded to 76% molar conversion. A sixfold increased productivity of whole cell biocatalysts was obtained in the fed-batch culture with lactose induction, as compared to batch culture induced by IPTG.     

lac operon induction in Escherichia coli: Systematic comparison of IPTG and TMG induction and influence of the transacetylase LacA

Most commonly used expression systems in bacteria are based on the Escherichia coli lac promoter. Furthermore, lac operon elements are used today in systems and synthetic biology. In the majority of the cases the gratuitous inducers IPTG or TMG are used. Here we report a systematic comparison of lac promoter induction by TMG and IPTG which focuses on the aspects inducer uptake, population heterogeneity and a potential influence of the transacetylase, LacA. We provide induction curves in E. coli LJ110 and in isogenic lacY and lacA mutant strains and we show that both inducers are substrates of the lactose permease at low inducer concentrations but can also enter cells independently of lactose permease if present at higher concentrations. Using a gfp reporter strain we compared TMG and IPTG induction at single cell level and showed that bimodal induction with IPTG occurred at approximately ten-fold lower concentrations than with TMG. Furthermore, we observed that lac operon induction is influenced by the transacetylase, LacA. By comparing two Plac-gfp reporter strains with and without a lacA deletion we could show that in the lacA⁺ strain the fluorescence level decreased after few hours while the fluorescence further increased in the lacA⁻ strain. The results indicate that through the activity of LacA the IPTG concentration can be reduced below an inducing threshold concentration—an influence that should be considered if low inducer amounts are used.     

Effect of substrate and IPTG concentrations on the burden to growth of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> on glycerol due to the expression of Lac proteins

Expression of proteins unneeded for growth diverts cellular resources from making necessary protein and leads to a reduction in the growth rate of an organism. This reduction in growth rate is termed as cost. Cost plays an important role in determining the selected expression of a protein in a particular environment. Characterization of cost is important in biotechnology industries where microorganisms are used to produce foreign proteins. We have used the lactose system in Escherichia coli to quantify the cost of growth on glycerol in the presence of isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG), an inducer of the lactose system. The effect of the concentration of the carbon source, glycerol, and the inducer of Lac enzymes, IPTG, is studied. The results show that the cost is dependent on the glycerol concentration with a decreasing trend with increasing concentration of glycerol. Also as expected, the cost increases and saturates at a higher concentration of IPTG. The studies also demonstrate that the cost is higher in early exponential phase relative to late exponential phase during the growth as has been reported in the literature. Hill equation fit yielded a typical Monod-type expression for growth on glycerol with and without IPTG. An apparent half-saturation constant was defined which was used to characterize the burden on growth due to protein expression.     

argE基因在大肠杆菌中的表达优化

N-乙酰鸟氨酸脱酰基酶可在重组菌BL21（DE3）-pET22b-argE中表达。首先确定了该酶的细胞表达定位,再研究了诱导温度、诱导剂种类及浓度、诱导起始菌体密度、诱导时间等因素对重组菌生长及目的蛋白表达活性的影响。结果表明,IPTG和乳糖皆可诱导目的蛋白表达,乳糖的诱导效果优于IPTG。在诱导起始0D600为0．46时加入15g／L乳糖,20℃诱导18h最适于目的蛋白的活性表达。表达条件优化后,酶活从1．68U／mL提高至282．99U／mL,约为原来的168倍。     

Optimum Induction of Recombinant Thymidine Phosphorylase and Its Application

Recombinant E. coli pDEOA was constructed and lactose can be used instead of IPTG to induce the expression of thymidine phosphorylase by pDEOA. The use of lactose at concentrations higher than 0.5 mmol/L had an induction effect similar to that of IPTG but resulted in a longer initial induction time and better cell growth. The thymidine phosphorylase induced by lactose was very stable at 50°C. Intact pDEOA cells induced by lactose can be used as a source of thymidine phosphorylase. Under standard reaction conditions, several deoxynucleosides were effectively produced from thymidine.     

beta-D-phosphogalactoside galactohydrolase of Streptococcus faecalis and the inhibition of its synthesis by glucose.

The lactose hydrolysing system of Streptococcus faecalis is described. It is closely related to that one of the group N streptocci as it consists of a beta-D-phosphogalactoside galactohydrolase (beta-Pgal). The uptake of methyl-beta-D-thiogalactoside (TMG), lactose, and glucose is maintained by the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system (PTS) but the uptake of galactose is not. The induction time is 6--7 min. Inducers are lactose and galactose but not isopropyl-beta-D-galactoside (IPTG) and TMG. In the presence of glucose, mannose, and maltose no induction of beta-Pgal occurs but pyruvate and glycerol allow induction. The competitive inhibition of uptake of TMG by glucose suggests inducer exclusion by this sugar. TMG accumulates in the cells exclusively as a derivative.     

Lactose-induced Production of Human Soluble B Lymphocyte Stimulator (hsBLyS) in E. coli with Different Culture Strategies

Over-production of human soluble B lymphocyte stimulator (hsBLyS) was carried out with four different fed-batch culture strategies using lactose as inducer, instead of IPTG, in a fed-batch culture of Escherichia coli. As lactose acted as both inducer and carbon source, the best and simplest culture strategy was direct feeding of lactose after batch culture, thereby giving hsBLyS at 3.7 g l⁻¹ and a productivity of 0.11 g l⁻¹ h⁻¹. Revisions requested 1 September 2005 and 11 November 2005; Revisions received 7 November 2005 and 4 January 2006     

乳糖诱导甜蛋白Monellin在大肠杆菌中的表达

根据已报道的单链Monellin甜蛋白的氨基酸序列,按大肠杆菌基因偏爱密码子,设计和人工合成了单链monellin基因。将单链monellin基因克隆到大肠杆菌表达载体pET-28a中,构建了重组表达载体pET28a-mon,转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3),得到表达Monellin的大肠杆菌工程菌株。借助SDS-PAGE分析方法,研究了乳糖代替IPTG诱导大肠杆菌表达甜蛋白Monellin。通过对乳糖作为诱导剂表达条件进行优化,Monellin的表达量可占细胞总蛋白的33.09%,与IPTG诱导表达量接近。本研究结果为乳糖作为诱导剂应用于重组大肠杆菌生产甜蛋白Monellin提供了参考依据。     

Enhanced expression of cytochrome P450s from lac-based plasmids using lactose as the inducer

The cytochrome P450 expression systems used in Escherichia coli are highly regulated and involve the use of the lac repressor to control expression. Induction in these systems utilizes the nonmetabolizable analog of lactose, isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG), which is the most expensive compound required for an E. coli expression system. To determine if the natural inducer lactose could be used to induce cytochrome P450 expression we examined the expression of three P450 enzymes in E. coli using two different expression systems, pTrc99A and the T7-based PET22b vector. For both systems lactose was found to induce expression of active P450 to concentrations that exceeded the levels achieved with IPTG. A 20-liter fermentation of a P450 expression system in the pTrc plasmid in which lactose was used as the inducer resulted in 2.4 micromol P450/liter, with a total yield of 2 g of cytochrome P450. The use of lactose for protein expression in E. coli should be broadly useful for the inexpensive, large-scale production of heterologous proteins in E. coli.