Emergent properties of reduced-genome Escherichia coli.
With the use of synthetic biology, we reduced the Escherichia coli K-12 genome by making planned, precise deletions. The multiple-deletion series (MDS) strains, with genome reductions up to 15%, were designed by identifying nonessential genes and sequences for elimination, including recombinogenic or mobile DNA and cryptic virulence genes, while preserving good growth profiles and protein production. Genome reduction also led to unanticipated beneficial properties: high electroporation efficiency and accurate propagation of recombinant genes and plasmids that were unstable in other strains. Eradication of stress-induced transposition evidently stabilized the MDS genomes and provided some of the new properties.
Pósfai
György
G
Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Center, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary. posfaigy@nucleus.szbk.u-szeged.hu
Plunkett
Guy
G
Fehér
Tamás
T
Frisch
David
D
Keil
Günther M
GM
Umenhoffer
Kinga
K
Kolisnychenko
Vitaliy
V
Stahl
Buffy
B
Sharma
Shamik S
SS
de Arruda
Monika
M
Burland
Valerie
V
Harcum
Sarah W
SW
Blattner
Frederick R
FR
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D048168:Escherichia coli K12 / Q000235:genetics*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D016296:Mutagenesis; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004269:DNA, Bacterial