title: High level biosynthesis of a silk-elastin-like protein in E. coli.
abstract: Silk-elastin-like proteins (SELPs) have enormous potential for use as customizable biomaterials in numerous biomedical and materials applications, yet success in harnessing this potential has been limited by the lack of a commercially viable industrially relevant production process. We have developed a scalable fed-batch production approach which enables a SELP volumetric productivity of 4.3 g L(-1) with E. coli BL21(DE3). This is the highest SELP productivity reported to date and is 50-fold higher than that reported by other groups. As compared to typical fed-batch processes, high preinduction growth rates and low inducer and oxygen concentrations are allowed whereas reduced postinduction feeding rates are preferred. Limiting factors were identified and productivity was found to be strongly influenced by a trade-off between the rate of production and plasmid stability. The process developed is robust, reproducible, and applicable to scale up to the industrial level and moves these biopolymers a step closer to the marketplace.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), Department of Biology, University of Minho , Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Mário
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barroca
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Branca
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Padrão
authors.forename: Raul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Margarida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casal
mesh_terms: D061249:Batch Cell Culture Techniques; D004549:Elastin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D047011:Silk / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D047011:Silk; D004549:Elastin