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Technologies Available for License

2002-021: Media for Auto-Induction of Expression

Invention: 2002-021

Patent Status: U.S. Patent Number 7,759,109 was issued on July 20, 2010

For technical and licensing related questions, email tcp@bnl.gov.

Summary
TCP Technology
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F. William Studier

Media in which T7 expression strains grow without induction and then transition automatically to a fully induced state without intervention are defined in this invention. The media allow growth of expression strains to relatively high densities with little or no production of target protein, followed by high level induction and growth to saturation at moderate pH. The yield of target protein per volume of culture is often 5-20 times that of a conventional induction. Thus, almost fermentor-type yields can be obtained in convenient shake flasks. Large numbers of expression strains can be analyzed in parallel for level of expression and solubility of the target protein, simply by inoculating and growing to saturation. Cultures do not have to be monitored, inducer does not have to be added at the proper time and there is no necessity to obtain cultures all growing logarithmically at the same density for parallel testing in 96-well plates (or as many strains as desired for any parallel screening).

Description

The claims of this patent include media for culturing expression host cells in media that are designed to permit the uninduced growth of expression strains followed by automatic induction of expression of target proteins and continued growth to saturation. The various media are available commercially or may be made from the details in the patent specification.

Benefits

The media allow growth of expression strains to relatively high densities with little or no production of target protein, followed by high level induction and growth to saturation at moderate pH. The yield of target protein per volume of culture is often 5-20 times that of a conventional induction. Thus, almost fermentor-type yields can be obtained in convenient shake flasks. In addition medium for auto-induction and incorporation of seleno-methionine for heavy metal incorporation into proteins for crystallography is described

Applications and Industries

All companies manufacturing recombinant proteins will benefit from the use of the auto-induction media. No inducer is needed, no monitoring of cell cultures is required, resulting in increased efficiency and lowered costs. Particularly desirable, parallel cultures may be innoculated, grown to saturation, and harvested without oversight.

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