Antibiotic-free T7 RNA polymerase expression system for high-yield protein production
A novel expression system leveraging T7 RNA polymerase for high-yield protein production without the need for antibiotics, enhancing stability and efficiency across multiple bacterial species.
Overview
This innovative bacterial expression system utilizes T7 RNA polymerase to drive high-yield production of target proteins without the need for antibiotics. By employing a multicopy plasmid system that relies on three interdependent protein components, it minimizes the risk of loss-of-function mutations. This approach not only ensures robust target protein expression but also facilitates its application across various bacterial species, making it a versatile tool in biomanufacturing.
Technical specifications
- Utilizes a modified T7 RNA polymerase to drive expression of the phage protein GP2, which inhibits cell growth by blocking host RNA polymerase activity.
- A third factor, SGP, specifically targets T7 RNA polymerase for degradation, preventing the lethal effect and maintaining cell viability.
- The system is designed to create a stable, lethal addiction to the genetic components, ensuring plasmid maintenance without antibiotics.
- Incorporates genetic components active in multiple bacterial species, indicating broad applicability.
Technology readiness level
The technology is currently at TRL 4, with successful insertion of T7 RNA polymerase at one chromosomal locus and ongoing validation efforts aimed at demonstrating antibiotic-free plasmid maintenance and high product yields.
About AsimicA, Inc
AsimicA, Inc. is a B2B microbial strain engineering company that has developed a proprietary technology platform called Microbial Stem Cell Technology (MiST). This innovation addresses the problem of low productivity in industrial microbial biofactories, where traditional fermentation processes often suffer from microbial exhaustion, genetic drift, and the emergence of non-productive cheater mutants. By engineering microbes to divide asymmetrically, MiST creates a self-renewing sub-population of stem cells that continuously replenish the culture with young, productive factory cells. This approach effectively extends the lifespan of fermentation batches and significantly increases product yield, offering a method that can be applied to diverse bioprocessing applications, from pharmaceuticals and food ingredients to biofuels and new materials.
The company’s technology provides significant value to biomanufacturing partners by improving the economic efficiency of production lines, reducing downtime, and lowering overall manufacturing costs. By achieving multi-fold improvements in yields, AsimicA’s solutions help companies enhance their industrial-scale fermentation capabilities for complex molecules, including cytotoxic products that are typically difficult to synthesize. Founded in 2018 as a spin-off from University of Wyoming research, the company has secured federal grants and venture capital support, including through the SOSV IndieBio program, to advance its technology toward industrial application and establish contractual partnerships with commercial manufacturers.
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