Natural product isolation from proteobacterial hosts
Discover and isolate bioactive natural products from proteobacterial hosts using bioinformatics, heterologous expression, and activity testing. This approach combines cutting-edge techniques for identifying and scaling the production of valuable natural compounds.
Overview
The proposed solution focuses on the discovery and isolation of bioactive natural products from proteobacterial hosts. Utilizing a combination of bioinformatics, heterologous expression, and activity testing, this method aims to identify and scale up the production of valuable natural compounds. The approach leverages the laboratory's extensive experience in natural product discovery and testing, providing a robust framework for isolating compounds with potential pharmaceutical and industrial applications.
Technical specifications
Key methods include:
- Bioinformatics analysis: Use of software to detect the presence of natural products in proteobacterial genomes.
- Gene or pathway knockouts: Establish connections between biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) and their products by disabling specific genes or pathways.
- Heterologous expression: Expressing biosynthetic genes in hosts like E. coli for identification and mass production of the natural product.
- Analytical techniques: Employ mass spectrometry and HPLC for product identification and purification.
Alternative strategies include activity-based fractionation when working with proprietary strains or genome sequences.
Technology readiness level
The technology is currently at a TRL 3, indicating that active research and experimentation are underway, with validation in laboratory settings but not yet in broader commercial use.
About Princeton University
Princeton University is a private, research-intensive university in Princeton, New Jersey, known for a tightly integrated campus and a globally connected research enterprise. Industry partners engage through a dedicated corporate relations team that brokers sponsored research, consortia, and talent pipelines. Co-located assets include shared user facilities for advanced imaging and nanofabrication, a university-managed U.S. Department of Energy national lab, and a research park that hosts corporate collaborators. Research is supported by competitive federal funding from agencies such as NSF, NIH, DOE, DoD, and NASA. A technology transfer office provides IP strategy, licensing, and startup support, complemented by an affiliated incubator and mentor network.
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