Continuous translation of circularized mRNA improves recombinant protein titer

Abstract

Recent success in demonstrating the translation of circular RNA open reading frames or circular mRNA, may offer a new avenue for improving recombinant protein production from cell and cell-free expression platforms. Initiation and termination are two rate limiting steps of translation. Circular RNA as a class of RNA is defined by covalent joining of terminal ends to give a closed loop structure. By encoding a gene lacking a stop codon on a circular RNA molecule an infinite open reading frame is generated permitting continuously translating circular mRNA (CTC mRNA). CTC mRNAs have shown promise in enhancing the production of multimeric polyproteins in bacterial cell-free expression systems. Problems arise when homogenous, functional post-translationally modified protein is required. To produce post-translationally modified, secreted protein from an CTC mRNA we investigated co-translational cleavage of nascent polypeptide chains by incorporating a 2 A “self-cleavage” peptide motif. Using a model recombinant human glycoprotein Erythropoietin (EPO) we demonstrate for the first time the ability to produce secreted protein from an infinite circular mRNA in live mammalian cells. Both cell-specific and volumetric productivity were improved by using circular mRNAs. This study pioneers the potential of recombinant protein production from CTC mRNA in mammalian cells.