Use of glucose starvation to limit growth and induce protein production in Escherichia coli

Abstract

The use of glucose starvation to uncouple the production of recombinant beta-galactosidase from cell growth in Escherichia coli was investigated. A lacZ operon fusion to the carbon starvation-inducible cst-1 locus was used to control beta-galactosidase synthesis. beta-Galactosidase induction was observed only under aerobic starvation conditions, and its expression continued for 6 h following the onset of glucose starvation. The cessation of beta-galactosidase expression closely correlated with the exhaustion of acetate, an overflow metabolite of glucose, from the culture medium. Our results suggest the primary role of acetate in cst-1-controlled protein expression is that of an energy source. Using this information, we metered acetate to a glucose-starved culture and produced a metabolically sluggish state, where growth was limited to a low linear rate and production of recombinant beta-galactosidase occurred continuously throughout the experiment. The cst-1 controlled beta-galactosidase synthesis was also induced at low dilution rates in a glucose-limited chemostat, suggesting possible applications to high-density cell systems such as glucose-limited recycle reactors. This work demonstrates that by using an appropriate promoter system and nutrient limitation, growth can be restrained while recombinant protein production is induced and maintained.