Amino acid stabilization for cell-free protein synthesis by modification of the Escherichia coli genome

• Published in: Metabolic engineering 2004-07, Vol.6 (3), p.197-203
• Main Authors: Michel-Reydellet, Nathalie, Calhoun, Kara, Swartz, James
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino acid stabilization; Amino Acids - genetics; Amino Acids - metabolism; Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; Cell extract; Cell-free biology; Cell-free protein synthesis; Cell-Free System - metabolism; Cell-Free System - microbiology; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli - genetics; Escherichia coli - metabolism; Escherichia coli Proteins - biosynthesis; Escherichia coli Proteins - genetics; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial - physiology; Genetic Enhancement - methods; Genome, Bacterial; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; Peptide Hydrolases; Porins - biosynthesis; Porins - genetics; Protein Engineering - methods; Recombinant Proteins - biosynthesis
• ISSN: 1096-7176; 1096-7184
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2004.01.003

Cell-free biology provides a unique opportunity to assess and to manipulate microbial systems by inverse metabolic engineering. We have applied this approach to amino acid metabolism, one of the systems in cell-free biology that limits protein synthesis reactions. Four amino acids (arginine, tryptophan, serine and cysteine) are depleted during a 3-h batch cell-free protein synthesis reaction under various conditions. By modifying the genome of the Escherichia coli strain used to make the cell extract, we see significant stabilization of arginine, tryptophan and serine. Cysteine, however, continues to be degraded. Cell-free protein synthesis with the modified cell extract produces increased yields of the cysteine-free protein Outer Membrane Protein T (OmpT).