No abstract

A simple fed-batch process was carried out using constant and variable specific growth rates for high-cell-density cultivation of Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) expressing human interferon-gamma(hIFN-gamma). The feeding rate was adjusted to achieve an appropriate specific growth rate. The dissolved oxygen level was maintained at 20-30% of air saturation by control of airflow and stirrer speed and, where necessary, by enrichment of inlet air with pure oxygen. Glucose was the sole source of carbon and energy and was provided by following a simple exponential feeding rate. The final cell density in the fed-batch fermentation with constant and variable specific growth rate feeding strategies was ~100 g dry cell wt l(-1) after 36 and 20 h, respectively. The final specific yield and overall productivity of recombinant hIFN-gamma in the variable specific growth rate strategy were 0.35 g rHu-IFN-gamma g(-1) dry cell wt and 0.9 g rHu-IFN-gamma l(-1) h(-1), respectively. A new chromatographic purification procedure involving anion exchange and cation exchange chromatographies was developed for purification of rHu-IFN-gamma from inclusion bodies. The established purification process is reproducible and the total recovery of rHu-IFN-gamma was ~30% (100 mg rHu-IFN-gamma g(-1) dry cell wt). The purity of the rHu-IFN-gamma was determined using HPLC. Sterility, pyrogenicity, and DNA content tests were conducted to assure the absence of toxic materials and other components of E. coli in the final product. The final purified rHu-IFN-gamma has a specific antiviral activity of ~2 x 10(7) IU/mg protein, as determined by viral cytopathic effect assay. These results certify the product for clinical purposes.

Human interferon-gamma (hIFN-gamma) was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) under the control of the T7 promoter. Glucose was used as the sole source of carbon and energy with simple exponential feeding rate in fed-batch process. Cell density of recombinant E. coli was reached to 100 g dry wt l(-1) under both constant (0.12 h(-1)) and variable (0.12-0.52 h(-1)) specific growth rates. In the variable specific growth rate fed-batch process, plasmid stability and specific yield of rhIFN-gamma were greater than constant specific growth rate fed-batch process. The final specific yield and overall productivity of rhIFN-gamma were 0.35 +/- 0.02 g rhIFN-gamma g(-1) dry cell wt and 0.9 +/- 0.05 g rhIFN-gamma l(-1) h(-1) in the variable specific growth rate fed-batch process, respectively.

Different feeding strategies for the production of human interferon-gamma using an isopropyl beta-D-thiogalactoside-inducible expression system in recombinant Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) (plasmid pET3a-ifngamma) were studied. Four fed-batch modes were designed to compare the effect of mu (specific growth rate) on recombinant-protein production, substrate consumption, by-product formation and plasmid stability during pre- and post-chemical induction in high-cell-density cultures of E. coli. It was found that Y(p/s), the product/substrate yield of interferon-gamma was significantly affected by mu throughout the process, but product/biomass yield (Y(p/x)) was influenced by mu at the pre-induction stage. By applying an efficient feeding strategy, in which the mu was maintained at the maximum attainable level, recombinant protein was accumulated up to a level of 60% of the total cell protein and its productivity was increased significantly. In this case, the overall productivities of biomass and recombinant protein were 6.36 g l(-1) h(-1) and 2.1 g l(-1) h(-1) respectively, in comparison with 1.91 g l(-1) h(-1) and 0.16 g l(-1) h(-1) during exponential feeding, in which the specific growth rate was kept constant throughout the entire process.

Development of inexpensive and simple culture media and appropriate induction conditions are always favorable for industry. In this research, chemical composition and stoichiometric data for gamma-interferon production and recombinant Escherichia coli growth were used in order to achieve a simple medium and favorable induction conditions. To achieve this goal, the effects of medium composition and induction conditions on the production of gamma-interferon were investigated in batch culture of E. coli BL21 (DE3) [pET3a-ifngamma]. These conditions were considered as suitable conditions for the production of gamma-interferon: 2.5x M9 medium, supplemented with a mixture of amino acids (milligram per liter), including glutamic acid 215, aspartic acid 250, lysine 160, and phenylalanine 90, and induction at late-log phase (OD(600) = 4.5). Under these conditions, dry cell weight of 6 +/- 0.2 g/l and gamma-interferon concentration of 2.15 +/- 0.1 g/l were obtained. Later, without changing the concentration ratio of amino acids and glucose, the effect of increase in the primary glucose concentration on productivity of gamma-interferon was investigated. It was found that 25 g/l glucose will result in maximum attainable biomass and recombinant human gamma-interferon. At improved conditions, a dry cell weight of 14 +/- 0.2 g/l, concentration and overall productivity of gamma-interferon 4.2 +/- 0.1 g/l and 420 +/- 10 mg/l h, respectively, were obtained.