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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 1999, p. 2710-2715, Vol. 65, No. 6
0099-2240/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

The Quiescent-Cell Expression System for Protein Synthesis in Escherichia coli

Duncan C. D. Rowe and David K. Summers*

Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, United Kingdom

Received 19 November 1998/Accepted 14 March 1999

The quiescent-cell expression system is a radical alternative to conventional fermentation for protein overproduction in Escherichia coli. It is dependent on the controlled overexpression of a small RNA called Rcd in hns mutant strains to generate nongrowing, quiescent cells which are not nutrient limited. Quiescent cells no longer produce biomass and have their metabolic resources channelled toward the expression of plasmid-based genes. The biosynthetic capacity of the system is demonstrated by its ability to express chloramphenicol acetyltransferase to more than 40% of total cell protein. Quiescent cells may provide an ideal environment for the expression of toxic as well as benign proteins.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, United Kingdom. Phone: 44-1223-333991. Fax: 44-1223-333992. E-mail: dks11{at}mole.bio.cam.ac.uk.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 1999, p. 2710-2715, Vol. 65, No. 6
0099-2240/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Mukherjee, K. J., Rowe, D. C. D., Watkins, N. A., Summers, D. K. (2004). Studies of Single-Chain Antibody Expression in Quiescent Escherichia coli. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 3005-3012 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Chatwin, H. M., Summers, D. K. (2001). Monomer-dimer control of the ColE1 Pcer promoter. Microbiology 147: 3071-3081 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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