Low Cost Regulated Genetic Switch for Saccharomyces Cerevisiae
JHU REF: C12857
Invention Novelty: This technology is a method of using a low cost regulated system for controlling gene expression in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Value Proposition:
Budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is one of the most important organisms in biotechnology. Currently there are two types of regulated promoters in the yeast. They are the endogenous yeast promoters, such as the GAL and MET3 promoters, and the engineered promoters that are derived from other organisms, such as the tet system. These promoters have high induction ratio but they can be problematic for industrial uses due to undesirable effects on host metabolism and gene transcription, which can lead to a slow growth rate, or a high cost of the required materials. This technology provides an alternative method for regulated protein and pathway expression in yeast. Advantages include:
- The ligand that controls this switch is extremely inexpensive and easy to obtain.
- The working concentration of the ligand has little impact on normal yeast metabolism or transcriptional profile.
- This genetic switch is compatible with other expression systems (e.g., Tet-off switch) in a yeast strain.
Technical Details:
Johns Hopkins researchers have engineered a genetic switch derived from a Pseudomonas putida operon that can work in the yeast S. cerevisiae. First, a transcriptional activator protein was engineered by fusion to a viral activator protein cassette and codon optimization. Then a suitable promoter responsive to the transcriptional activator was engineered by embedding the P. putida operator binding sequence within a promoter from S. cerevisiae. The switch is turned off by a very cheap small-molecule ligand and turned on by dilution into a medium without the ligand.
Looking for Partners: To develop and commercialize the technology as a controlled off switch in yeast for use in laboratory and/or industrial fermentation.
Stage of Development: Proof of concept
Data Availability: Prototype
Patent Status: Pending
Publication(s)/Associated Cases: PMID:26206350; WO 2015175074 A9
Categories: Biotechnology
Keywords: Transcriptional switch; Budding yeast; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Fermentation; Inexpensive; promoter
