Proteins are a remarkably diverse group of macromolecules in terms of size, structure, and toxic and chemical properties. The group comprises molecules from small peptides to complex multimeric structures; and from inert structural proteins to proteolytic enzymes.
This diversity of proteins poses problems to their recombinant production: An expression system designed for optimal production of one protein is likely not optimal for production of another protein and could give very poor results with low titers and/or poor protein quality.
To overcome this, Vectron designs tailored expression vectors for each protein, to ensure efficient gene expression, efficient folding, efficient translocation, and to minimize metabolic burden and toxic effects. This results in optimal titers of biologically active proteins (up to > 60 g/L).
Products:
VB Expression
Key to Vectron’s technologies is the highly tunable bacterial promoter Pm and its cognate transcription regulator gene xylS. Pm is an inducible promoter that is tight when uninduced and very strong under maximal induction.
Pm is induced with low doses of benzoic acids which are low-cost and non-toxic to both bacteria and humans and does not exhibit the usual “all-or-nothing” effect as seen with IPTG induced promoters.
VB Evolution
In addition to our extensive library of pre-identified expression cassettes and the possibility of creating millions of unique expression vectors based on these libraries, we are developing a novel approach to expression vector design based on directed evolution.
With directed evolution we can create manyfold more unique expression vectors and thus overcome any potential limitations with pre-identified elements. We call his immensely powerful method VB Evolution.
VB Secretion
One of the main drawbacks of industrial production of proteins in E. coli is the lack of suitable secretion systems for transport of the proteins out of the cell.
This results in the protein accumulating internally, frequently resulting in the commonly observed issues of degradation, aggregation and misfolding, together with relatively high downstream costs as the proteins must be isolated and purified from the complex, internal environment, and possibly processed into biologically active forms.