Improved, scalable, two-stage, autoinduction of recombinant protein expression in E. coli utilizing phosphate depletion

Abstract We report the improved production of recombinant proteins in E. coli , reliant on tightly controlled autoinduction, triggered by phosphate depletion in stationary phase. The method, reliant on engineered strains and plasmids, enables improved protein expression across scales. Expression levels using this approach have reached as high as 55% of total cellular protein. Initial use of the method in instrumented fed batch fermentations enables cell densities of ∼30 grams dry cell weight (gCDW) per liter and protein titers up to 8.1+/−0.7 g/L (∼270 mg/gCDW). The process has also been adapted to an optimized autoinduction media, enabling routine batch production at culture volumes of 20 μ L (384 well plates), 100 μ L (96 well plates), 20 mL and 100 mL. In batch cultures, cells densities routinely reach ∼ 5-7 gCDW per liter, offering protein titers above 2 g/L. The methodology has been validated with a set of diverse heterologous proteins and is of general use for the facile optimization of routine protein expression from high throughput screens to fed-batch fermentation. Highlights Stationary phase protein expression results in high titers. Autoinduction by phosphate depletion enables protein titers from 2-8 g/L. Autoinduction has been validated from 384 well plates to instrumented bioreactors.