Bio-SAT - Biological Whole-Cell-Sensor-Actor-Systems for Bioprocess Engineering and Environmental Technology: Recombinant production of Hydrophobin in Pichia pastoris
The hydrophobin HFBI of Trichoderma reesei should be recombinant expressed in the yeast Pichia (P.) pastoris. Hydrophobins are small amphipathic proteins with the ability to form 5-12 nm thick protein films at hydrophilic-hydrophobic interfaces. Therefore, a hydrophobic surface becomes hydrophilic and otherwise. This property makes hydrophobins interesting for many industrial applications. The heterologous expressed HFBI should be secreted into the culture broth. Thus, the secretion prepares the first step of purification. Handling of hydrophobins due to their surface active character often is challenging. Hence, HFBI should be expressed as a potentially less active polymeric form. In the poly hydrophobin the monomers are separated by a protease cleavage site. After a fermentation of the P. pastoris strain followed by an accumulation of the poly hydrophobin the protein should be cleaved with a protease into its active monomeric form. By balancing and modeling methods of the production process the yield of hydrophobin should be increased. This production strategy serves as an example for the expression of proteins which are toxic or difficult to handle. The project is part of the BMBF (Ministry of research and education) funded project Bio-SAT (Biological Whole-Cell-Sensor-Actor-Systems for Bioprocess Engineering and Environmental Technology).
Cooperation partners:
- Institute of Genetic, TU Dresden
- Institute of Material Sciences, TU Dresden
- Leibniz-Institute of Polymer Research Dresden e.V.
Project financing:
Ministry of research and education (BMBF)
Contact:
Kottmeier, Bley