Potential for Protein Drugs from Bacteria

A cheaper, more efficient technique for developing complex protein drugs from bacteria has been developed at the University of Sheffield. Using the bacterium E. coli, researchers from the University’s Faculty of Engineering showed it was possible to vastly increase the efficiency of the cells producing specifically modified proteins, as well as improve its performance and stability. The modification is present in over two-thirds of human therapeutic drugs on the market and involves the addition of specific sugar groups to the protein backbone, a process termed glycosylation.

The  researchers, from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University with collaboration from the University of Colorado, used a technique called inverse metabolic engineering to screen cells and identify strains that are likely to be the most efficient glycoprotein producers. Using this method, the team were able to produce seven times as much of the protein in laboratory tests.

Professor Phil Wright, who led the research, said: “We believe that this technique will pave the way for pharmacologists to get the same protein yield from bacteria cells as they could from animal cells and also enable them to produce drugs from bacteria that have vastly improved focus and accuracy.”

The team also tested the technique on antibody fragments with positive results, showing that their approach could work in different proteins.

The study, published in the journal Biotechnology and Bioengineering, was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). A further BBSRC BRIC grant will enable the team to continue to improve their results and explore other applications for the technology.