Microorganisms and methods for the continuous co-production of tandem repeat proteins and chemical products from C1-substrates
Inventors
Simpson, Sean Dennis • Koepke, Michael • Clomburg, James MacAllister • Gramling, Juniper Dee • Jones, Stephanie Rhianon • Jung, Jaeyoung • Politano, Timothy James
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12371727-B2
Publication Date
2025-07-29
Expiration Date
Abstract
Microorganisms are genetically engineered to continuously co-produce amino acids, proteins, microbial biomass, chemicals, or any combination thereof by microbial fermentation, particularly by microbial fermentation of a gaseous substrate. The microorganisms are C1-fixing. The production of ethylene, microbial biomass, and heterologous tandem repeat proteins can be improved. This can be effected by improved promoters or nutrient limiting means.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a genetically engineered microorganism capable of co-producing, through a gas fermentation process, at least one heterologous protein, at least one chemical product, and microbial biomass from a gaseous substrate. The heterologous protein is squid ring teeth (SRT) protein having at least 85% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID No: 1, SEQ ID No: 2, and SEQ ID No: 3, and the microorganism is selected from Clostridium bacteria and Cupriavidus bacteria.
The disclosed microorganisms provide continuous co-production in which heterologous proteins having tandem repeats are co-produced with secreted chemical products and microbial biomass. The gaseous substrate includes CO, CO2, and H2, including syngas and industrial waste gas, and the chemical products explicitly include ethylene and other C2+ chemicals.
The platform further integrates recovery and purification of products and provides downstream uses of the recovered products and biomass. The document additionally describes production of microbial biomass suitable for downstream formats, including use as animal feed, as single-cell protein (SCP), and as cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) platform material.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim coverage includes 3 inventive features directed to a genetically engineered microorganism that co-produces an SRT heterologous protein, at least one chemical product, and microbial biomass from a gaseous substrate via gas fermentation.
Co-producing heterologous protein, chemical product, and microbial biomass from a gaseous substrate via gas fermentation
A genetically engineered microorganism capable of co-producing at least one heterologous protein, at least one chemical product, and microbial biomass from a gaseous substrate through a gas fermentation process.
Squid ring teeth protein with defined sequence identity
The at least one heterologous protein is squid ring teeth (SRT) protein having at least 85% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID No: 1, SEQ ID No: 2, and SEQ ID No: 3.
Microorganism selected from Clostridium or Cupriavidus
The microorganism is selected from Clostridium and Cupriavidus bacteria.
The core claim coverage is directed to a gas-fermenting engineered Clostridium or Cupriavidus capable of co-producing an SRT heterologous protein with at least 85% sequence identity, along with chemical products and microbial biomass from CO, CO2, and H2-based gaseous substrates.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Microbial biomass as animal feed.
Microbial biomass as single-cell protein (SCP).
Biomass material used as cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) platform material.
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