Pulsed Electric Field Control of Microbial Enzyme Productivity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for controlling enzyme productivity in microorganisms require significant labor and time, often involving changes to culture medium components or gene modification, which are labor-intensive and not always effective.

Innovation Solution

Applying a pulsed electric field to microorganisms during culture to control enzyme productivity without altering medium components or modifying genes, utilizing a damped oscillation waveform with a field strength of 10 kV/cm to 50 kV/cm, and repeating the application multiple times to regulate the production of specific enzymes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If medium components or culture conditions are changed to control enzyme productivity, then enzyme productivity can be controlled, but labor and time requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenzyme productivityVSAvoidtime for medium modification and condition adjustment

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the physical state parameters of the culture medium by applying a pulsed electric field, which alters the enzyme productivity without modifying the chemical composition or culture conditions. This resolves the contradiction by achieving enzyme control through physical parameter modification rather than temporal/ compositional changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If medium components or culture conditions are changed to control enzyme productivity, then enzyme productivity can be controlled, but labor requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenzyme productivityVSAvoidlabor for medium modification and condition adjustment

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces the mechanical/labor-intensive process of medium modification and condition adjustment with an electrical field application system. The pulsed electric field generator automatically controls enzyme productivity without requiring manual intervention to modify media or adjust conditions, thereby reducing labor requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If gene modification is used to control enzyme productivity, then specific enzymes can be produced, but the number of microorganisms to screen becomes enormous

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespecific enzyme productionVSAvoidcomplexity of microorganism screening process

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the genetic modification step from the enzyme production process and replaces it with a physical field application method. By applying a pulsed electric field to the culture, the system selectively controls enzyme production without requiring extraction or modification of microbial genomes, thereby eliminating the complex screening process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Productivity

If gene modification is used to control enzyme productivity, then specific enzymes can be produced, but medium components and culture conditions must be reset

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespecific enzyme productionVSAvoidease of maintaining culture conditions

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces dynamic control of enzyme productivity through time-dependent pulsed electric field application. The field can be applied at different stages of microbial growth to dynamically adjust enzyme production, eliminating the need to reset medium components or conditions that would be required after gene modification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method allows for precise control of enzyme productivity in various microorganisms, increasing or decreasing the production of target enzymes without changing culture conditions, demonstrating a general-purpose technique for enzyme production.

Implementation Method 1

applying a pulsed electric field to a microorganism

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPulsed electric field: Electric Field

Implementation Method 2

there has not been reported any example using a pulsed electric field in the control of the enzyme productivity of microorganisms

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectroporation:

Data Source

PatentUS11248222B2Method for controlling enzyme productivity of microorganisms

Publication Date: 2022.02.15 AMANO ENZYME INC

AI summary

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel method for controlling enzyme productivity of a microorganism. A pulsed electric field is applied to a microorganism to control the enzyme productivity of the microorganism.