Thermostable Trichoderma Cellulase Expression via Egl5 Disruption

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge lies in expressing thermostable proteins in Trichoderma reesei host cells without unwanted cellulase activity, as the existing methods are time-consuming and labor-intensive due to the large number of endogenous cellulase genes, making it difficult to produce proteins of interest in the absence of endogenous cellulases.

Innovation Solution

Modifying Trichoderma reesei host cells by disrupting or deleting the egl5 gene to prevent the production of thermostable endoglucanase V (EGV), allowing for the expression of proteins of interest like hydrophobin II, and then subjecting the expression products to an elevated temperature to inactivate heat-labile enzymes, ensuring the thermostable protein is produced without cellulase activity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple endogenous cellulase genes are deleted to eliminate cellulase activity, then protein expression free from unwanted enzymatic activity is achieved, but the process becomes time-consuming and labor-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotein expression free from unwanted enzymatic activityVSAvoidtime-consuming and labor-intensive process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes only the specific egl5 gene encoding thermostable endoglucanase V from the Trichoderma reesei genome, rather than deleting multiple endogenous cellulase genes. This selective removal achieves the desired protein expression free from unwanted enzymatic activity while significantly reducing the complexity and time required for genetic modification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the thermal stability parameter of the protein preparation by subjecting it to heat treatment at elevated temperatures. This allows differentiation between thermostable proteins of interest and heat-labile endogenous cellulases, enabling selective retention of the desired protein while eliminating unwanted enzymatic activity without extensive genetic deletion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If multiple endogenous cellulase genes are deleted to eliminate cellulase activity, then unwanted enzymatic activity is eliminated, but the complexity of genetic modification increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelimination of unwanted enzymatic activityVSAvoidcomplexity of genetic modification
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes only the specific egl5 gene encoding thermostable endoglucanase V from the Trichoderma reesei genome, rather than deleting multiple endogenous cellulase genes. This selective removal achieves the desired protein expression free from unwanted enzymatic activity while significantly reducing the complexity and time required for genetic modification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses heat treatment as an intermediary method to differentiate between thermostable proteins of interest and heat-labile endogenous cellulases. This physical treatment serves as a mediator that selectively inactivates unwanted enzymatic activity while preserving the desired thermostable protein, avoiding the need for complex multi-gene deletions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If egl5 gene is disrupted to prevent EGV production, then thermostable protein expression without cellulase activity is enabled, but the host cell modification is required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermostable protein expression without cellulase activityVSAvoidhost cell modification
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes only the specific egl5 gene encoding thermostable endoglucanase V from the Trichoderma reesei genome, rather than deleting multiple endogenous cellulase genes. This selective removal achieves the desired protein expression free from unwanted enzymatic activity while significantly reducing the complexity and time required for genetic modification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 enables the production of thermostable proteins like hydrophobin II in Trichoderma reesei host cells with significantly reduced or eliminated cellulase activity, simplifying the expression process and avoiding the need to delete multiple heat-labile enzyme-encoding genes, thus facilitating the production of proteins free from unwanted enzymatic activities.

Implementation Method 1

subjecting the expression products to an elevated temperature to inactivate heat-labile enzymes

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal inactivation: Heat Treatment

Data Source

PatentEP2630249B1Thermostable trichoderma cellulase
Publication Date: 2018.09.05 DANISCO US INC
  • EP2630249B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2630249B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2630249B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Described are compositions and methods relating to the thermostable fungal cellulase enzyme, EGV, and Trichoderma host cells having a modification comprising or consisting essentially of disruption or deletion of nucleotide(s) for expression of this cellulose, whereby EGV expression is prevented.