Advantages
- Long-term Storage: Competent cells can be preserved over extended periods, eliminating the need for time-consuming adjustments before each use, significantly enhancing efficiency.
- High Stability and Compatibility: Our newly developed shuttle vectors can be used with both thermophilic bacteria and coli, maintaining stability even after prolonged incubation.
Technology Overview & Background
Thermus thermophilus grows at a high temperature of 50°C or higher, and this characteristic has been advantageously used in various industrial fields, including as a source of thermostable enzymes and as a research resource in protein science. Genetic manipulation systems have also been established and are expected to be applied to high-temperature bioproduction. Despite this background, the only commercially available research resource for this bacterium is the genomic DNA of strain HB8, and the other experimental materials required for basic genetic manipulation are currently not commercially available.
The inventor’s laboratory has researched thermophilic bacteria for many years and has a large collection of thermophilic bacteria. The inventor searched for a plasmid different from the existing plasmid (plasmid pTT8 series derived from HB8 strain) in the library of thermophiles and found a shuttle vector that can replicate in both T. thermophilus and E. coli. This shuttle vector is stable in T. thermophilus without antibiotic selection even after long-term cultivation, which is superior to conventional shuttle vectors based on the plasmid pTT8. Furthermore, the inventor has successfully created competent cells with very simple manipulation that can be stored for long periods. These shuttle vectors and competent cells are essential for next-generation research for T. thermophilus. They are expected to accelerate the development of thermophile research, including high temperature bioproduction.
Data
- The optimized protocol for making competent cells has been established, enabling high transformation efficiency and long-term storage.
- The IOK9 shuttle vector demonstrated stability even after long-term incubation without antibiotic selection (168 h) (see figure).
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Patent
Applied (Unpublished)
Principal Investigator & Academic Institution
Specially Appointed Professor Kentaro Miyazaki (International Center for Biotechnology, Osaka University)
Expectations
TECH MANAGE CORP. is looking for companies interested in leveraging our technology, such as those specializing in fermentation technologies, cosmetics, biofuels, and reagents. We are also welcome to collaborative development involving thermophile in your organization.
We can provide access to unpublished data and engage in direct consultations with researchers under a nondisclosure agreement with Osaka University. Please contact us to discuss how our technology can support your goals.
Project No.TT-05021