Our BioXp™ automated end-to-end benchtop system has been used by scientists in many different focus areas to advance breakthroughs in protein engineering. We are delighted to share a great example of utilizing BioXp gene and clone workflows to build recombinant clones in the field of renewable energy. Dr. Morten Sørlie group in Norwegian University of Life Sciences recently reported their results for developing a LPMO-tailored expression system that allows streamlined and recombination cloning, protein expression and purification.
Over the years, Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) have attracted considerable attention due to their implication in lignocellulosic biomass decomposition to produce biofuels and high-value chemicals. Their unique and powerful oxidative abilities make them promising targets for enzyme engineering. However, there are major challenges to produce active LPMOs, like low yield from native hosts, lack of purity and cultivation obstacles; therefore, recombinant production of LPMOs in the model organisms is highly desired.
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences harnessed the benefits of the BioXp™ automation solution. After the design of the expression plasmids, they synthesized the LPMO genes and cloned them into the plasmids following the industry standard Gibson assembly method. Both steps were conducted on the streamlined BioXp™ automation workstation with a simple push-button workflow. The whole process from sequences to cloned plasmids takes less than 8 hours. The output of the BioXp™ run was in total eight plasmids with either the pBYSPGCW14Z or the pBYS3Z expression plasmid into which one of the four LPMO genes had been cloned. Both high yield and purity were achieved. The shortened engineering cycle for the highly expressed LPMO system enabled researchers to rapidly discover and modify desired features for efficient protein production. Unlike the manual process with which individual plasmid is built, BioXp™ system can build up to 32 genes in four different vectors simultaneously in one run. Additionally, the automation process also alleviates potential operation errors and improve reproducibility. BioXp™ system offers a powerful tool to unlock the power of synthetic biology and enable sustainable solutions for our future.