Patent · US Expired

Periplasmic protease mutants of Escherichia coli

US4946783A · kind A · utility

24Cited by
0References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 14, 1987
Grant dateAug 7, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 14, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S435/849
  • WIPO fieldBiotechnology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

This invention features a method of isolating a mutant strain of Escherichia coli, having a defective periplasmic protease, the method comprising the steps of: mutagenizing an E. coli cell, wherein the cell comprises: (a) an inner and an outer membrane, (b) a periplasmic space between the membranes, (c) a protein which in a first state is mobile, being able to move through the outer membrane and enter medium surrounding the cells, the protein in the first state being detectable in the medium, and in a second state is not mobile, remaining inside the cell, and (d) a periplasmic protease which converts the protein from the second state to the first state in the cell, and selecting a mutant cell which produces a reduced level of the detectable protein in the medium compared to the E. coli cell, wherein the mutant cell comprises the defective periplasmic protease. This invention also features mutant strains of E. coli having a defective periplasmic protease.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.