MoBiTec GmbH is Offering SURE Gene Expression System for Bacillus subtilis, Regulated by Subtilin

GÖTTINGEN, Germany - Aug. 15, 2013 - PRLog -- Conducted by the Dutch company NIZO food research BV, the SURE system, a SUbtilin-Regulated Expression system for Bacillus subtilis, was developed which allows strict control of gene expression by addition of subtilin.

Subtilin is a small peptide antibiotic of 32 amino acids produced by B. subtilis. Subtilin production and regulation is encoded in the chromosome by a cluster of 9 genes that are transcribed from two promoters. Subtilin regulates/activates its own biosynthesis via a two component regulatory system.

For the SURE system the regulatory components called SpaR (response regulator) and SpaK (membrane sensor) were isolated and placed on the chromosome of a B. subtilis host strain. One of the subtilin-regulated promoters is placed on a plasmid followed by a multiple cloning site. Upon addition of subtilin the system is activated and a protein can be produced either intracellularly or secreted into the the growth medium (Figure 1).

Advantages of SURE:

- Tightly controlled gene expression in a bacterium with long biotechnology history
- Genome sequence available
- Longstanding genetic engineering experience
- Complete set of genetic engineering tools is available
- Potentially useful for cloning of genes with toxic products
- Can be used for the identification of essential genes after insertion into the chromosome in front of the gene in question
- Potential for secretion of gene products
- Controlled gene expression for metabolic engineering

MoBiTec GmbH, Germany, is offering the SURE system to academic customers worldwide.