Inclusion Bodies Contraction with Implications in Biotechnology

Špela Peternel,¹ Marjan Bele,² Vladka Gaberc-Porekar¹ and Radovan Komel¹

¹ Laboratory for Biosynthesis and Biotransformation, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, Ljubljana, Slovenia
² Laboratory for Materials Electrochemistry, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
* Corresponding author: E-mail: spela.peternel@ki.si,
Tel.: +386 1 4760262, Fax: +386 1 4760300

Abstract
Irreversible contraction of inclusion bodies was found to have a huge impact on sedimentation velocity, solubility and extractability of target protein from non-classical inclusion bodies. The downstream process during protein isolation from non-classical IBs is also affected. Based on extractability studies accompanied by electron microscopy, a hypothetical model of IBs formation mechanism is presented, which is supported by usually observed single IB per E. coli cell.

Keywords: Non-classical inclusion bodies; E. coli; low pH contraction; solubility; extractability; inclusion bodies formation