Fermascreening

DECODED FERMASCREENINGTM

Decoded Fermascreening is a method to generate high quality genetic targets for strain improvement through a random mutational process rather than through theoretical modeling. This approach lets the microorganism do the work of determining the identity of the most important targets, leaving the scientist to do the follow-up work by reverse engineering the organism to determine the science behind the newly acquired trait.

How is Decoded Fermascreening performed?

STEP ONE: Mutate the organism. Use a mutagenesis procedure that is highly random and can be easily reverse engineered, such as in vitro transposon mutagenesis.

STEP TWO: Screen under conditions that most closely mimic the commercial process.

STEP THREE: Identify the strain improvement target through DNA sequence analysis of the transposon insertion site.

STEP FOUR: Develop a metabolic model for strain optimization through further genetic or process engineering of the target.

STEP FIVE: Optimize in shake flask, stirred jar, and pilot plant.

STEP SIX: Commercialize. Transfer the strain improvement technology into a commercial strain and process.

Advantages of Decoded Fermascreening

Advantages of the Decoded Fermascreening approach to strain improvement:

1. NO DELETERIOUS MUTATIONS. Strains improved by Decoded Fermascreening are free of secondary hidden mutations that could be deleterious to your strain for future development work.

2. UPGRADEABLE STRAIN IMPROVEMENTS. Ways of improving upon the initial mutation can be readily envisioned by metabolic modeling and further genetic engineering.

3.EASY TO FIND MUTATIONS IN THE WILD TYPE STRAIN. Strain improvements of the wild type strain are relatively easy to find.

4. MORE WAYS TO MAKE BETTER STRAINS. Negative hits (yield worsening mutations) can also be exploited for strain improvement. Negative hits are even more valuable because they generate targets that are not in use by existing super-producing strains.

5. CUSTOMIZED LINEAGES. Combining mutations upon one another in different arrays will create metabolic characteristics that can be targeted to a particular type of fermentation process.

See research paper links to this technology.

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