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SUMMARY:Reconstructing the Bacterial Cell Factory - Dr David Summers\, Dep
 artment of Genetics
DTSTART:20081001T133000Z
DTEND:20081001T140000Z
UID:TALK12815@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Duncan Simpson
DESCRIPTION:Plasmids are accessory genetic elements in bacteria which carr
 y non-essential but often very important genes such as those determining p
 athogenicity or antibiotic resistance. Being physically independent of the
  bacterial chromosome plasmids have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to en
 sure their faithful transmission to daughter cells at division. Studies of
  these mechanisms in E. coli led to the discovery of a cell cycle checkpoi
 nt which prevents division of the host bacterium if survival of the plasmi
 d is at risk. By exploiting our understanding of the checkpoint mechanism 
 it has been possible to re-engineer the bacterial cell so that it becomes 
 an efficient factory for the production of proteins or metabolites. These 
 quiescent E. coli cells (Q-Cells) are non-growing but remain metabolically
  active\, and this allows cellular resources to be focussed on the product
 ion of recombinant proteins rather than unwanted biomass. Initial attempts
  to commercialise this system were hampered by its relative complexity but
  recent advances in our understanding of the underlying mechanism have led
  to the development of a second generation quiescent cell factory which is
  both cheap and user-friendly.
LOCATION:MR2\, Centre for Mathematical Sciences\, Wilberforce Road\, Cambr
 idge
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