Cell lysis in Escherichia coli cultures stimulates growth and biosynthesisof recombinant proteins in surviving cells

Cell growth and production of recombinant proteins in stationary phase cult ures of Escherichia coli recover concomitantly with spontaneous lysis of a fraction of the ageing cell population. Further exploration of this event h as indicated that sonic cell disruption stimulates both cell growth and syn thesis of plasmid-encoded recombinant proteins, even in exponentially growi ng cultures. These observations indicate an efficient cell utilisation of r eleased intracellular material and also that this capability is not restric ted to extreme nutrient-starving conditions. In addition, the efficient re- conversion of waste cell material can be viewed as a potential strategy for an extreme exploitation of carbon sources and cell metabolites in producti on processes of both recombinant and non-recombinant microbial products.