New method to create stable enzyme coated B. subtilis cells for biotechnological applications.

Microbes engineered to display heterologous proteins could be useful biotechnological tools for protein engineering, lignocellulose degradation, biocatalysis, bioremediation and biosensing. Bacillus subtilis is a promising host to display proteins, as this model Gram-positive bacterium is genetically tractable and already used industrially to produce enzymes. The Clubb group developed a unique two-step procedure that enables the construction of enzyme coated vegetative B. subtilis cells that retain stable cell-associated enzyme activity for nearly 3 days. The results of this work could aid the development of whole cell display systems that have useful biotechnological applications.

Huang GL, Gosschalk JE, Kim YS and Clubb RT. Stabilizing displayed proteins on vegetative Bacillus subtilis cells. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 102 2018; 6547-6565