Efficient extracellular production of recombinant proteins in E. coli via enhancing expression of dacA on the genome

D, D-carboxypeptidase DacA plays an important role in the synthesis and stabilization of Escherichia coli cell wall peptidoglycan. The production level of extracellular recombinant proteins in E. coli can be enhanced by high D, D-carboxypeptidase activity. Construction of expression systems under optimal promoters is one of the main strategies to realize high protein production in E. coli. In this study, the promoter P(dacA-3) from DacA on the genome of E. coli BL21 (DE3) was verified to be efficient for recombinant green fluorescent protein using the plasmid mutant pET28a-P(dacA) with P(dacA-3). Meanwhile, the promoter P(dacA-3) was engineered to increase the production level of proteins via inserting one or two Shine–Dalgarno (SD) sequences between the promoter P(dacA-3) and the target genes. The expression level of dacA on the genome was increased by the improved transcription of the engineered promoters (especially after inserting one additional SD sequence). The engineered promoters increased cell membrane permeabilities to significantly enhance the secretion production of extracellular recombinant proteins in E. coli. Among them, the extracellular recombinant amylase activities in E. coli BL21::1SD-pET28a-amyK and E. coli BL21::2SD-pET28a-amyK were increased by 2.0- and 1.6-fold that of the control (E. coli BL21-pET28a-amyK), respectively. Promoter engineering also affected the morphology and growth of the E. coli mutants. It was indicated that the engineered promoters enhanced the expression of dacA on the genome to disturb the synthesis and structural stability of cell wall peptidoglycans.