Reduced genome e. coli

Abstract

Reduced genome strains of E. coli MG1 655 are described. In various embodiments, the strains have one or more of equal or improved growth rate, transformation efficiency, protein expression, DNA production, DNA yield and/or DNA quality compared to the parental strain and commercially available strains.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A strain of  Escherichia coli  ( E. coli ) comprising deletions of the following sequences of SEQ ID NO: 1 or sequences substantially identical thereto: b0245-b0301, b0303-b0310, b1336-b1411, b4426-b4427, b2441-b2450, b2622-b2654, b2657-b2660, b4462, b1994-b2008, b4435, b3322-b3338, b2349-b2363, b1539-b1579, b4269-b4320, b2968-b2972, b2975-b2977, b2979-b2987, b4466-4468, b1137-b1172, b0537-b0565, b0016-b0022, b4412-b4413, b0577-b0582, b4415, b2389-b2390, b2392-b2395, b0358-b0368, b0370-b0380, b2856-b2863, b3042-b3048, b0656, b1325-b1333, b2030-b2062, b2190-b2192, b3215-b3219, b3504-b3505, b1070-b1083, b1878-b1894, b1917-b1950, b4324-b4342, b4345-b4358, b4486, b0497-b0502, b0700-b0706, b1456-b1462, b3481-b3484, b3592-b3596, b0981-b0988, b1021-b1029, b2080-b2096, b4438, b3440-b3445, b4451, b3556-b3558, b4455, b1786, b0150-b0153, and b2945. 
     
     
         2 . The  E. coli  strain of  claim 1  further comprising deletions of one or more of the following sequences of SEQ ID NO: 1 or sequences substantially identical thereto: b2699, b0315-b0321, b0323-b0331, b0333-b0354, b2481-b2492, b2219-b2227, b4500, b2228-b2230, b3707-b3723, b0644-b0650, b4079-b4090, b4487, b4092-b4106, b0730-b0732, b3572-b3587, b1653, b2735-b2740, b2405-b2407, b3896-b3900, b1202, b4263-b4268, b0611, b2364-b2366, b0839, b0488-b0500, and b0502. 
     
     
         3 . A method of producing a polypeptide comprising: (a) providing the strain of  claim 1 ; (b) transforming the strain with a heterologous nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide operatively linked to an expression control sequence; and (c) culturing the transformed strain under conditions suitable to express the polypeptide. 
     
     
         4 . A method of introducing a heterologous nucleic acid into a microorganism comprising: (a) providing the strain of  claim 1 ; and (b) transforming the strain with the heterologous nucleic acid. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the heterologous nucleic acid is a vector. 
     
     
         6 . A method of amplifying a heterologous nucleic acid comprising: (a) providing the strain of  claim 1 ; (b) transforming the strain of  claim 1  with a vector comprising the heterologous nucleic acid; and (c) culturing the transformed strain under conditions suitable to amplify the heterologous nucleic acid.