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Item type:Publication, Access status: without files , Investigation on the influence of high protein concentrations on the thermal reaction behaviour of β-lactoglobulin by experimental and numerical analyses(2019-10); ; ; ; In this study, treatments at various temperature–time profiles were performed for β-lactoglobulin samples at different concentrations (50–70%) using a special rheometer as processing device. Rheological measurements, offline protein chemical analyses, and molecular dynamics analyses were performed to investigate the influence of high protein concentrations and treatment temperature on the denaturation and aggregation behaviour of β-lactoglobulin. Under these conditions, the degree of denaturation and aggregation decreased with increasing protein concentration. This corresponded to a strongly decreased diffusion and increased stability of exposed surface protein regions at high concentrations. Irreversible denaturation was observed for temperatures above 60 °C. Increasing thermal treatment intensity resulted in an increase of aggregation. Depending on the thermal treatment conditions, different protein–protein interactions were measured. By increasing the treatment temperature, the resulting aggregates were increasingly stabilised by covalent bonds. In addition to disulphide bonds, non-disulphide covalent cross-links were formed at temperatures above 100 °C.Publicationtype: Journal Article205 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Access status: without files , Direct and highly sensitive measurement of fluorescent molecules in bulk solutions using flow cytometry(2019-04); ; ; Utilizing flow cytometry to monitor progress of bulk biochemical reactions and concentration of chemical species normally relies on the utilization of cells carrying intrinsic fluorescence or modified beads. We present a method for a simple measurement of the fluorescent marker molecule fluorescein and GFPuv in bulk solutions with high sensitivity using a CytoFLEX flow cytometer and without the need for modified beads. Polystyrene beads were used to trigger measurements based on their high scatter signal, to detect the fluorescence signal from two different fluorophores present in the sample solution. We report sensitivities of 33 pg/mL for fluorescein and 50 ng/mL for GFPuv. This method is comparable in sensitivity to a typical spectrometric fluorescence assay tested with fluorescein, and approximately ten times more sensitive for the measurement of GFPuv. PEG was added to the sample at a low concentration of 0.001% (w/v) to block unspecific GFPuv binding to the beads. The method was further applied to measure the GFPuv concentration in crude cell lysate samples used for cell free protein expression. An advantage of this method over spectrometric assays is the ability to differentiate signal subpopulations in the sample based on their individual fluorescence intensities.Publicationtype: Journal Article205 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Access status: without files , Toward Multiscale Modeling of Proteins and Bioagglomerates: An Orientation-Sensitive Diffusion Model for the Integration of Molecular Dynamics and the Discrete Element Method(2019-01-28); ; ; ; Most processes involved in biological and biotechnological systems spread over many scales in space and time. For example, the interaction of multiple enzymes in heterogeneous enzymatic agglomerates or clusters, necessary for efficient enzymatic conversion, is of high interest for research and enzyme engineering. In order to understand and predict their overall behavior and performance, it is important to describe these scales as completely as possible, known as multiscale modeling. While many different approaches have been presented in recent years, knowledge about protein formation and bioagglomeration at the micro scale is still very limited. In an attempt to address such systems, we propose a bottom- up multiscale modeling methodology, bridging the gaps between molecular dynamics (MD) with an explicit solvent and the larger scale discrete element method (DEM) using an implicit solvent and abstracting macromolecules (e.g., proteins) as objects with anisotropic properties. We term this approach the molecular discrete element method (MDEM). For this, we present an orientation-sensitive diffusion model for DEM, which describes the dynamics of anisotropic translational and rotational diffusion, while implicitly considering solvent molecules and enforcing a canonical ensemble. A general-purpose model and parametrization approach is presented, which can be used to simulate any process involving diffusion of discrete particles. Effects of temperature and viscosity changes can be considered, and guidance is provided concerning time step selection. This model is generally applicable and serves as a precondition to enforce the proper dynamics (i.e., diffusion characteristics and canonical ensemble, similar to a thermostat in MD) for the proposed multiscale modeling methodology with anisotropic properties. Thereby, it presents a first step toward modeling at the micro scale and is integral to enforcing dynamics of such systems and therefore extensively validated. As a next step, interaction models are to be defined and added to the presented model. In comparison to atomistic and coarse-grained (CG) MD, a speedup of 5-7 orders of magnitude can be achieved. The approach is demonstrated on multiple components of the pyruvate dehydrogenase enzyme complex, a multienzymatic machinery that involves very different types of enzymes and is of high value to further elucidate the mechanisms of bioagglomeration and metabolic channeling.Publicationtype: Journal Article124 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Access status: with files , Process-induced cell cycle oscillations in CHO cultures: Online monitoring and model-based investigation© 2019 The Authors. Biotechnology and Bioengineering published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. The influence of process strategies on the dynamics of cell population heterogeneities in mammalian cell culture is still not well understood. We recently found that the progression of cells through the cell cycle causes metabolic regulations with variable productivities in antibody-producing Chimese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. On the other hand, it is so far unknown how bulk cultivation conditions, for example, variable nutrient concentrations depending on process strategies, can influence cell cycle-derived population dynamics. In this study, process-induced cell cycle synchronization was assessed in repeated-batch and fed-batch cultures. An automated flow cytometry set-up was developed to measure the cell cycle distribution online, using antibody-producing CHO DP-12 cells transduced with the cell cycle-specific fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator (FUCCI) system. On the basis of the population-resolved model, feeding-induced partial self-synchronization was predicted and the results were evaluated experimentally. In the repeated-batch culture, stable cell cycle oscillations were confirmed with an oscillating G1 phase distribution between 41% and 72%. Furthermore, oscillations of the cell cycle distribution were simulated and determined in a (bolus) fed-batch process with up to 25 × 106 cells/ml. The cell cycle synchronization arose with pulse feeding only and ceased with continuous feeding. Both simulated and observed oscillations occurred at higher frequencies than those observable based on regular (e.g., daily) sample analysis, thus demonstrating the need for high-frequency online cell cycle analysis. In summary, we showed how experimental methods combined with simulations enable the improved assessment of the effects of process strategies on the dynamics of cell cycle-dependent population heterogeneities. This provides a novel approach to understand cell cycle regulations, control cell population dynamics, avoid inadvertently induced oscillations of cell cycle distributions and thus to improve process stability and efficiency.Publicationtype: Journal ArticleScopus© Citations 13 343 344 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Access status: without files , Model-based identification of cell-cycle-dependent metabolism and putative autocrine effects in antibody producing CHO cell culture(2018-12); ; ; ; The understanding of cell-cycle-dependent population heterogeneities in mammalian cell culture and their influence on production rates is still limited. Furthermore, metabolic regulations arising from self-expressed signaling factors (autocrine/autoinhibitory factors) have been postulated in the past, but no determination of such effects have been made so far for fast-growing production Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in chemically defined media. In this study, a novel approach combining near-physiological treatment of cells (including synchronization), population resolved mechanistic modeling and statistical analysis was developed to identify population inhomogeneities. Cell-cycle-dependent population dynamics and metabolic regulations due to a putative autocrine factor were examined and their impact on the metabolic rates and antibody production of near-physiologically synchronized CHO DP-12 cell cultures was determined. To achieve this, a population resolved model was extended to describe putative autocrine-dependentt and cell-cycle-related metabolic rates for glucose, glutamine, lactate, ammonia, and antibody production. The model parameters were estimated based on data of two repeated batch cultivations (three batches each), with main substrates in excess and potentially inhibiting waste products (lactate and ammonium) controlled within narrow ranges. Significant changes, due to a putative autocrine factor, were identified for lactate and ammonia formation and antibody production. The cell growth and the uptake of glucose and glutamine were only partially affected by the putative autocrine under the given conditions. The results indicate the presence of a self-expressed autocrine factor and its strong impact on the metabolism of CHO DP-12 cells. Furthermore, glucose and glutamine uptake, as well as the formation of ammonium and antibody were found to be significantly cell-cycle-dependent. The combined approach has a strong potential to improve the understanding of the interplay of population heterogeneities and signal factors in mammalian cell culture.Publicationtype: Journal Article175 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Access status: without files , Full enzyme complex simulation: interactions in human pyruvate dehydrogenase complex(2018-02); ; The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) is a large macromolecular machine consisting of dozens of interacting enzymes that are connected and regulated by highly flexible domains, also called swinging arms. The overall structure and function of these domains and how they organize the complex function have not been elucidated in detail to date. This lack of structural and dynamic understanding is frequently observed in multidomain enzymatic complexes. Here we present the first full and dynamic structural model of full human PDC (hPDC), including binding of the linking arms to the surrounding E1 and E3 enzymes via their binding domains with variable stoichiometries. All of the linking domains were modeled at atomistic and coarse-grained levels, and the latter was parametrized to reproduce the same properties of those from the atomistic model. The radii of gyration of the wild-type full complex and functional trimeric subunits were in agreement with available experimental data. Furthermore, the E1 and E3 population effect on the overall structure of the full complex was studied. The results indicated that decreasing the number of E1s increases the flexibility of the now nonoccupied arms. Furthermore, their flexibility depends on the presence of other E1s and E3s in the vicinity, even if they are associated with other arms. As one consequence, the radius of gyration decreases with decreasing number of E1s. This effect also provides an indication of the optimal configuration of E1 and E3 on the basis of the assumption that a certain stability of the enymatic cloud is necessary to avoid free metabolic diffusion of intermediates (metabolic channeling). Our approach and results open a window for future enzyme engineering in a more effective way by evaluating the effect of different linker arm lengths, flexibilities, and combinations of mutations on the activity of other complex enzymes that involve flexible domains, including for example processive enzymes.Publicationtype: Journal Article85 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Access status: without files , CHO cells engineered for fluorescence read out of cell cycle and growth rate in real timeFor efficient production of recombinant proteins by mammalian cells in a bioreactor, optimal growth rates are required and represent the most important process parameter. We present the first successful attempt to monitor the growth behavior and cell cycle state of a mammalian production relevant cell line under bioreactor cultivation conditions up to 1.2 l, utilizing a fluorescent read-out without the need of additional staining or marking. For this purpose, we developed two new production relevant cell line derivatives (CHO-K1 FUCCI CM & CHO-K1 FUCCI CN) and corresponding analytical methods. The approach is easily scalable, applicable to mammalian recombinant protein production cell lines, and it allows for real-time monitoring using appropriate fluorescence probes. It is based on the Ubiquitination-based Cell Cycle Indicator (FUCCI) system developed by Miyawaki et al. CHO-K1 was chosen as a model cell line due to its close relationship to several production cell lines.1 We defined a new process parameter ired, a quantitative and numerically robust representation of the cell cycle distribution, and demonstrate it to be linearly correlated with the cell cycle state and inversely related to the real time growth rate. Detection of growth rate limitations is possible earlier than using cell-count-based approaches. Analytics were compatible with bulk fluorescence methods, using a plate reader as well as a flow cytometer. For future real time applications in industry scale bioreactors we recommend the use of on-line or at-line fluorescence probes. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:1408–1417, 2017.Publicationtype: Journal Article106 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Access status: with files , Investigation of core structure and stability of human Pyruvate Dehydrogenase complex: A coarse-grained approachThe human pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (hPDC) is a large macromolecular machine, and its unique structural and functional properties make it a versatile target for manipulation aiming for the design of new types of artificial multienzyme cascades. However, model-based and hence systematic understanding of the structure−function relationship of this kind of complexes is yet poor. However, with new structure data, modeling techniques, and increasing computation power available, this shortfall is about to cease. Recently, we have built new atomistic models of E2/E3BP, the two subunits of the massive hPDC core. Here, we present developed coarsegrained models of the same, on the basis of which we built and simulated the full core of hPDC, which is so far the first simulation of the catalytic core of any member in the branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase complex family. We explored the stability of two previously proposed substitutional models of hPDC core: 40E2+20E3BP and 48E2+12E3BP. Our molecular dynamics simulations showed a higher stability and sphericity for the second model. Our core’s radius of gyration was found to be in strong agreement with previously published experimental dynamic light scattering (DLS) data. Finally, in the direction of our experimental effort to design active minimized complexes, we simulated C-terminal truncated E2/E3BP cores of different lengths, which clearly showed the instability of the core assembly and symmetry due to subunit separations. This correlated very well with the findings of our experimental investigations by analysis of DLS data for variable truncation lengths. The use of polarizable water and an increased total ion concentration did not lead to a substantially different initial stability of the truncated mutants compared to that of standard MARTINI water; however, a different rearrangement behavior of the fragments was observed. The obtained structure models will serve as a basis for full complex simulations in the future, providing the possibility for the modelassisted targeted manipulation of such a complex enzymatic system.Publicationtype: Journal ArticleScopus© Citations 10 452 484 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Access status: without files , Reengineering of the human pyruvate dehydrogenase complex: from disintegration to highly active agglomeratesThe pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) plays a central role in cellular metabolism and regulation. As a metabolite-channeling multi-enzyme complex it acts as a complete nanomachine due to its unique geometry and by coupling a cascade of catalytic reactions using 'swinging arms'. Mammalian and specifically human PDC (hPDC) is assembled from multiple copies of E1 and E3 bound to a large E2/E3BP 60-meric core. A less restrictive and smaller catalytic core, which is still active, is highly desired for both fundamental research on channeling mechanisms and also to create a basis for further modification and engineering of new enzyme cascades. Here, we present the first experimental results of the successful disintegration of the E2/E3BP core while retaining its activity. This was achieved by C-terminal α-helixes double truncations (eight residues from E2 and seven residues from E3BP). Disintegration of the hPDC core via double truncations led to the formation of highly active (approximately 70% of wildtype) apparently unordered clusters or agglomerates and inactive non-agglomerated species (hexamer/ trimer). After additional deletion of N-terminal 'swinging arms', the aforementioned C-terminal truncations also caused the formation of agglomerates of minimized E2/E3BP complexes. It is likely that these 'swinging arm' regions are not solely responsible for the formation of the large agglomerates.Publicationtype: Journal Article146 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Access status: without files , 50