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Plasmid DNA (pDNA) is a key biotechnological product whose importance became apparent in the last years due to its role as a raw material in the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine manufacturing process. In pharmaceutical production processes, cells need to grow in the defined medium in order to guarantee the highest standards of quality and repeatability. However, often these requirements result in low product titer, productivity, and yield.In this study, we used constraint-based metabolic modeling to optimize the average volumetric productivity of pDNA production in a fed-batch process. We identified a set of 13 nutrients in the growth medium that are essential for cell growth but not for pDNA replication. When these nutrients are depleted in the medium, cell growth is stalled and pDNA production is increased, raising the specific and volumetric yield and productivity. To exploit this effect we designed a three-stage process (1. batch, 2. fed-batch with cell growth, 3. fed-batch without cell growth). The transition between stage 2 and 3 is induced by sulfate starvation. Its onset can be easily controlled via the initial concentration of sulfate in the medium.We validated the decoupling behavior of sulfate and assessed pDNA quality attributes (supercoiled pDNA content) inE. coliwith lab-scale bioreactor cultivations. The results showed an increase in supercoiled pDNA to biomass yield by 29% upon limitation of sulfate.In conclusion, even for routinely manufactured biotechnological products such as pDNA, simple changes in the growth medium can significantly improve the yield and quality.HighlightsGenome-scale metabolic models predict growth decoupling strategiesSulfate limitation decouples cell growth from pDNA productionSulfate limitation increases the specific pDNA yield by 29% without loss of quality

Multicellular organisms cultivated in continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) are more sensitive to environmental conditions in the suspension culture than microbial cells. The hypothesis, that stirring induced shear stress is the main problem, persists, although it has been shown that these cells are not so sensitive to shear. As these results are largely based on Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell experiments the question remains if similar behavior is valid for insect cells with a higher specific oxygen demand. The requirement of higher oxygen transfer rates is associated with higher shear forces in the process. Consequently, we focused on the shear resistance of insect cells, using CHO cells as reference system. We applied a microfluidic device that allowed defined variations in shear rates. Both cell lines displayed high resistance to shear rates up to 8.73 × 105 s−1. Based on these results we used microbial CSTRs, operated at high revolution speeds and low aeration rates and found no negative impact on cell viability. Further, this cultivation approach led to substantially reduced gas flow rates, gas bubble and foam formation, while addition of pure oxygen was no longer necessary. Therefore, this study contributes to the development of more robust insect cell culture processes.

Clinical and historical data underscore the ability of influenza viruses to ally with Staphylococcus aureus and predispose the host for secondary bacterial pneumonia, which is a leading cause of influenza-associated mortality. This is fundamental because no vaccine for S. aureus is available and the number of antibiotic-resistant strains is alarmingly rising. Hence, this leaves influenza vaccination the only strategy to prevent postinfluenza staphylococcal infections. In the present work, we assessed the off-target effects of a Tnms42 insect cell-expressed BEI-treated Gag-VLP preparation expressing the HA of A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (H1N1) in preventing S. aureus superinfection in mice pre-infected with a homologous or heterologous H1N1 viral challenge strain. Our results demonstrate that matched anti-hemagglutinin immunity elicited by a VLP preparation may suffice to prevent morbidity and mortality caused by lethal secondary bacterial infection. This effect was observed even when employing a single low antigen dose of 50 ng HA per animal. However, induction of anti-hemagglutinin immunity alone was not helpful in inhibiting heterologous viral replication and subsequent bacterial infection. Our results indicate the potential of the VLP vaccine approach in terms of immunogenicity but suggest that anti-HA immunity should not be considered as the sole preventive method for combatting influenza and postinfluenza bacterial infections.

Antibody tests are essential tools to investigate humoral immunity following SARS-CoV-2 infection. While first-generation antibody tests have primarily provided qualitative results with low specificity, accurate seroprevalence studies and tracking of antibody levels over time require highly specific, sensitive and quantitative test setups. Here, we describe two quantitative ELISA antibody tests based on the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain and the nucleocapsid protein. Comparative expression in bacterial, insect, mammalian and plant-based platforms enabled the identification of new antigen designs with superior quality and high suitability as diagnostic reagents. Both tests scored excellently in clinical validations with multi-centric specificity and sensitivity cohorts and showed unprecedented correlation with SARS-CoV-2 neutralization titers. Orthogonal testing increased assay specificity to 99.8%, thereby enabling robust serodiagnosis in low-prevalence settings. The inclusion of a calibrator permits accurate quantitative monitoring of antibody concentrations in samples collected at different time points during the acute and convalescent phase of COVID-19.

Multicellular organisms cultivated in continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTRs), are more sensitive to the environmental conditions prevalent in suspension culture than to bacteria. Stirring, mandatory for efficiently providing oxygen and simultaneously preventing concentration gradients, is a major shear source. The primary approach for reducing shear-associated cell damage is to employ unique impeller designs, combined with slow stirring speeds, to maintain efficient mixing and aeration. Here, we characterized the shear resistance of insect and CHO cells in suspension. We applied a microfluidic device that allows defined variations in shear rates, and both cell lines displayed resistance to shear rates up to 8.73 × 105 s − 1. The unexpectedly high shear resistance of these cells made it possible to design new cultivation strategies, diametric to state-of-the-art strategies. We applied Rushton turbine-powered CSTRs, typically employed in microbial processes, to both cell cultures, at high revolution speeds and low aeration rates. With this strategy, we significantly reduced aeration and foam formation, and it was no longer necessary to add pure oxygen to ensure efficient aeration. This novel cultivation approach can eliminate a number of existing bottlenecks in state-of-the-art cell culture processes and provide a wide range of possibilities for developing highly efficient, robust next generation cell culture processes.

High Five cells are an excellent host for the production of virus-like particles (VLPs) with the baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS). However, the concurrent production of high titers of baculovirus hinder the purification of these nanoparticles due to similarities in their physicochemical properties. In this study, first a transient gene expression (TGE) method based on the transfection reagent polyethylenimine (PEI) is optimized for the production of HIV-1 VLPs at shake flask level. Furthermore, VLP production by TGE in High Five cells is successfully demonstrated at bioreactor scale, resulting in a higher maximum viable cell concentration (5.1 × 106 cell/mL), the same transfection efficiency and a 1.8-fold increase in Gag-eGFP VLP production compared to shake flasks. Metabolism analysis of High Five cells indicates a reduction in the consumption of the main metabolites with respect to non-transfected cell cultures, and an increase in the uptake rate of several amino acids when asparagine is depleted. Quality assessment by nanoparticle tracking analysis and flow virometry of the VLPs produced shows an average size of 100–200 nm, in agreement with immature HIV-1 viruses reported in the literature. Overall, this work demonstrates that the High Five/TGE system is a suitable approach for the production of VLP-based vaccine candidates and other recombinant proteins.

Recombinant protein and virus-like particle (VLP) production based on the baculovirus expression vector system is fast, flexible, and offers high yields. Independent from the product, a multitude of parameters are screened during process development/optimisation. Early development acceleration is a key requirement for economic efficiency, and µ-scale bioreactor systems represent an attractive solution for high-throughput (HTP) experimentation. However, limited practical knowledge is available on the relevance and transferability of screening data to pilot scales and manufacturing. The main goal of the present study was to evaluate a HTP µ-bioreactor platform with respect to its aptitude as a screening platform mainly based on transferability of results to benchtop bioreactors representing the conventional production regime. Second question was to investigate to what extent the online sensors of the µ-bioreactor contribute to process understanding and development. We demonstrated that transferability of infection screening results from the HTP µ-bioreactor scale to the benchtop bioreactor was equal or better than that from shaker cultivation. However, both experimental setups turned out to be sub-optimal solutions that only allowed for a first and rough ranking with low relevance in the case of absolute numbers. Bioreactor yields were up to one order of magnitude higher than the results of screening experiments.

Background Antibody tests are essential tools to investigate humoral immunity following SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination. While first-generation antibody tests have primarily provided qualitative results, accurate seroprevalence studies and tracking of antibody levels over time require highly specific, sensitive and quantitative test setups. Methods We have developed two quantitative, easy-to-implement SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests, based on the spike receptor binding domain and the nucleocapsid protein. Comprehensive evaluation of antigens from several biotechnological platforms enabled the identification of superior antigen designs for reliable serodiagnostic. Cut-off modelling based on unprecedented large and heterogeneous multicentric validation cohorts allowed us to define optimal thresholds for the tests’ broad applications in different aspects of clinical use, such as seroprevalence studies and convalescent plasma donor qualification. Findings Both developed serotests individually performed similarly-well as fully-automated CE-marked test systems. Our described sensitivity-improved orthogonal test approach assures highest specificity (99.8%); thereby enabling robust serodiagnosis in low-prevalence settings with simple test formats. The inclusion of a calibrator permits accurate quantitative monitoring of antibody concentrations in samples collected at different time points during the acute and convalescent phase of COVID-19 and disclosed antibody level thresholds that correlate well with robust neutralization of authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus. Interpretation We demonstrate that antigen source and purity strongly impact serotest performance. Comprehensive biotechnology-assisted selection of antigens and in-depth characterisation of the assays allowed us to overcome limitations of simple ELISA-based antibody test formats based on chromometric reporters, to yield comparable assay performance as fully-automated platforms. Funding WWTF, Project No. COV20–016; BOKU, LBI/LBG

Stable cell pools are receiving a renewed interest as a potential alternative system to clonal cell lines. The shorter development timelines and the capacity to achieve high product yields make them an interesting approach for recombinant protein production. In this study, stable High Five cell pools are assessed to produce a simple protein, mCherry, and the more complex HIV-1 Gag-eGFP virus-like particles (VLPs). Random integration coupled to fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) in suspension conditions is applied to accelerate the stable cell pool generation process and enrich it with high producer cells. This methodology is successfully transferred to a bioreactor for VLP production, resulting in a 2-fold increase in VLP yields with respect to shake flask cultures. In these conditions, maximum viable cell concentration improves by 1.5-fold, and by-product formation is significantly reduced. Remarkably, a global increase in the uptake of amino acids in the Gag-eGFP stable cell pool is observed when compared to parental High Five cells, reflecting the additional metabolic burden associated with VLP production. These results suggest that stable High Five cell pools are a robust and powerful approach to produce VLPs and other recombinant proteins, and put the basis for future studies aiming to scale up this system. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

BACKGROUND A goal in the production of biopharmaceuticals is to replace the cost-intensive, empirical ‘quality by testing’ approach with rational, knowledge-based ‘quality by design’ concepts. The major challenges in this context are the complexity of bioprocesses and the limited online access to process variables related to product quality. The implementation of advanced monitoring strategies combined with chemometric-based approaches represents a strategy to overcome this bottleneck. RESULTS A series of recombinant E. coli fed-batch production processes was conducted to provide an accurate data set for development of predictive statistical models. The applicability of partial least squares regression and radial basis function artificial neural network-based models to predict gene dosage, product titer, and solubility of the target protein was evaluated. In addition to signals from standard online measurements, multi-wavelength fluorescence signals turned out to provide essential information for prediction of product titer and quality. CONCLUSIONS The application of advanced process monitoring concepts comprising recently established analytical targets and statistical modeling allows for real-time prediction of product related not directly accessible process variables. Availability of such process information facilitates design of advanced process-control strategies and will strongly support the implementation of quality by design in biopharmaceutical production. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry

Diamond nanoparticles attract much attention as they combine outstanding mechanical properties with biocompatibility and are available in large quantities. Control and tunability of the particle size is very important for any nanomaterial. Although oxidation can burn carbon and lead to a particle size decrease, this technique could not be successfully employed for nanodiamond size reduction on the nanoscale. In this work, two commercial nanodiamond powders are used to demonstrate separation of the oxidation reaction into two steps (i) the oxygen chemisorption and (ii) the CO and/or CO2 desorption. This allows for an effective control of the oxidation process. In situ thermogravimetric analysis suggests that the oxidation is thermodynamically rather than kinetically controlled, and that the carbon burn off can be adjusted by repeating chemisorption/desorption steps to remove carbon layer after layer. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) characterization of the diamond nanoparticles showed a continuous size ...

We report on the implementation of proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) technology for on-line monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the off-gas of bioreactors. The main part of the work was focused on the development of an interface between the bioreactor and an analyzer suitable for continuous sampling of VOCs emanating from the bioprocess. The permanently heated sampling line with an inert surface avoids condensation and interaction of volatiles during transfer to the PTR-MS. The interface is equipped with a sterile sinter filter unit directly connected to the bioreactor headspace, a condensate trap, and a series of valves allowing for dilution of the headspace gas, in-process calibration, and multiport operation. To assess the aptitude of the entire system, a case study was conducted comprising three identical cultivations with a recombinant E. coli strain, and the volatiles produced in the course of the experiments were monitored with the PTR-MS. The high reproducibility of the measurements proved that the established sampling interface allows for reproducible transfer of volatiles from the headspace to the PTR-MS analyzer. The set of volatile compounds monitored comprises metabolites of different pathways with diverse functions in cell physiology but also volatiles from the process matrix. The trends of individual compounds showed diverse patterns. The recorded signal levels covered a dynamic range of more than five orders of magnitude. It was possible to assign specific volatile compounds to distinctive events in the bioprocess. The presented results clearly show that PTR-MS was successfully implemented as a powerful bioprocess-monitoring tool and that access to volatiles emitted by the cells opens promising perspectives in terms of advanced process control. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012; 109: 3059–3069. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A crash absorber element integrated in composite vertical (z-) struts of commercial aircraft fuselage structures was developed, which absorbs energy under crash loads by cutting the composite strut into stripes and crushing the material under bending. The design concept of this absorber element is described and the performance is evaluated experimentally in static, crash and fatigue test series on component and structural level under normal and oblique impact conditions. These tests highlight the robustness of the absorber design as this system worked under various conditions and angles with an impressively high reproducibility. The physics of the energy absorption by high rate material fragmentation are explained and numerical modelling methods in explicit finite element codes for the simulation of the crash absorber are assessed. The real physical fragmentation phenomena can just be approximated in simulations, emphasising that the numerical prediction of composite energy absorption for industrial use cases is still a big challenge.

We developed a simple, highly selective, efficient method for extracting recombinant proteins from Escherichia coli. Our recombinant protein yield was equivalent to those obtained with high pressure homogenization, and did not require exposure to harsh thermal, chemical, or other potentially denaturing factors. We first ground conventional resin, designed for the exchange of small anions, into microparticles about 1μm in size. Then, these cationic microparticles were brought convectively into close contact with bacteria, and cell membranes were rapidly perforated, but solid cell structures were not disrupted. The released soluble components were adsorbed onto the cell wall associated microparticles or diffused directly into the supernatant. Consequently, the selective adsorption and desorption of acidic molecules is built into our extraction method, and replaces the equally effective subsequent capture on anion exchange media. Simultaneously to cell perforation flocculation was induced by the microparticles facilitating separation of cells yet after desorption of proteins with NaCl. Relative to high pressure homogenization, endogenous component release was reduced by up to three orders of magnitude, including DNA, endotoxins, and host cell proteins, particularly outer membrane protein, which indicates the presence of cell debris.