Escherichia coli as a source of recombinant, therapeutic proteins

1 Escherichia coli as a source of recombinant, therapeutic proteins 

Many microorganisms represent attractive potential production systems for therapeutic proteins. They can usually be cultured in large quantities, inexpensively and in a short time, by standard 

Pharmaceutical biotechnology concepts and applications Gary Walsh 2007 John Wiley Sons, Ltd ISBN 978 0 470 01244 4 (HB) 978 0 470 01245 1 (PB) 

Animal cell culture (particularly CHO and BHK cell lines) Transgenic animals (focus thus far is upon sheep and goats) Plant-based expression systems (various) 

The expression of recombinant proteins in cells in which they do not naturally occur is termed heterologous protein production (Chapter 3). The first biopharmaceutical produced by genetic engineering to gain marketing approval (in 1982) was recombinant human insulin (tradename Humulin ), produced in E. coli. An example of a more recently approved biopharmaceutical that is produced in E. coli is that of Kepivance, a recombinant keratinocyte growth factor used to treat oral mucositis (Chapter 10). Many additional examples are provided in subsequent chapters. 

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