Enzymes & Personal Care

Unlock your product potential with our unrivalled expertise in developing recombinant protein production systems. Leveraging a wide array of prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression platforms, we have a proven track record of overcoming productivity barriers for some of the world’s leading consumer product and chemical manufacturers. Our tailored solutions, from enzyme applications in detergents and prebiotics to proteins for food and personal care, make us your ideal partner. We can support you by providing sample protein material for testing to help you identify the best candidates, or by fully developing a scalable biomanufacturing process tailored to your protein target.

You can read more about our expertise and success stories below.

Microbial Strain and Cell Line Development

Our Engineering Biology expertise extends from gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, yeast and other fungal species, to mammalian cell lines enabling us to identify the ideal host-target pair for optimal yield at scale. Our approach focuses on designing resilient, high-yielding expression systems that deliver unparalleled productivity in protein manufacturing.

Our services include:

  • Designing advanced expression systems to maximise productivity, yield, and stability in a wide range of expression systems.
  • Constitutive or inducible gene expression, including intracellular or secreted protein production.
  • Removing undesirable host traits using precise genome editing technologies, such as native proteolytic activity, to improve productivity and product stability.
  • Assembling tailored expression constructs using our proprietary library of genetic elements, expression vectors, and our codABLE™ machine learning-based gene design algorithm.
  • Utilising automated high-throughput screening to select and optimise high-performing microbial strains.
  • Preparation, stability and performance testing of research master banks.
Petri dishes containing red media, automated pipette

Recombinant Protein Expression

From concept to production, we excel in delivering high-quality recombinant proteins. We offer end-to-end services, from gene design to producing multi-gram quantities, using the most suitable host systems for your applications.

Our services include:

  • Design of optimal gene sequence powered by our codABLE™ machine learning-based gene design algorithm.
  • Assembly of expression construct and host transformation including E. coli, B. subtilis, P. pastoris, filamentous fungi or mammalian cell lines.
  • Scalable fermentation protocols to generate multi-grams of protein.
  • Protein purification by multi-modal, hydrophobic interaction, affinity, ion-exchange, and size-exclusion chromatography techniques.
  • A range of enzyme preparation are possible; from whole cell and crude lysates, through to highly pure lyophilised enzyme.
  • Comprehensive protein characterisation including quantity (A280, BCA, ELISA, HPLC and LC-MS), purity (SDS-PAGE, HPLC), identify (HPLC, QTOF-MS, Western blot, DLS) and enzyme activity (analytical and colorimetric methods), where applicable.
  • Characterisation of process residuals (host cell DNA, host cell protein, endotoxin, protease and nuclease levels).
Representation of data on a futuristic screen

codABLE™

Recombinant protein expression is vital in biotechnology to produce many biomolecules. Codon choice greatly influences gene expression, but codon optimisation methods are often unreliable. To solve this problem, we created codABLE™, a machine learning algorithm, which consistently outperforms leading gene synthesis providers in efficiency of heterologous protein production.

codABLE™ allows:

  • Precise gene expression control.
  • Maximising protein expression titres.
  • Accelerating the development of protein therapeutics.
  • Achieving viable biomanufacturing processes through efficient production of heterologous proteins.

Directed Evolution

Our directed evolution platform enables performance parameter improvements in protein selectivity, activity and solubility, progressing target biomolecules from feasibility to viable, cost-effective biomanufacturing.

Our capabilities include:

  • Bioinformatic-based protein selection and optimisation.
  • Generation of variant libraries using random mutagenesis methods (chemical or PCR-based), site-saturation mutagenesis, and combinatorial variant design strategies.
  • Development of custom high throughput screens to improve enzyme performance, combining classical techniques with cutting-edge synthetic biology to precisely monitor biomolecule production.
A single petri dish with red media

Process Development

Leveraging our expertise in upstream and downstream process optimisation, we deliver robust processes tailored to meet the unique requirements of each project.

Our services include:

  • Seamless upstream development path from 250 mL high-throughput parallel bioreactors to optimised 20 L scale glass or single-use culture vessels.
  • Over 10 process parameters monitored throughout, including dissolved oxygen, pH, agitation, aeration and off gases.
  • Optimal product yield from customised feedstock and feed-regime alongside versatile product induction protocols.
  • Biomass, cell viability and productivity optimised with predictable performance at manufacturing scale.
  • Batch, high cell density, chemostat and perfusion continuous fermentation processes developed and applied to improve process efficiencies.
  • Alternating and tangential flow filtration (ATF / TFF) for continuous efficient separation of peptides and proteins from biomass.
  • Choice of cell disruption approaches including homogenisation, sonication and chemical lysis.
  • Clarification by batch centrifugation, microfiltration, and ultrafiltration.
  • A full range of ion exchange, multi-modal, affinity, and size exclusion chromatography techniques providing flexible methods for product recovery.
  • Buffer exchange and concentration via scalable micro and ultrafiltration TFF techniques.
  • A range of process scales from small scale production runs (mg scale) up to multi-gram batches.
  • Freeze drying up to 10 L for protein preservation and extended shelf life.
  • Full documentation package and comprehensive technology transfer to customer or third-party manufacturer.
Documentation on a clean lab work surface