Expression Platforms

Recombinant proteins produced by Kemp are used in target validation studies, high-throughput assay screening, protein-protein interaction studies, in vivo and toxicology studies, and in the development of human and veterinary diagnostics, biologics, and vaccines.

Over our 20-year history, our protein problem-solvers have completed more than 20,000 projects and developed optimized platforms for protein production.

We offer a number of platforms designed to meet specific goals and achieve maximum production yields from our mammalian, BacMam, baculovirus, and E. coli expression services, whether clients identify a specific platform to be used or prefer to have us select the optimum expression system for a given project.

Mammalian Expression Platform

Production of proteins in appropriate quantity and quality is an essential requirement in today’s pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and diagnostic industries. Expression systems such as CHO (and derivatives) and HEK293 cells are some of the more commonly used for production of various recombinant proteins, especially in large-scale production of therapeutic proteins. Using such mammalian cells increases the level of proper protein folding, post-translational modifications, and product assembly, all vital for complete biological activity. Thus, such cell lines are commonly used for production of antibodies and therapeutic proteins, as well as for proteins that will be used for preclinical animal studies, human therapeutics, and in functional cell-based assays. Kemp has been producing multi-liter/multi-gram protein production in mammalian cell lines for more than 20 years and has a comprehensive compendium of techniques for maximizing productivity, enabling us to provide cost-effective and timely delivery of your specific target.

Mammalian cell lines are often used to provide proteins for functional assays, structural analysis, and protein interactions as well as production of viruses, antibodies, and other complex proteins.

Learn about our mammalian expression services and request a project quote.

Mammalian Cell Line Advantages:

Highest-level of protein processing compared to other systems
Transient or stable cell line expression
Robust optimized transient systems for rapid, ultra high-yield protein production

Production Challenges:

Gram-per-liter yields only possible in suspension cultures
More demanding culture conditions
Expensive production

Baculovirus Expression Platform

Baculovirus expression systems (BEVs) are well established as an easy and reliable way to produce high-quality recombinant proteins approaching that of mammalian cells. These cells are relatively easy to scale up and can be readily adapted to high-density suspension culture for large-scale expression. Expression levels up to 500 mg/L have been reported using the baculovirus expression system. Many post-translational modification pathways present in mammalian systems also occur in insect cells, thus enabling the production of recombinant protein that is similar in antigenicity, immunicity, and functionality to native proteins. Kemp has been producing multi-liter/multi-gram protein production using insect cells for more than 20 years and has a comprehensive compendium of techniques for maximizing productivity, enabling us to provide cost-effective and timely delivery of your specific target.

Insect cells are often used to produce proteins for functional assays, structural analysis, protein interactions, and production of viruses.

Learn about our baculovirus expression services and request a project quote.

Baculovirus Cell Line Advantages:

Similar to mammalian protein processing
Useful in static or suspension culture and less expensive than mammalian cells

Production Challenges:

Can be more time consuming production system
More demanding culture conditions than prokaryotic systems

Bacmam Expression Platform

The BacMam system uses a modified insect cell virus (baculovirus) as a vehicle to efficiently deliver and transiently express genes in mammalian cells with minimum effort and toxicity. It has a broad range of transduction, including many primary cell types and stem cells; and the level of gene expression can be adjusted by viral dose or chemical additions using histone deacetylase inhibitors. Since the transduction of cells is in liquid phase, BacMam is amenable to automated methods. Baculoviruses are non-replicating in mammalian cells and thus have an excellent safety profile combined with being well-tolerated by cells. The BacMam system has been used to create fluorescent protein-based subcellular markers and biosensors and to introduce genes for pharmacological targets and functional proteins. Kemp has a long history with the BacMam system and was the first company to use the system for industrial-level production. As such, we are your go-to partner for producing proteins via this system.

Learn about our Bacmam expression services and request a project quote.

BacMam Advantages:

Efficient transduction of mammalian cell lines
Portability (assays in pharmacologically relevant cell types)
Frozen storage of pre-transduced cells generates assay-ready cells
Safety (non-replicating in mammalian cells) and lack of observable cytopathic effect
Assay development speed (no need to spend time generating a stable cell line)

Production Challenges:

Media can be expensive for large-scale production
Large-scale reduction requires production of large volume of virus
Glycosylation/folding etc. can be very different to native protein
Virus infection can be responsible for host cell death/lysis
Potential for protein degradation during expression

Escherichia coli (E.Coli) Expression Platform

Escherichia coli (e. coli) is one of the organisms of choice for the production of recombinant proteins, especially for research and development. Methods and uses as a cell factory are well-established. The relatively high yields and simple scalability often make prokaryotic expression systems such as E. coli the most popular expression platform for generating recombinant proteins. Kemp Proteins has decades of experience working with E. coli. Common applications for proteins expressed using E. coli include structural analysis, functional assays, and protein interactions.

Learn about our E. coli expression services and request a project quote.

E. coli Cell Line Advantages:

Unparalleled rapid growth time with high-density culture is very scalable
Produces high levels of protein expression
Simple, inexpensive culture conditions
Fast and easy transformation with exogenous DNA

Production Challenges:

Potential of inclusion bodies
Endotoxin contaminations can limit usefulness
Glycosylation/folding etc. can be very different to native protein
Some mammalian proteins are difficult to express in E. coli

Final Use of Materials:

Target Validation Studies
High-Throughput Assay Screening
Protein-Protein Interaction Studies
In Vivo Toxicology Studies
In Vitro Proof of Principle (PoP) Studies
Pharmacokinetics (PK) Studies
Efficacy Studies
OEM for Diagnostic Reagents / Kits
Biologics Development
Vaccine Development