Peptide hydrogels have been developed as scaffolds for tissue regeneration and vehicles for drug delivery. In this study, bacterial expression was investigated as an alternative method to chemical synthesis for the production of a self-assembling peptide (VKVKVKVKVPDGTKVEVKVKV) that can form a rigid hydrogel under physiological conditions. A peptide sequence that can be expressed in bacteria and corresponding DNA constructs were designed in such a way that they could be expressed with different fusion partners and cleaved by biological or chemical means to afford the free peptide. After determining a fusion partner that provided the highest yield of fusion protein, different culturing conditions and media were explored to further increase the yield of pure peptide. Optimal conditions allow 50mg pure peptide to be harvested from one liter of culture, providing an alternate means to produce this material-forming peptide.

Bacterial expression of a self-assembling peptide hydrogelator

244th National Meeting (2012)

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