Redefining Molecular Evolution

Primrose Bio’s Function Generator™ technology boosts microbe and protein performance through genome diversification, improving hosts for producing desired biologics. This ultra-high throughput method accelerates genetic development to optimize manufacturing efficiency and sustainability.

How It Works

Function Generator fuses thousands of protein-coding sequences from microbial genomes in random combinations to generate tens of millions of previously unobtainable novel genes. The formation of new protein architectures are relatively rare in nature and our technology bypasses this evolutionary bottleneck resulting in orders of magnitude leaps in activity improvements. 
 
Once these genes are assembled in a Function Generator library, they are reintroduced into the original host with each transformed cell receiving one new gene combination, and then screened to isolate a desirable traitCase studies and programs for improved protein synthesis and solubility, resistance or tolerance to toxic products, and/or enhanced productivity and metabolic efficiency have been performed. 

 novel genes and functions 

We improve the function of enzymes and active proteins, and the organisms used to produce them, to achieve robust, economic, and sustainable manufacturing. Our platform delivers dramatic increases in key performance indicators through a novel, whole genome-based protein engineering methodology.  

Microbe

Microbial Genome
Protein-coding sequences are mined from a genome

Precisely Generated Input Sequences
Thousands of input sequences are generated in vitro

Collection of Novel Genes
Input sequences are randomly combined to create tens of millions of novel genes

New Sequences
The library of novel genes is introduced back into the microbe

Diversified Organisms with Traits of Interest
Novel and Improved Proteins

Capabilities

Traditionally, optimizing microbes and enzymes is slow and expensive. We remove multiple bottlenecks in development to facilitate rapid and cost-effective genome improvement. 

An entire genome’s worth of coding sequences is used to create novel genes and functions to accelerate the development of more productive organisms by delivering higher gains in the synthetic biology design-build-test-learn cycle. 

 

How is this useful?
Broadly applicable, Function Generator can drive productivity and performance improvements in species, including prokaryotes, phage and mammalian cells, that are used across multiple industries. 

 

Applications
Applications have been demonstrated in therapeutic proteins, enzymes, fuels and chemicals food and feed ingredients and fermentation products. 

Successes

Our Function Generator platform achieves notable gains in therapeutic protein production and pharmaceutical manufacturing, with successes including enhanced protein solubility, better utilization of modified substrates, and improved RNA polymerase catalytic activity.

Stress & Product Tolerance

Trait or property

Alcohol tolerance
Organism
Yeast
Relative Gain
Tolerance of 50% higher ethanol and butanol concentrations than wild type
Application
Industrial alcohol production
Improved Protein Expression

Trait or property

Enhanced protein solubility

‘Recalcitrant’ protein production

Organism
E. coli E. coli
Relative Gain
Up to 10x higher protein solubility (12 targets) High (no detectable expression in wild type)
Application

Therapeutic protein production

Therapeutic protein production

Production Strains

Trait or property

Methionine production
Organism
E. coli
Relative Gain
>10-100x stimulation of methionine production with single genes
Application
Industrial methionine production
Enzyme Improvement

Trait or property

Substrate specificity Catalytic activity
Organism
Partner Proprietary Partner Proprietary
Relative Gain
5-10x improved utilization of modified substrates Improvements in RNA polymerase performance
Application
Pharmaceutical manufacturing mRNA manufacturing