Case Study: Discovery of novel CRISPR nucleases
CRISPR technologies enable precise genome editing, helping streamline production strain development and accelerate innovation. Here you can read about why and how we discovered our own CRISPR nucleases.
The challenge: CRISPR-Cas9 IP landscape
The development of CRISPR-Cas9 transformed genome editing and was recognized with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020. However, commercial use of CRISPR-Cas9 has been complicated by extensive intellectual property disputes, resulting in licensing complexity and restricted freedom to operate for many industrial applications.
The approach: rational bioprospecting and metagenomics
We addressed this challenge by applying our MetXtra™ platform to search for alternative CRISPR systems in nature. Using rational bioprospecting, digital metagenomics and an advanced bioinformatics pipeline, we identified novel CRISPR-like nucleases showing little or no sequence similarity to conventional CRISPR-Cas9 systems.
The result: discovery of BMC nucleases
These discoveries formed the basis of BRAIN Metagenomic Cas (BMC®), a genome editing technology that provides an alternative platform for microbial strain engineering.
The benefit: alternative genome-editing platform for faster strain engineering
CRISPR-BMC is used in own and in customer projects to optimize industrial production strains by introducing precise genomic modifications. This reduces development time and associated costs.
The technology is applicable to a broad range of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms, including:
- Escherichia coli
- Bacillus subtilis
- Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris)
- Aspergillus niger
The technical significance of the MetXtra™ platform
The CRISPR-BMC example demonstrates how MetXtra™ can be applied beyond conventional enzyme discovery. The same discovery workflow can be used to identify novel enzymes, catalytic activities and functional proteins from diverse biological environments.
By integrating rational bioprospecting with large-scale metagenomic analysis and computational sequence mining, MetXtra™ provides access to biological diversity that remains inaccessible through conventional cultivation approaches.
How we found an alternative genome-editing platform for engineering industrial strains
This case study shows how we took a holistic approach and combined technologies to provide a more efficient enzyme tailored to the needs of a specific industrial application.
Side streams can be transformed into innovative products: An example from the wine industry
Accelerate enzyme discovery with the MetXtra™ technology platform and pave the way for your breakthrough in industrial biocatalysis
It can be difficult to produce CRISPR nucleases for use as RNPs. This case study demonstrates how we found a solution.
Finding the right enzyme quickly with our directed enzyme panels.
When every stage of enzyme development is connected, innovation moves faster, risks are reduced, and better outcomes become possible.
An enzyme engineered version of BRAIN Biotech´s CRISPR-BMC with superior properties in yeasts accelerates development of high-performance strains.
Quickly assess whether Aspergillus niger is the right production host
