Simulations of host–plasmid interactions in Escherichia coli: Copy number, promoter strength, and ribosome binding site strength effects on metabolic activity and plasmid gene expression

A mechanistically detailed single‐cell model E. coli B/r‐A was adapted to simulate the effects of vector presence on cell metabolism. Competition for RNA polymerase between chromosome and plasmid DNA is explicitly included. Distribution of active ribosomes among chromosome‐ and plasmid‐derived messenger RNA, another key facet of host–plasmid interactions, is also treated in detail. Simulations of recombinant cell growth rate and cloned‐gene productivity as a function of relative plasmid number per cell agree closely with experimental results. Model prediction of the variation of cell cycle parameters C and D with plasmid number are roughly consistent with available data. Models of this class can be used to simulate changes in productivity resulting from specific alterations in the expression vector. The effects of changing cloned‐gene promoter and ribosome binding strengths and of augmenting cell transcription or translation capacity have been studied using the recombinant cell model. Results suggest that cloned‐gene expression is limited by cellular transcription capacity. These and other parametric studies, conveniently implemented using the computer cell, provide important guidance for future experiments directed at better understanding of host–plasmid interactions and at optimizing recombinant system productivity.