Strategies to improve plasmid stability in Escherichia coli cell factories: comparing antibiotic selection systems for industrial protein production

Escherichia coli cell factories for recombinant protein production typically harbour a plasmid containing the gene of interest. Maintaining these plasmids requires selective pressure, typically achieved through the use of antibiotics. The choice of antibiotic resistance plays a critical role in the overall stability and scalability of the production process, making it a key factor in determining its feasibility. In this study, we compare two antibiotic resistance systems; one based on β-lactam antibiotics, where cell growth and protein induction must be decoupled to preserve plasmid stability and another system based on aminoglycoside antibiotics, which enables a simpler and more robust process. Our findings highlight the advantages of the aminoglycoside-based system in supporting a more stable and scalable production platform for recombinant proteins.