[Stability of normal, abnormal and recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli strains deficient for intracellular proteinase La--the product of the lon gene].

Escherichia coli Lon-mutants deficient in intracellular protease La have been isolated. The rate of degradation of normal cellular proteins was 1.5-2-fold lower in Lon-mutants as compared with that of the wild type strain. The rate of degradation of canavanine-containing abnormal proteins, as well as foreign proteins was significantly higher in E. coli than that of normal proteins. Lon-mutants possessed 2-2.5-fold lower rates of degradation of abnormal proteins as compared with Lon+-strains. The rate of degradation of human interferon alpha-2 was 10-fold higher in E. coli than that of abnormal proteins. B. amyloliquefaciens alpha-amylase degraded in E. coli with the rate comparable with that of abnormal proteins, since chloramphenicolacetyltransferase from Tn9 was stable in E. coli. The rate of degradation of interferon alpha-2 was 2-fold lower in Lon-mutants (half-life 23-26 min) than in the initial strain (11-12 min). Lon-mutants were effectively used as recipient strains for constructing strains-producers of several human alpha- and beta-interferons.