(XTEN-1, 2, 3, 4) were expressed in the BL21 E. coli strain (New England Biolabs, #C2530H) using 5 L B. Braun Biostat
B glass-jacketed fermentation vessels. 125 mL starter cultures were
used to inoculate 1.7 L batches of fermentation media containing 50
mM (NH4)2SO4, 20 mM K2HPO4, 15 mM KH2PO4, 4.5 mM C6H5Na3O7·2H2O, 11 mM NaH2PO4, 10 mM MgSO4, 30
g/L NZ BL4 soy peptone (Kerry Bioscience, #5X00043), 15 g/L yeast
extract (Teknova, #Y9020), 0.25 mL/L polypropylene glycol 2000, trace
elements, and 10 mg/mL tetracycline. Salt feeds containing 75 mM (NH4)2SO4, 150 mM K2HPO4, 110 mM KH2PO4, 7 mM C6H5Na3O7·2H2O, and 100 mM NaH2PO4 were started after 6 h at 25 g/h and continued
for 8 h. Cultures were grown at 37 °C for 17 h before shifting
the temperature to 26 °C and adding 27 mL of 1 M MgSO4. The carbon source consisted of a 70% glycerol feed, with roughly
2 L being fed over the course of the run. After 48 h, the cultures
were harvested by centrifugation, yielding cell pellets of approximately
1 kg by wet weight. The pellets were stored at −80 °C
until purification was commenced.