Thermo Scientific BL21(DE3) Competent Cells are suitable for the expression of non-toxic heterologous genes. The strain contains the lambda DE3 prophage that carries the gene for T7 RNA polymerase under control of a lacUV5 promoter, allowing expression of the T7 RNA polymerase to be induced with IPTG. BL21(DE3) is an E. coli B strain and does not contain the lon protease. It is also deficient in the outer membrane protease OmpT. The lack of these two key proteases reduces degradation of heterologous proteins expressed in the cells.
