Materials and methods for extended continuous flow fermentation of reduced genome bacteria

A continuous fermentation process for the production of a biological product comprising culturing a population of reduced genome Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria cells comprising an inducible expression vector encoding a biological product in at least two successive fermentors, each configured as an independent continuous flow chemostat, said fermentors comprising a first fermentor comprising culture medium wherein said cells are cultured under uninduced conditions and a second successive continuous fermentor for producing the biological product comprising culture medium comprising inducer and further comprising an amount of said culture medium from said first fermentor sufficient to inoculate said second fermentor, wherein said cells are cultured under suitable conditions to produce the biological product for a period of at least two weeks, and wherein the biological product is recovered from said second fermentor, wherein the reduced genome E. coli are genetically engineered to lack transposable genetic elements.