A method for expressing a macromolecule in a host cell comprising: a) culturing a host cell containing: i. a first recombinant nucleic acid sequence encoding a membrane-permeabilizing agent under the operative control of a first regulatory sequence that directs expression of the agent in the host cell; and ii. a second recombinant nucleic acid sequence encoding a macromolecule under the operative control of a second regulatory sequence comprising an inducible promoter, the regulatory sequence directing the expression of the macromolecule in the host cell; to a selected cell density sufficient to meet the desired production levels of the macromolecule; b) exposing the host cell of (a) to an environmental condition that induces the agent to disrupt the integrity of the cell membrane without complete lysis of the cell membrane, thereby canceling the energized membrane function, but allowing transport through the membrane of small molecular weight compounds which range in size between 50 to 2000 Daltons; and c) providing the host cell obtained in step (b) with a nutrient cocktail comprising components that can transport through the disrupted cell membrane, the components comprising an inducing agent that induces the promoter of the second regulatory sequence, metabolic requirements that permit expression of the macromolecule in the membrane-disrupted host cell, and a chemical energy source; wherein the macromolecule is recombinantly expressed in the membrane-disrupted host cell. a) culturing a host cell containing: i. a first recombinant nucleic acid sequence encoding a membrane-permeabilizing agent under the operative control of a first regulatory sequence that directs expression of the agent in the host cell; and ii. a second recombinant nucleic acid sequence encoding a macromolecule under the operative control of a second regulatory sequence comprising an inducible promoter, the regulatory sequence directing the expression of the macromolecule in the host cell; to a selected cell density sufficient to meet the desired production levels of the macromolecule; i. a first recombinant nucleic acid sequence encoding a membrane-permeabilizing agent under the operative control of a first regulatory sequence that directs expression of the agent in the host cell; and ii. a second recombinant nucleic acid sequence encoding a macromolecule under the operative control of a second regulatory sequence comprising an inducible promoter, the regulatory sequence directing the expression of the macromolecule in the host cell; to a selected cell density sufficient to meet the desired production levels of the macromolecule; b) exposing the host cell of (a) to an environmental condition that induces the agent to disrupt the integrity of the cell membrane without complete lysis of the cell membrane, thereby canceling the energized membrane function, but allowing transport through the membrane of small molecular weight compounds which range in size between 50 to 2000 Daltons; and c) providing the host cell obtained in step (b) with a nutrient cocktail comprising components that can transport through the disrupted cell membrane, the components comprising an inducing agent that induces the promoter of the second regulatory sequence, metabolic requirements that permit expression of the macromolecule in the membrane-disrupted host cell, and a chemical energy source; wherein the macromolecule is recombinantly expressed in the membrane-disrupted host cell.