In Vitro Cell-Free Synthetic Biology Techniques for Optimizing Protein Yields

In Vitro Cell-Free Synthetic Biology techniques for optimizing protein yields

The emerging field of Cell-free protein synthesis enables the efficient production of complex proteins for a number of exciting applications such as medicines that better interact with the body, vaccines, antibodies, and renewable, sustainable biocatalysts. However, progress is hampered by high costs and low yields of necessary proteins. This project is designed to improve protein yields and drive down costs by studying techniques of optimization of protein yields in Cell-Free protein synthesis. Our main area of focus is the inhibition of naturally occurring ribonucleases (RNAses) which are enzymes that degrade essential elements for protein synthesis- specifically, the mRNA used to transcribe protein. RNA is by nature an unstable molecule prone to rapid degradation by ubiquitous RNAse proteins. One of the techniques we intend to use for inhibition of these RNAses is by introducing to our system an RNAse inhibitor. By complexing the RNAse with an appropriate RNAse inhibitor we are able to limit its function of degrading mRNA. Current inhibitors are expensive to produce and purchase and some are often incompatible with in vitro systems. The purpose of this poster is to present research findings on the viability of inexpensive chemical RNAse inhibitor and its use in Cell Free systems. Cost analysis and future applications will also be explored and presented. This work has potential impact on designing more efficient in vitro systems for less expensive, more readily available vaccines and pharmaceuticals produced through Cell-free protein synthesis.