Protein Translation Machinery One Shot (TraMOS) Tool

Abstract

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a microbial culture capable of translating mRNA molecules into a polypeptide with a single reaction mixture.

Full Description

Current methods of mRNA translation require mRNA translation machinery (TraM) that is expressed and purified step by step for each member. The assembly of this functional machinery is done by mixing the members in the reactions with very specific ratios, taking time, money, and effort. Preparation of multi-protein complexes, especially in the case of metabolic pathways, remains difficult due to the large number of protein species and stringent requirement of protein ratios to create functional machinery.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have created a protein translation machinery tool capable of the single-step translation of mRNA and purification of proteins. The method uses a microbial culture comprised of microbial strains (microbial consortium) that have different recombinant plasmids with encoding genes for all the proteins involved in mRNA translation. The unique consortium is able to form a multi-protein complex that can translate mRNA into a polypeptide in a single reaction mixture. The method has already been tested and successfully used in experiments for coupled transcription/ translation reactions. This approach brings modularity to the system and reduces the cost of in vitro translation reactions.

Applications

• Single step in vitro multi-protein translation

Features/Benefits

• Single step translation and purification
• Modular system
• Reduced cost

Patent Status