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Proteins are the building blocks of life, and their synthesis is crucial for advancing various biotechnological applications, including drug development. However, traditional cell-based synthesis methods face significant challenges, such as scalability issues, high costs, and limitations in producing complex proteins.

A new blog from Prosus-backed Tierra Biosciences looks at how cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) has emerged as a game-changer, offering a scalable, efficient, and cost-effective solution for protein production, that allows scientists to make proteins without living cells.

What is cell-free protein synthesis?

CFPS is a cutting-edge technique that uses the important parts of cells, like ribosomes and enzymes, outside of the cell environment to make proteins. This method is flexible, allowing for the creation of proteins that are hard to make in normal cell-based methods, including those with unusual amino acids.

 CFPS offers several significant advantages over traditional cell-based synthesis. It removes the limitations seen in traditional cell-based synthesis , improving both the quantity and quality of proteins produced. It’s also faster and cheaper, making it ideal for producing large amounts of proteins quickly. CFPS can be used in various fields such as medicine, agriculture, and energy, speeding up advancements and allowing for the concurrent production of multiple proteins while reducing synthesis time.

The role of technology

The use of artificial intelligence and automated systems in CFPS is transforming the way proteins are made. These technologies help quickly design and test new proteins, slashing the time and cost typically associated with their development.

The Tierra Protein Platform uses AI to accelerate protein synthesis using CFPS. The platform provides access to a broad spectrum of proteins and automates protein identification through automation, high-throughput techniques, and advanced computational analysis. This enables the testing of hundreds of reaction conditions simultaneously, optimising protein synthesis and maximising yield and protein purity.

 As CFPS technology matures, it promises to revolutionse the production of biologics and facilitate the rapid deployment of therapeutic proteins.

The next phase of CFPS will likely see major strides in streamlining the synthesis of complex proteins, particularly through improvements in eukaryotic systems and the effective coupling of translation and translocation processes. Integrated platforms that leverage AI will predict optimal conditions for CFPS, manage big data from high-throughput experiments, and automate the labor-intensive parts of the synthesis process, leading to more efficient and scalable protein production.

For more, please read the full article here.