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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

cell-free protein synthesis, extract preparation methods

College

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology

Department

Chemical Engineering

Abstract

My ORCA project proposed to test and optimize various low capital cost cell lysis methods, while leaving the internal cell machinery intact and viable for cell-free protein synthesis research. Our cells of interest were a strain of the bacterium E. coli, and their cellular machinery consists of the chemicals and enzymes they use in their every-day life processes, including (and of particular interest to us) the synthesis of proteins. These proteins have an almost limitless number of potential applications in medicine, food services, and chemical production, so the various methods of protein synthesis are of significant importance, both financially, and for the improvement of quality of human life. Cell-free extract preparation is a preliminary step in cell- free protein synthesis; our methods of extract preparation and optimization are detailed below.

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