Functional Proteins

Work Package T2

The production and integration of purified functional proteins is the key precondition and bottleneck for the bottom-up assembly of biological phenomena, as proposed all through MaxSynBio. The consortium is thus strongly in need of streamlined and reliable production and transfer lines that can be commonly used and shared. This work package is in large parts an enabling project, in which a comprehensive molecular biology and technology basis is developed which will be accessible to all members of the MaxSynBio network for projects involving proteins. This comprises:

• A large toolbox for protein expression and purification of soluble proteins as well as integral membrane proteins,
• A reliable and highly efficient cell-free protein expression system, specifically tailored for the requirements within droplets, lipid and polymer vesicles,
• A technology platform for the efficient introduction of functional protein systems into closed compartments, which will be developed in close exchange with the microfluidic platform, particularly with respect to
  • Microjetting,
  • Reverse emulsion technique with centrifugation,
  • Droplet-based microfluidics combined with in vitroprotein expression
  • The development of encapsulation procedures specifically adapted to keep membranes/monolayers and proteins intact and functional at the same time.
• Automated robot platform for cell free protein expression, including:
  • Template preparation
  • Yield optimization
  • Chemical stabilizer screening
  • Hydrophobic screening: detergents, liposomes, Nanodiscs

MaxSynBio Network Partners