Cell-free compartmentalized protein synthesis inside double emulsion templated liposomes with in vitro synthesized and assembled ribosomes

Abstract

A cell-free expression platform for making bacterial ribosomes encapsulated within giant liposomes was capable of synthesizing sfGFP. The liposomes were prepared using a double emulsion template, and compartmentalized in vitro protein synthesis was analysed using spinning disk confocal microscopy. Two different liposome phospholipid formulations were investigated to characterize their effects on the compartmentalized reaction kinetics. This study was performed as a necessary step towards the synthesis of minimal cells.