Development of next-generation diagnostic tools using synthetic biology

Development of Solid-State Storage for Cell-Free Expression Systems

“…Examples include their capacity for the on-demand production of difficult-to-express proteins and commodity chemicals which result from features such as the absence of homeostatic limitations associated with keeping in vivo systems alive, and improved flux of energy toward the production of desired products. Cell-free systems have supported a variety of notable applications ranging from the ability to support high-throughput screening through fluorescence-activated droplet sorting of cell-free riboswitches to the real-time NMR analysis of CFPS metabolite kinetics. ,,, For pharmaceutical discovery and production, CFPS systems are being leveraged for rapid prototyping of proteins such as antibodies for their use as therapeutics, scaled-up production of clinically relevant targets such as human cytokines, as well as on-demand production of drugs such as conjugate vaccines at the point-of-care. − For biosensor applications, CFPS systems have been configured to detect a number of diverse analytes utilizing a variety of biomolecular systems such as water contaminants via RNA output sensors activated by ligand induction (ROSALIND) as well as detection of pathogens such as the Zika virus via toehold switch RNA sensors. − CFPS biosensors are especially useful for biosensing in environments such as lakes and rivers where they mitigate contamination concerns associated with engineered microbes, small molecules, and heavy metals. ,− As educational tools, CFPS systems have seen use in classroom modules showcasing the processes of transcription and translation to students, as well as more complex biotechnological processes like clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas. − Beyond these applications, CFPS systems have also found uses in the biomanufacturing of consumer products like cosmetics and consumables, , as well as in research applications such as expression of difficult-to-express eukaryotic membrane proteins in vivo as well as the prototyping of novel biotechnological systems by utilizing the open environment of cell-free platforms, such as those utilizing eukaryotic wheat germ and insect lysates. , Taken cumulatively, CFPS systems have demonstrated advantages in a broad spectrum of applications. Despite the advantages of CFPS, barriers associated with the storage, transport, and technical skill required by the end-user limit the transformative impact CFPS is likely to have in a broad range of fields.…”