Utilizing a cell-free protein synthesis platform for the biosynthesis of a natural product, caffeine.

ABSTRACT: Natural products are a valuable source of pharmaceuticals, providing a majority of the small-molecule drugs in use today. However, their production through organic synthesis or in heterologous hosts can be difficult and time-consuming. Therefore, to allow for easier screening and production of natural products, we demonstrated the use of a cell-free protein synthesis system to partially assemble natural products in vitro using S-Adenosyl Methionine (SAM)-dependent methyltransferase enzyme reactions. The tea caffeine synthase, TCS1, was utilized to synthesize caffeine within a cell-free protein synthesis system. Cell-free systems also provide the benefit of allowing the use of substrates that would normally be toxic in a cellular environment to synthesize novel products. However, TCS

SUBMITTER: Ditzel A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10750991 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature