In Vitro Protein Production for Structure Determination with the RTS System

Abstract

The goal of the Berkeley Structural Genomics Center is to determine the structures of all proteins encoded in the genomes of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Mycoplasma genatalium or structural homologs from other organisms. To achieve this goal, we are working to develop high-throughput methods for protein expression for use in X-ray and NMR structure determination. In collaboration with Roche Molecular Biochemicals (Penzburg, Germany), we are investigating the usefulness of the Rapid Translation System (RTS) of in vitro protein production to generate target proteins in quantities suitable for structure determination. Very encouraging results have been obtained with the test protein phosphoserine phosphatase (PSP) from Methanococcus jannaschii (Mj).