This technology is a synthetic enzymatic cascade that can regenerate ATP from ADP using polyphosphate as a phosphate donor for in vitro ATP regeneration.
Energy carrier supply is critical for many emerging technologies, such as cell-free protein synthesis or artificial cell construction. Current technologies attempting to regenerate ATP in cell-free protein synthesis require a constant supply of expensive phosphate donors. Alternatively, complex biomimetic organelles such as ATP synthase-embedded membranes are necessary for ATP regeneration to power artificial cells. There are currently no flexible and affordable ATP regeneration methods for artificial cell development and protein synthesis.
This technology is a synthetic enzymatic cascade that affordably regenerates ATP from ADP using polyphosphates, a cheaper alternative than the currently used phosphate donors. The reactions are driven by fuel oxidation using common and low-cost fuel resources such as methanol or glucose. This cascade exploits common biological cofactors such as NADPH and recombinant enzymes, which are advantageous for producing ATP for artificial cells. The technology generates cascades via expression of NADH-dependent dehydrogenases, polyphosphate NAD+ kinases, NADPH oxidases, and ATP-NAD+ kinases. The synthetic pathway does not rely on a membrane for proton gradient and thus could achieve cell-free and membrane-free protein production.
This technology has been validated with E. coli expressing the enzymatic cascade.
Patent Pending(US20240318218)
IR CU20363
Licensing Contact: Dovina Qu