Cell-free protein synthesis in microfluidic 96-well plates.

Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) enables rapid protein expression for the structural and functional characterization of proteins. Implementation of CFPS in a microfluidic platform has additional benefits such as reduced reaction volumes and simultaneous expression of multiple proteins. Here, we describe a microfluidic device that is composed of 96 continuous-exchange cell-free protein expression units and produces a protein synthesis yield up to 87 times higher than a conventional batch system.