Patent AU-2013352723-B2 (AU)
Title: Apparatus for automatically preparing cell-free proteins and method for preparing proteins using same
Inventor: PARK HAN OH
IPC: C12M1/38
Filed: 2013-11-29
Granted: 2017-01-05
Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically preparing cell-free proteins and a method for preparing proteins using the same, and more particularly, to an apparatus for automatically preparing cell-free proteins and a method for manufacturing proteins using the same, the apparatus comprising: a protein expression reaction unit including a reaction vessel comprising a plurality of dialysis tubes provided with a dialysis membrane by an open superstructure; a reaction temperature control unit for heating or cooling the protein expression reaction unit; a pipet array which includes a plurality of pipets and is capable of suctioning or discharging a solution by using the pipets; a pipet array movement unit capable of moving solutions by moving the pipet array up and down, back and forth, or left and right; a protein purification unit provided with a magnetic field application apparatus; and a multi-well plate provision unit capable providing a multi-well plate kit which supplies a solution used in the preparation of proteins. In addition, the present invention relates to the apparatus for automatically preparing cell-free proteins and the preparation method therefor, which has a pure target protein synthesizing function in which an affinity tag is removed, excluding a target protein in which an affinity tag is coupled, and a function for rapidly and automatically exchanging, by a desired elution solution, through multi-step dialysis, a leaching solution in which the resulting purified proteins are dissolved, with the desired elution solution for containing proteins such that a plurality of proteins can be simply and automatically prepared in mass. Moreover, the present invention relates to a reaction kit for automatically preparing cell-free proteins, comprising: a multi-well plate kit for storing a solution necessary for preparing proteins; and a dialysis tube provided with the dialysis membrane. The apparatus for automatically preparing cell-free proteins according to the present invention can automatically express and purify target proteins, and dialyze the proteins in the buffer solution for containing proteins thereby enabling the immediate use of the resulting purified proteins. Furthermore, the method for preparing proteins according to the present invention can continuously supply energy sources necessary for cell-free protein expressions by multi-leveled exchanges of a low molecular expression solution such that a maximum of five times more target proteins can be obtained compared with obtaining target proteins by using a conventional method for preparing cell-free proteins in an arrangement form, and since the preparation of pure target proteins by removing an unnecessary affinity tag using proteases when purifying target proteins by using magnetic particles, the present invention is very useful in protein production for industrial, medicinal and research purposes wherein circular proteins can be produced in which artificial sequences exerting negative influences on the activities and structures of a protein are removed.