Innovations in Molecular Biotechnology

ABSTRACT

Cell-free expression systems have become valuable tools in synthetic biology and biotechnology, offering a rapid and flexible approach to prototyping genetic circuits, metabolic pathways, and therapeutic proteins. By eliminating the need for living cells, these systems provide precise control over biochemical reactions, greatly speeding up the design–build–test cycle in biological engineering. Advances in lysate production, energy supply mechanisms, and modular setups have significantly improved their efficiency, scalability, and range of applications. These developments have opened new possibilities in drug development and manufacturing, including the production of small molecules, biologics, and complex biosynthetic products. Additionally, cell-free platforms are well-suited for studying toxic or unstable enzymes and optimizing pathways that are difficult to explore in vivo. Their compatibility with high-throughput methods and automation further enhances their role in modern biomanufacturing. While challenges such as high costs, limited capabilities for post-translational modifications, and stability issues remain, ongoing progress in engineered lysates, integration with microfluidics, and computational design is continually expanding their potential. This review explores the core principles, recent innovations, and current challenges of cell-free systems, emphasizing their growing impact on drug synthesis and bioengineering.

KEYWORDS

1. Cell-free expression systems
2. Prototyping
3. Drug synthesis
4. Synthetic biology
5. Bioengineering applications