title: Design of a prototype flow microreactor for synthetic biology in vitro.
abstract: As a reference platform for in vitro synthetic biology, we have developed a prototype flow microreactor for enzymatic biosynthesis. We report the design, implementation, and computer-aided optimisation of a three-step model pathway within a microfluidic reactor. A packed bed format was shown to be optimal for enzyme compartmentalisation after experimental evaluation of several approaches. The specific substrate conversion efficiency could significantly be improved by an optimised parameter set obtained by computational modelling. Our microreactor design provides a platform to explore new in vitro synthetic biology solutions for industrial biosynthesis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London, UK SW7 2AZ. c.boehm11@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Christian R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Boehm
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Freemont
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ces
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004867:Equipment Design; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D058615:Synthetic Biology / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized