Cell-free translation system using phosphorothioate-containing mRNA.

Phosphorothioate-containing RNAs were generated by transcription of template DNA using the Sp diastereomers of ribonucleoside 5'-O-(1-thiotriphosphates) (NTP alpha S) and T7 RNA polymerase. The substitution of mRNA by phosphorothioate increased the efficiency of protein synthesis by stabilizing the mRNAs in prokaryotic cell-free translation systems. The substituted mRNAs were also shown to be applicable to the continuous cell-free translation system developed by Spirin and coworkers.