Cell-Free Synthesis of a Specific Lipoprotein of the Escherichia coli Outer Membrane Directed by Purified Messenger RNA

A specific lipoprotein of the E. coli outer membrane has been synthesized in a cell-free system directed by purified messenger RNA. The mRNA for the lipoprotein was purified as 7S RNA about 250-fold from exponentially growing cells. Protein synthesis of the cell-free system was totally dependent upon the addition of the purified mRNA. The product of the cell-free system was identified as the specific lipoprotein by immunoprecipitation and by peptide mapping.