Eukaryotic Ribosome Display Selection Using Rabbit Reticulocyte Lysate

Ribosome display is a powerful in vitro technology for the selection and directed evolution of proteins. Cell-free translation is central to the ribosome display process and is performed in such a way that the ribosome provides the link between genotype and phenotype that allows genes encoding proteins with desired properties to be identified by selection. Prokaryotic cell-free translation reagents, based initially on E. coli cell extracts and more recently containing purified and recombinant factors, have dominated the ribosome display literature. Eukaryotic cell extracts are also suitable for ribosome display; however, protocols for prokaryotic ribosome display are not directly transferable to the use of eukaryotic cell extracts. This chapter describes an optimised methodology for the use of rabbit reticulocyte lysate for ribosome display selections.