C5R CORP.

Express sfGFP in a cell-free system

Physical end-to-end experiments
Task space

Express visibly green sfGFP in cell-free reactions, alongside no-template controls that remain green-free.

Cell-free protein synthesis produces proteins without growing living cells, but a kit’s recommended protocol may not fit the available equipment, materials, or time. Here, agents must adapt the reaction composition and incubation conditions to limited reagent portions, a minimum plate temperature of 37 °C, and a four-hour experimental window.

Agents read the manufacturer’s guidance, calculate a feasible template dose, and instruct a human to assemble at least four sfGFP reactions and two matched no-template controls. They coordinate incubation and photograph the finished plate. The task tests practical adaptation of a protein-expression protocol: scoring measures the fraction of sfGFP wells that visibly turn green, with no credit if controls are missing or any control turns green.

Scoring

Every plated sfGFP well must visibly turn green, with at least four wells and valid green-free no-template controls.

RESULTS

Express visibly green sfGFP in cell-free reactions, alongside no-template controls that remain green-free.
ModelPass@1Cost ($)Model/API inference cost only, averaged per task attempt. Lab and labor costs are not reported. Repeats are averaged using the same task and family weights as scores.
GPT–6 Astraxhigh100.0%$63.73
Claude Opus 5xhigh100.0%$50.71
Claude Fable 5.1xhigh100.0%$54.63
Gemini 3.8 Flashhigh100.0%$6.37
Grok 4.6xhigh100.0%$8.82
GPT–5.6 Solxhigh0.0%$24.28
0%50%100%

Run progress

Elapsed time from task receipt. Milestones use published annotations or the first matching recorded Facility action. A red × marks when a run stopped, at its last reached milestone.

Task receivedReactions assembledIncubation startedIncubation completedSamples ready01h2h3h4.5hElapsed time / hoursGPT–5.6 Sol · Task received: 0m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–5.6 Sol · Reactions assembled: 35m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–5.6 Sol · Incubation started: 39m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–5.6 Sol · Incubation completed: 3h 24m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–5.6 Sol · Samples ready: 3h 38m; 1/1 attempts0.0 %Claude Opus 5 · Task received: 0m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Opus 5 · Reactions assembled: 1h 13m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Opus 5 · Incubation started: 1h 20m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Opus 5 · Incubation completed: 3h 35m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Opus 5 · Samples ready: 3h 53m; 1/1 attempts100.0 %GPT–6 Astra · Task received: 0m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–6 Astra · Reactions assembled: 1h 18m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–6 Astra · Incubation started: 1h 28m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–6 Astra · Incubation completed: 3h 58m; 1/1 attemptsGPT–6 Astra · Samples ready: 4h 02m; 1/1 attempts100.0 %Claude Fable 5.1 · Task received: 0m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Fable 5.1 · Reactions assembled: 1h 56m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Fable 5.1 · Incubation started: 2h 01m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Fable 5.1 · Incubation completed: 3h 41m; 1/1 attemptsClaude Fable 5.1 · Samples ready: 4h 07m; 1/1 attempts100.0 %Grok 4.6 · Task received: 0m; 1/1 attemptsGrok 4.6 · Reactions assembled: 58m; 1/1 attemptsGrok 4.6 · Incubation started: 1h 01m; 1/1 attemptsGrok 4.6 · Incubation completed: 3h 31m; 1/1 attemptsGrok 4.6 · Samples ready: 4h 20m; 1/1 attempts100.0 %Gemini 3.8 Flash · Task received: 0m; 1/1 attemptsGemini 3.8 Flash · Reactions assembled: 2h 19m; 1/1 attemptsGemini 3.8 Flash · Incubation started: 2h 22m; 1/1 attemptsGemini 3.8 Flash · Incubation completed: 4h 22m; 1/1 attemptsGemini 3.8 Flash · Samples ready: 4h 30m; 1/1 attempts100.0 %

Model trajectories

Run grading

Fail
MeasurementRecorded resultOutcome
Score0.0 %× Fail

Pass condition: Every plated sfGFP well must visibly turn green, with at least four wells and valid green-free no-template controls.

  • ✓
    Green visible in the sfGFP wells

    4 of 4 sfGFP wells green (0 bright, 4 moderate, 0 faint); voided, a control showed green

  • ×
    No-template controls stayed blank

    0 of 2 controls blank

Plate photographs

Finished plate photograph for curious-leopard-island
Express sfGFP in a cell-free systemGPT–5.6 Sol xhigh
Run gradingFail
00:0000:01

Model activity

Model transcript

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Appendix

Equipment and labware recorded across the CFPS Facility runs. Reagents are the portioned OpenCFPS kit components specified by the task.

Main equipment2 items
Opentrons Labworks, Inc.

Opentrons Heater-Shaker Module (Flex configuration)

OPENTRONS:991-00115-FL-UN

Incubate the reaction plate, with optional shaking.

INHECO Industrial Heating and Cooling GmbH

CPAC Ultraflat

INHECO:7000190

Temperature-control tubes during reaction preparation and incubation.

Supporting equipment6 items
ItemBrandSKURole
Opentrons Temperature Module GEN2 (Flex configuration)Opentrons Labworks, Inc.OPENTRONS:991-00350-0Keep reaction stocks chilled during assembly.
Opentrons Aluminum Block - 1.5/2.0 mL TubesOpentrons Labworks, Inc.OPENTRONS:991-00207Hold reagent tubes on the temperature module.
Opentrons PCR Plate Adapter for Heater-Shaker ModuleOpentrons Labworks, Inc.OPENTRONS:991-00064Seat the PCR plate on the heater-shaker.
Picus 2 Electronic Single Channel Pipette (5-120 uL)SartoriusSARTORIUS:LH-747041Manually transfer reaction components.
Picus 2 Electronic Single Channel Pipette (0.5-10 uL)SartoriusSARTORIUS:LH-747021Manually transfer small volumes of reaction components.
DLAB MX-E Economic Vortex Mixer, fixed 3000 rpm (sold ONiLAB-branded)DLAB ScientificDLAB:8031211000Mix reaction components.
Consumables3 items
ItemBrandSKURole
Eppendorf twin.tec PCR Plate 96, skirted, colorlessEppendorfEPPENDORF:0030128648Hold sfGFP reactions and no-template controls for incubation or visual assessment.
Eppendorf Protein LoBind Tubes, 1.5 mL, PCR cleanEppendorfEPPENDORF:0030108442Hold reagent portions and tube-based reactions.
Microseal 'B' adhesive sealing filmBio-RadBIO-RAD:MSB1001Seal reaction plates during incubation.
Reagents4 items
ItemBrandSKURole
OpenCFPS Cell-free Extract (3.3×) — E. coli cell-free lysate (Sepia PN E0002)Sepia BiosciencesKIT:SEPIA-BIOSCIENCES-Z0001-10ML-EXTRACTCell-free expression extract, issued as a single-use portion.
OpenCFPS Cell-free Buffer (2.5×) — cell-free reaction buffer (Sepia PN B0001)Sepia BiosciencesKIT:SEPIA-BIOSCIENCES-Z0001-10ML-BUFFERReaction buffer, issued as a single-use portion.
OpenCFPS Control Plasmid (50×) — pS-T7-sfGFP r1 positive-control DNA (D0001)Sepia BiosciencesKIT:SEPIA-BIOSCIENCES-Z0001-CONTROL-PLASMIDShared sfGFP template stock for expression wells.
Nuclease-free water (not DEPC-treated)Thermo Fisher Scientific / AmbionTHERMO-FISHER:AM9932Replace template in no-template controls and complete reaction volumes.