The 3′ poly(A) tail of eukaryotic messenger RNAs (mRNAs) acts synergistically with the 5′ cap structure to enhance translation. This phenomenon has been explained by the simultaneous binding of poly(A)-binding protein (PABP) and a cap-binding protein (eIF4E) to eIF4G that results in the circularization of the mRNA (closed-loop model). We developed a robust cell-free protein synthesis system to study poly(A)-dependent translation. In nuclease-treated extracts of Krebs-2 ascites cells, the mRNA poly(A) tail and the cap structure synergistically stimulate translation. We also describe an efficient procedure for depleting PABP from translation extracts. Greater than 98% of PABP can be depleted from extracts by preincubation with either of the PABP-interacting proteins (Paip2 or Paip1) coupled to beads, and these depleted extracts fail to support efficient translation of poly(A)⁺ mRNAs. Translation activity is restored to depleted extracts by the addition of recombinant PABP.