What is in vivo protein evolution?5 answersIn vivo protein evolution is a method of protein engineering that involves generating mutagenesis libraries and selecting desired mutants within living cells. This approach allows for continuous evolution of genes of interest (GOIs) as cells grow, enabling rapid cycles of mutation, amplification, and selection inside the cell. While in vitro protein evolution methods are more popular due to higher library diversity and specificity, recent advancements have led to the development of in vivo protein mutagenesis techniques that can generate focused libraries in a target-specific manner. In vivo expression of metalloproteins, such as coiled-coil iron-sulfur proteins, can occur with specific metal trafficking and incorporation machinery inside the cell, simplifying the optimization process by avoiding in vitro reconstitution steps. This approach offers a unique platform to study protein biogenesis and develop synthetic proteins.
What are the evidence in biotechnology that can assist in the exploration of directed evolution?4 answersDirected evolution is a powerful method in biotechnology for engineering proteins with altered activity and properties. It involves the use of techniques such as DNA shuffling, random mutagenesis, and in vitro recombination to create libraries of protein variants that can be screened for desired traits. These methods mimic natural evolution processes and allow for the exploration of sequence-function relationships in proteins. High-throughput screening systems, such as FACS and phage display, enable the analysis of large numbers of protein variants, while mutability landscapes can guide the directed evolution process by identifying key residues for mutagenesis. Additionally, the use of yeast-based platforms and photosensory domains can facilitate the directed evolution of protease catalytic properties. These evidence-based approaches provide valuable tools for the exploration and optimization of protein function in biotechnology applications.
What are the methods for therapeutic antibodies engineering?5 answersTherapeutic antibodies can be engineered using various methods. One approach is the use of computational techniques to guide and accelerate the engineering process. This involves the combination of a selection system and high-throughput data acquisition and analysis to construct populations of next-generation antibodies that are thermo-stable and non-immunogenic. Another method is protein engineering, which focuses on optimizing the properties of antibodies for desired profiles. This includes reducing unwanted side effects and ensuring batch-to-batch consistency through sequence optimization and process controls. Additionally, computational advances in protein modeling and design have a tangible impact on antibody-based therapeutic development. These advances benefit from the increasing volume of data provided by next-generation sequencing and can be applied to the engineering of candidate antibody therapeutics. By using display technology, computer-aided design, and site mutagenesis, various properties of therapeutic antibody candidates can be improved, including antigen binding affinity, biological efficacy, pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, and physicochemical developability features.
How has the gene therapy evolved over the years?3 answersGene therapy has evolved significantly over the years, bringing about a revolutionary approach in disease therapy. It aims to treat the fundamental cause of disease by introducing exogenous genetic material into the body to target mutated or affected cells. Gene therapy products are continually evolving, with new therapies being tested in advanced clinical trials, primarily in the field of cancer treatment. Over the past three decades, there has been a significant increase in the number of gene therapy clinical trials and approved gene therapy products, leading to the acceptance of transformative gene therapies by payors. However, the field of gene therapy has also faced setbacks and challenges, including safety and efficacy concerns. The history of gene therapy dates back to the 1960s, and after more than five decades of ups and downs, gene therapy has entered a new era with breakthroughs in the 21st century. Overall, gene therapy has the potential to transform medicine and provide practical approaches to genetic diseases.
What are the potential applications of evolutionary engineering in industrial microbes?5 answersEvolutionary engineering has potential applications in industrial microbes for various purposes. It can be used to enhance the production of bio-based chemicals and fuels through microbial engineering, offering a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based products. Adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) is a powerful tool for basic research in microbiology, such as studying molecular mechanisms of microbial evolution, as well as for evolutionary engineering of microbial strains, including accelerated evolution of industrial strains with beneficial mutations. ALE can be combined with in silico metabolic model reconstruction and advanced synthetic biology tools to couple desired traits to adaptive phenotypes. It also enables the analysis of cellular states and provides a comprehensive understanding of the biology of genomically perturbed systems. ALE strategies can be used to improve growth, stress resistance, utilization of alternative carbon sources, and small molecule production in industrial platform organisms.
How to create new function gene by directed evolution?5 answersDirected evolution is a powerful method for creating new gene functions. It involves iterative rounds of gene diversification and library screening/selection to expedite the natural evolution process of biological molecules and systems. This approach has been widely used in engineering improved or novel functions in proteins, metabolic pathways, and even whole genomes. One strategy for directed evolution is rational evolutionary design, which utilizes structural and sequence alignment information to create new genes and proteins. This approach has shown promising results in studying protein function, particularly in the areas of preferred codon usage, structural and sequence alignment, key domain analysis, and site-directed recombination. Another approach is to combine evolutionary methods with developing technologies such as unnatural amino acid mutagenesis and computational design. This combination has been successful in creating proteins with novel compositions and improving the initial activity of computationally designed enzymes. By modulating protein stability and reducing its constraining effects, directed evolution can facilitate the engineering of protein function and the creation of new gene functions.