Advances in ultrahigh-throughput screening technologies for protein evolution

Zhanzhi Liu; Sheng Chen; Jing Wu

doi:10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.03.010

Advances in ultrahigh-throughput screening technologies for protein evolution

Trends Biotechnol. 2023 Sep;41(9):1168-1181. doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.03.010. Epub 2023 Apr 21.

Authors

Zhanzhi Liu¹, Sheng Chen¹, Jing Wu²

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu Province, China; School of Biotechnology and Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu Province, China; International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu Province, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu Province, China; School of Biotechnology and Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu Province, China; International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Avenue, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address: jingwu@jiangnan.edu.cn.

PMID: 37088569
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.03.010

Abstract

Inspired by natural evolution, directed evolution randomly mutates the gene of interest through artificial evolution conditions with variants being screened for the required properties. Directed evolution is vital to the enhancement of protein properties and comprises the construction of libraries with considerable diversity as well as screening methods with sufficient efficiency as key steps. Owing to the various characteristics of proteins, specific methods are urgently needed for library screening, which is one of the main limiting factors in accelerating evolution. This review initially organizes the principles of ultrahigh-throughput screening from the perspective of protein properties. It then provides a comprehensive introduction to the latest progress and future trends in ultrahigh-throughput screening technologies for directed evolution.

Keywords: directed evolution; genotype–phenotype coupling; ultrahigh-throughput screening.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Directed Molecular Evolution*
Gene Library
High-Throughput Screening Assays*
Proteins / genetics
Technology

Substances

Proteins