Scripps Research Develops Platform to Accelerate Protein Evolution Using Engineered Bacteria

What's Happening?

Scripps Research has unveiled a new synthetic biology platform named T7-ORACLE, designed to accelerate the evolution of proteins. This system utilizes engineered Escherichia coli bacteria to host an artificial DNA replication system derived from bacteriophage T7. The platform allows for continuous hypermutation and rapid evolution of biomacromolecules, significantly speeding up the process of evolving proteins with new or improved functions. This advancement is expected to enhance the development of therapeutic proteins for various diseases, including cancer and neurodegeneration.

Why It's Important?

The T7-ORACLE platform represents a significant breakthrough in protein engineering, offering a faster and more efficient method for evolving proteins. This could lead to rapid advancements in medical treatments, particularly in developing targeted therapies for complex diseases. By enabling continuous evolution within living cells, the platform reduces the time and labor traditionally required for protein development, potentially accelerating the pace of medical and biotechnological innovation.

What's Next?

Researchers are focusing on evolving human-derived enzymes for therapeutic use and tailoring proteases to recognize specific cancer-related protein sequences. The platform's adaptability allows scientists to insert genes from various sources into E. coli cells, facilitating the evolution of virtually any protein of interest. Future applications may include evolving polymerases to replicate entirely unnatural nucleic acids, opening new possibilities in synthetic genomics.