SLAC and Berkeley Labs Use Synchrotron X-rays to Innovate Protein Design, Enabling New Enzyme Functions
Researchers at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a novel approach to protein design using synchrotron X-rays. This method has allowed them to transform a single designed protein into two new proteins with distinct functions. The study, published in Nature Chemistry, involved the use of crystallographic fragment screening combined with directed evolution. This approach enabled the creation of a highly active enzyme and a fluorescent compound, demonstrating the potential for simpler and more efficient protein design. The research team, led by the University of California, San Francisco, utilized X-ray crystallography to identify small molecule fragments that bind to a target protein, which were then used to redesign the protein for new functionalities. 
