About this Research Topic
The advent of water-in-oil droplets for biological engineering by Griffiths and Tawfik in 1998 revolutionized the field of in vitro evolution, enabling scalable compartmentalization of biomolecules while maintaining the phenotype-genotype linkage. Early studies, such as the adaptation by the Holliger laboratory, exemplified the potential of this technique by challenging DNA polymerase variants to amplify their own gene, mimicking natural evolution. Subsequently, numerous droplet production and selection methods have been developed to suit specific engineering campaigns of traits of proteins and more broadly genetic circuits. However, despite its promise, researchers have faced frustration and reproducibility challenges due to chemical, physical, and biological complexities associated with wet-bench experiments.
Our goal for this special issue is to foster a collaborative and open dialogue among researchers, encouraging them to share not only their successful outcomes but also the methods they employed to overcome experimental hurdles. Beyond presenting the final results, we invite authors to discuss the obstacles they encountered during their directed evolution process. By shedding light on challenges like chemical surfactant contamination, droplet or emulsion instability, and enzyme functionality loss in emulsions, we aim to promote a deeper understanding of the technology and provide a comprehensive resource for the scientific community.
We welcome contributions that showcase recent advancements in microdroplet-directed evolution, including novel approaches for droplet generation, improved selection strategies, and innovative techniques for detecting phenotypic changes. Additionally, we encourage authors to share their troubleshooting experiences, offering valuable insights into the optimization of this powerful technique. Through collaboration and knowledge exchange, we aspire to propel the field of directed evolution forward, unlocking its full potential for diverse applications in bioengineering, biotechnology, and beyond.
Conflict of Interest:
Steven Bishoff is an inventor on various patents and patent applications that describe gene editing and genome engineering technologies and bioreagents including the use of engineered DNA polymerases generated via emulsion PCR and directed evolution for genotyping of genetically modified animal models and cell lines. Also is the founder of NovoHelix, and a co-founder of the Foundry for Genome Engineering and Reproductive Medicine (FGERM).
Jimmy Gollihar has filed and granted patent applications for methods using emulsion-based directed evolution platforms and proteins derived from them.
Roberto Laos is an inventor in patents related to DNA polymerases and has filed a patent for fluids that can be used in directed evolution. Also is the founder of Panamerican Biolabs, a LLC company that seeks to commercialize DNA polymerases and fluids needed for directed evolution platforms.
Our goal for this special issue is to foster a collaborative and open dialogue among researchers, encouraging them to share not only their successful outcomes but also the methods they employed to overcome experimental hurdles. Beyond presenting the final results, we invite authors to discuss the obstacles they encountered during their directed evolution process. By shedding light on challenges like chemical surfactant contamination, droplet or emulsion instability, and enzyme functionality loss in emulsions, we aim to promote a deeper understanding of the technology and provide a comprehensive resource for the scientific community.
We welcome contributions that showcase recent advancements in microdroplet-directed evolution, including novel approaches for droplet generation, improved selection strategies, and innovative techniques for detecting phenotypic changes. Additionally, we encourage authors to share their troubleshooting experiences, offering valuable insights into the optimization of this powerful technique. Through collaboration and knowledge exchange, we aspire to propel the field of directed evolution forward, unlocking its full potential for diverse applications in bioengineering, biotechnology, and beyond.
Conflict of Interest:
Steven Bishoff is an inventor on various patents and patent applications that describe gene editing and genome engineering technologies and bioreagents including the use of engineered DNA polymerases generated via emulsion PCR and directed evolution for genotyping of genetically modified animal models and cell lines. Also is the founder of NovoHelix, and a co-founder of the Foundry for Genome Engineering and Reproductive Medicine (FGERM).
Jimmy Gollihar has filed and granted patent applications for methods using emulsion-based directed evolution platforms and proteins derived from them.
Roberto Laos is an inventor in patents related to DNA polymerases and has filed a patent for fluids that can be used in directed evolution. Also is the founder of Panamerican Biolabs, a LLC company that seeks to commercialize DNA polymerases and fluids needed for directed evolution platforms.
Keywords: Directed evolution, phenotype-genotype, microfluidics, emulsions, compartmentalization
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