Directed evolution

Directed evolution (DE) is a method used in <a href="/facts/Protein_engineering/veRAR1SF">protein engineering</a> that mimics the process of <a href="/facts/Natural_selection/JXTte6en">natural selection</a> to steer <a href="/facts/Proteins/Jxmagu3E">proteins</a> or <a href="/facts/Nucleic_acid/2tTgcI0v">nucleic acids</a> toward a user-defined goal. It consists of subjecting a <a href="/facts/Gene/e1swwPY6">gene</a> to iterative rounds of <a href="/facts/Mutagenesis/kQtI5zT1">mutagenesis</a> (creating a library of variants), selection (expressing those variants and isolating members with the desired function) and amplification (generating a template for the next round). It can be performed <a href="/facts/In_vivo/kWcWyl6f">in vivo</a> (in living organisms), or <a href="/facts/In_vitro/evp3hAX6">in vitro</a> (in cells or free in solution). Directed evolution is used both for <a href="/facts/Protein_engineering/veRAR1SF">protein engineering</a> as an alternative to <a href="/facts/Rational_design/NbpkpmJJ">rationally designing</a> modified proteins, as well as for <a href="/facts/Experimental_evolution/Ijr15GCu">experimental evolution</a> studies of fundamental <a href="/facts/Evolution/Hj0qAaBk">evolutionary principles</a> in a controlled, laboratory environment.

Directed evolution open-in-new

Directed evolution