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Updated: Aug 1, 2026

Engineering and Evolution of Synthetic Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) Gene Therapy Vectors via DNA Family Shuffling
Published on: April 2, 2012
DNA shuffling and vaccines
R G Whalen1, R Kaiwar, N W Soong
1Maxygen Inc, 515 Galveston Drive, Redwood City, CA 94063, USA. robert.whalen@maxygen.com
Abstract:
One challenge of biotechnology is to find ways to optimize enzymes, cytokines, vaccines or transgenes in new contexts that are typically not found in nature. The approach of DNA shuffling is a test-tube process that takes advantage of recombination to generate libraries of chimeric genes, which can then be screened to identify the encoded proteins improved in one or more functions. DNA shuffling of two or more genes that are structurally similar and homologous in function is particularly efficacious in generating large libraries of functionally novel molecules. Other directed evolution methods, such as those involving directed or random mutagenesis, have several limitations compared to the DNA shuffling recombination process. A wide variety of genes have been submitted to DNA shuffling, and significant improvements in various functional parameters have been obtained. Several examples of the application of DNA shuffling to vaccine development, therapeutics and gene therapy are discussed here.
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