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Related Experiment Videos

Exploring sequence space in search of functional enzymes using microfluidic droplets.

Philip Mair1, Fabrice Gielen2, Florian Hollfelder1

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK.

Current Opinion in Chemical Biology
|April 9, 2017
PubMed
Summary

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Microfluidic screening of enzyme mutants in picoliter compartments offers a faster, cheaper method for enzyme discovery. This advanced technique enables the development of novel catalysts for diverse chemical transformations.

Area of Science:

  • Biotechnology
  • Enzyme Engineering
  • Microfluidics

Background:

  • Microfluidic devices enable high-throughput screening of enzyme mutants in picoliter compartments at kilohertz speeds.
  • Established workflows now integrate microfluidic modules for quantitative assessment of reaction progress, leading to improved enzyme variants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the maturation of microfluidic screening for enzyme engineering.
  • To showcase its advantages over traditional methods in terms of speed, cost, and problem-solving capabilities.
  • To emphasize the potential for discovering new catalysts for natural and non-natural chemical reactions.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing monodisperse picoliter compartments generated at kilohertz speeds within microfluidic devices.
  • Employing integrated workflows combining existing microfluidic modules for quantitative assays.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Screening libraries of randomized proteins and enzymes from metagenomic sources.

    • Main Results:

    • Demonstrated that microfluidic screening is faster and more cost-effective than conventional methods.
    • Showcased the ability of this approach to address challenges beyond the scope of current methodologies.
    • Established new assay formats for enzymes including hydrolases, aldolases, polymerases, and dehydrogenases.

    Conclusions:

    • Microfluidic screening in picoliter compartments is a powerful and emerging technology for enzyme discovery and engineering.
    • This approach accelerates the identification of improved enzymes and expands the scope of accessible chemical transformations.
    • Further development of assays will unlock the exploration of sequence space for novel biocatalyst design.