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Updated: Oct 8, 2025
06:03
Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat
Published on: September 20, 2016
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Systematic molecular evolution enables robust biomolecule discovery
Erika A DeBenedictis1,2, Emma J Chory3,4,5,6, Dana W Gretton3
1Media Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA. erika.alden@mit.edu.
Nature Methods
|December 31, 2021
Summary
We developed a robotic system for high-throughput biomolecular evolution, revealing that environmental changes and chance reproducibly alter evolutionary outcomes. This enhances protein engineering reliability and enables systematic analysis of evolutionary factors.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Laboratory evolution is crucial for engineering proteins and RNA.
- Experimental limitations hinder reproducible exploration of evolutionary factors like population diversity and environmental change timing.
- Understanding these factors is key to advancing biomolecular engineering.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a high-throughput system for comprehensive biomolecular evolution studies.
- To investigate the impact of environmental change timing and chance on evolutionary trajectories.
- To improve the reliability and systematic analysis of protein and RNA engineering.
Main Methods:
- Developed a robotic system: phage- and robotics-assisted near-continuous evolution (PRANCE).
- Implemented automated feedback control for real-time selection stringency adjustment.
- Performed high-throughput phage-assisted continuous evolution on three distinct biomolecules.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated that evolutionary outcomes are reproducibly altered by random chance.
- Showed that the historical pattern of environmental changes significantly impacts evolution.
- Validated the system's ability to explore evolutionary dynamics comprehensively.
Conclusions:
- PRANCE system enhances the reliability of protein and RNA engineering.
- Enables systematic analysis of historical, environmental, and random factors in biomolecular evolution.
- Advances the understanding and application of directed evolution in biotechnology.
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