Deep Mutational Scanning in Immunology: Techniques and Applications

Mutations may cause changes in the structure and function of immune-related proteins, thereby affecting the operation of the immune system. Deep mutational scanning combines saturation mutagenesis, functional selection, and high-throughput sequencing to evaluate the effects of mutations on a large scale and with high resolution. By systematically and comprehensively analyzing the impact of mutations on the functions of immune-related proteins, the immune response mechanism can be better understood. However, each stage in deep mutation scanning has its limits, and the approach remains constrained in several ways. These include data and selection biases that affect the robustness of effect estimates, insufficient library coverage and editability leading to uneven representation of sites and alleles, system-induced biased signals that deviate phenotypes from their true physiological state, and imperfect models and statistical processing that limit extrapolation capabilities. Therefore, this technology still needs further development. Herein, we summarize the principles and methods of deep mutational scanning and discuss its application in immunological research. The aim is to provide insights into the broader application prospects of deep mutational scanning technology in immunology.