Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 10, 2026

16:02
Demonstration of the Sequence Alignment to Predict Across Species Susceptibility Tool for Rapid Assessment of Protein Conservation
Published on: February 10, 2023
3.5K
Sequence Display enables large-scale sequence-activity datasets for rapid protein evolution
Linqi Cheng1, Xinzhe Zheng1, Shiyu Jason Jiang1
1Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
Nature Biotechnology
|April 8, 2026
Summary
Sequence Display is a new platform for rapidly generating protein sequence-activity data. This accelerates the discovery of engineered proteins with novel functions for biological and medical applications.
Area of Science:
- Protein engineering
- Synthetic biology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Protein engineering is complex, often requiring extensive screening.
- Mapping sequence-function relationships is crucial for protein design.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce Sequence Display, a platform for high-throughput protein sequence-activity dataset generation.
- To demonstrate the platform's utility in mapping protein activity landscapes.
Main Methods:
- Sequence Display enables multiplexed assessment of individual variant activity in a single experiment.
- Generated datasets for cytosine deaminase, uracil glycosylase inhibitor, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, and Cas9 nuclease.
- Integrated Sequence Display data with protein language models.
Main Results:
- Successfully mapped detailed sequence-function relationships for multiple proteins.
- Discovered Cas9 variants with altered protospacer-adjacent motif recognition.
- Evolved aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase variants for noncanonical amino acid recognition.
Conclusions:
- Sequence Display is a powerful tool for accelerating protein engineering.
- Enables rapid discovery of optimized proteins for diverse applications.
Related Concept Videos
Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons
7.3K
Genome comparison is one of the excellent ways to interpret the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The basic principle of genome comparison is that if two species share a common feature, it is likely encoded by the DNA sequence conserved between both species. The advent of genome sequencing technologies in the late 20th century enabled scientists to understand the concept of conservation of domains between species and helped them to deduce evolutionary relationships across diverse...
7.3K
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?
8.4K
The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
In contrast, regions which code...
In contrast, regions which code...
8.4K
Protein Networks
4.7K
An organism can have thousands of different proteins, and these proteins must cooperate to ensure the health of an organism. Proteins bind to other proteins and form complexes to carry out their functions. Many proteins interact with multiple other proteins creating a complex network of protein interactions.
These interactions can be represented through maps depicting protein-protein interaction networks, represented as nodes and edges. Nodes are circles that are representative of a protein,...
These interactions can be represented through maps depicting protein-protein interaction networks, represented as nodes and edges. Nodes are circles that are representative of a protein,...
4.7K
Conservation of Protein Domains Over Different Proteins
15.1K
Protein domains are small structurally independent units that are part of a single amino acid chain. Although these domains are often structurally independent, they may rely on synergistic effects to perform their functions as part of a larger protein. Protein domains may be conserved within the same organism, as well as across different organisms.
A limited set of protein domains often duplicate and recombine during evolution. These domains can be organized in different combinations to...
A limited set of protein domains often duplicate and recombine during evolution. These domains can be organized in different combinations to...
15.1K

