Topic: Biology

Researchers developed a new way to create proteins that can change state and perform simple calculations. This breakthrough could lead to new medical treatments and industrial applications.

Evolution is the process by which living organisms adapt to their environment. Scientists have been using this process to improve proteins, like enzymes and antibodies, for various purposes. However, traditional methods had a limitation: they only rewarded proteins that remained highly active all the time. This didn't reflect how real biological systems work, where proteins often change state in response to different conditions.

To overcome this challenge, researchers at EPFL's Laboratory of the Physics of Biological Systems developed a new approach called 'optovolution.' They used light to guide the evolution of proteins that can perform dynamic functions and even carry out simple computational tasks. This study was published in Cell and helps bring directed evolution closer to how cells naturally operate.

The researchers used yeast cells, which are widely used in brewing and scientific research, to test their system. They redesigned the cell cycle so that cell division depended on the behavior of the protein being evolved. The protein needed to switch cleanly between active and inactive states for the cell to survive. If the protein remained on or off for too long, the yeast cell would stall or die.

The scientists used light to control this process with precision. They delivered timed pulses of light that forced the protein to alternate between states. Each yeast cell cycle lasts about 90 minutes, creating a rapid pass or fail test of whether the protein switched at the correct moment. Proteins that performed best allowed the cell to survive and reproduce, while poorly switching variants were eliminated.

This approach allowed optovolution to automatically select proteins with better dynamic behavior without manual screening or repeated adjustments. The team evolved several different types of proteins using this method, including a commonly used light-controlled transcription factor.

Why It Matters

This breakthrough could lead to new medical treatments and industrial applications. For example, it may help develop more effective enzymes for laundry detergents or improve the production of antibodies for medicine.

Key Facts

• Scientists developed a new approach called 'optovolution' to create proteins that can change state and perform simple calculations.
• The researchers used yeast cells to test their system, which allowed them to select proteins with better dynamic behavior.
• Optovolution uses light to control the evolution of proteins, allowing for rapid selection of the best variants.
• This approach has potential applications in medicine and industry, such as developing more effective enzymes or improving antibody production.

Key Terms

Directed Evolution

A process that uses natural selection to improve proteins.

Implications

This breakthrough could lead to new medical treatments and industrial applications. For example, it may help develop more effective enzymes for laundry detergents or improve the production of antibodies for medicine.