New Algorithm Enhances Enzyme Performance by Exploiting Evolutionary History

A new enzyme engineering method uses evolutionary data to enhance enzyme performance, promising significant advances in health care and industrial applications.
Researchers have developed a prototype for a new method to “rationally engineer” enzymes for enhanced performance. They created an algorithm that considers the evolutionary history of enzymes to identify potential sites for mutations that are likely to enhance functionality.

Their work – published in leading journal Nature Communications – could have significant, wide-ranging impacts across a suite of industries, from food production to human health.