Speeding up biomolecular evolution
Scientists at Harvard University have harnessed the prowess of fast-replicating bacterial viruses, also known as phages, to accelerate the evolution of biomolecules in the laboratory. The work, reported in the journal Nature, could ultimately allow the tailoring of custom pharmaceuticals and research tools from lab-grown proteins, nucleic acids, and other such compounds. The researchers, led by Professor David R. Liu, say that their approach — dubbed “phage-assisted continuous evolution,” or PACE — is roughly 100 times faster than conventional laboratory evolution, and far less labor-intensive for scientists. “Most modern drugs are based on small organic molecules, but biological macromolecules may be better suited as pharmaceuticals in some cases,” said Liu, a professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Harvard and an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. “Our work provides a new solution to one of the key challenges in the use of macromolecules as research tools or human therapeutics: how...