Immune Cells Speed the Evolution of Novel Proteins

摘要

Evolution isn't known for its quick work. In recent years, researchers have come up with numerous ways to give it a kick in order to evolve proteins with new functions. But most of these techniques are painfully slow, taking as long as a month to go through a single round of evolution. The immune cells of vertebrates long ago perfected a faster approach, which they use to generate the myriad antibody proteins that fight off infections. Now a team of California researchers has coaxed immune cells to apply their skill to other proteins, an ability that could speed the development of novel proteins for studies from catalysis to cell biology. "It's very elegant work," says David Liu, a protein evolution expert at Harvard University.