Ultrahigh-Throughput Directed Evolution of Polymer-Degrading Enzymes Using Yeast Display.

Enzymes that degrade synthetic polymers have attracted intense interest for eco-friendly plastic recycling. However, because enzymes did not evolve for the cleavage of abiotic polymers, directed evolution strategies are needed to enhance activity for plastic degradation. Previous directed evolution efforts relied on polymer degradation assays that were limited to screening ∼10 mutants.

Switchable DNA Catalysts for Proximity Labeling at Sites of Protein-Protein Interactions.

Proximity labeling (PL) has emerged as a powerful approach to elucidate proteomes within a defined radius around a protein of interest (POI). In PL, a catalyst is attached to the POI and tags nearby endogenous proteins, which are then isolated by affinity purification and identified by mass spectrometry. Although existing PL methods have yielded numerous biological insights, proteomes with greater spatial resolution could be obtained if PL catalysts could be activated at more specific subcellular locations, such as sites where both the POI and a chemical stimulus are present or sites of protein-protein interactions (PPIs).

Switchable DNA Photocatalysts for Radical Polymerization Controlled by Chemical Stimuli.

Polymerization catalysts that activate in response to specific chemical triggers offer spatial and temporal control over polymer synthesis, facilitating the development of responsive materials and custom polymer coatings. However, existing catalysts switch their activity through mechanisms that are not generalizable to chemically diverse stimuli. To approach the level of control exhibited in biological polymer synthesis, switchable polymerization catalysts need to be configurable for activation in response to diverse chemical stimuli.