Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have revolutionized enzyme engineering by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with automated robotics and synthetic biology. Led by Professor Huimin Zhao, the team improved the performance of two key industrial enzymes and developed a streamlined process for enhancing various others. Enzymes, critical in numerous applications including energy production and therapeutics, face limitations in efficiency and specificity. The innovative approach allows researchers to utilize AI to predict beneficial mutations, significantly narrowing down potential enzyme variations for testing. By coupling AI with the iBioFoundry’s automated systems, the team can swiftly design, produce, and evaluate enzyme variants, aiming for a self-driving lab experience. Notably, one enzyme saw a 26-fold activity increase, while another displayed 16-fold greater activity and 90-fold substrate preference. With plans to further refine AI and enhance user accessibility, this breakthrough holds promise for advancing drug development and innovations across multiple industries.
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