Directed Evolution

Evolution -- A process by which organisms become more suited to their environment. This occurs due to incorporation of random mutations in the genome which makes the particular organism "fitter". -- Darwin

Evolution is due to random mutations that occur in nature...or is it?

In 2009 University of Science and technology China iGEM team designed a system which allows directed evolution. This system allows the incorporation of a mutant gene and gets the desired product as the output. The system is designed such that that if the mutated gene gets expressed then the cell would live by suppressing ccdB and if the mutated gene does not get expressed then the cell would die as a result of ccdB production.

Fun fact: most of the registry reporters (fluorescent proteins such as RFP, GFP etc) are designed via directed evolution. This team just gave a new system which allows directed evolution.

For more information on the design of the system click here.

Himika