As well as being required for some of the core techniques of molecular biology, reverse transcriptase (RT) enzymes have played a key role in synthetic genetics by enabling synthesis, replication, and evolution of xeno-nucleic acids (XNAs). However, for most XNA chemistries, no RT enzymes are available or existing enzymes have low activity. Philipp Holliger’s group, in the LMB’s PNAC Division, have developed a new directed evolution method to improve RT activity for any nucleic acid chemistry and discovered a new group of optimal RT enzymes.
Click here for original story, A new directed evolution technique to unlock the potential of xeno-nucleic acids
Source: Phys.org