Ultrahigh-Throughput Screening of an Artificial Metalloenzyme using Double Emulsions

The potential for ultrahigh-throughput compartmentalization renders droplet microfluidics an attractive tool for the directed evolution of enzymes. Importantly, it ensures maintenance of the phenotype-genotype linkage, enabling reliable identification of improved mutants. Herein, we report an approach for ultrahigh-throughput screening of an artificial metalloenzyme in double emulsion droplets (DEs) using commercially available fluorescence-activated cell sorters (FACS). This protocol was validated by screening a 400 double-mutant streptavidin library for ruthenium-catalyzed deallylation of an alloc-protected aminocoumarin. The most active variants, identified by next-generation sequencing, were in good agreement with hits obtained using a 96-well plate procedure. These findings pave the way for the systematic implementation of FACS for the directed evolution of (artificial) enzymes and will significantly expand the accessibility of ultrahigh-throughput DE screening protocols.

Automated summary

Droplet microfluidics has great potential for ultrahigh-throughput compartmentalization, making it an attractive tool for directed enzyme evolution. In this study, we developed an approach for ultrahigh-throughput screening of an artificial metalloenzyme using commercially available fluorescence-activated cell sorters. The protocol was validated by screening a large library and the results showed good agreement with a traditional screening method. This finding opens up new possibilities for the directed evolution of enzymes using FACS.