Droplet-Based Microfluidics: a Tool for Evolutionary Biology
Event details
| Date | 21.05.2013 |
| Hour | 10:15 › 11:15 |
| Speaker |
Matteo Bellucci, Ph.D. Bio: Matteo Bellucci performed his pre-doctoral training (2006) at the Laboratory of Structural Biology, Dep. Agro-Environmental Science and Technology, University of Bologna (Italy). Here, he characterized the metal-binding activity of a nickel-dependent transcriptional regulator from Helicobacter pylori. His PhD work (2007-2010) was than dedicated to elucidate a network of protein-protein interactions in the context of urease enzime from the same bacterium, using microcalorimetry (ITC, Isothermal Titration Calorimetry), NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. On September 2010, he moved to Barcelona (Spain) at the “Gene Function and Evolution Group” at CRG, where he coupled experimental work with computational methods to develop catRAPID, an algorithm to predict RNA-protein associations, specifically those involving long noncoding transcripts. In 2012, he joined the Protein Maturation, Cell Fate and Therapeutics group at the CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette (France). Here, he elucidated the ribosome-binding mode of co-translational modifying enzymes, by coupling cross-linking, mass spectrometry and site-directed mutagenesis. In February 2013, he joined Laboratory of Biochemistry at ESPCI ParisTech led by Prof. A. Griffiths. He is currently involved in directed evolution based research, by using droplet microfluidics to screen HIV envelope protein variants featuring enhanced stability and increased neutralizing susceptibility. |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Droplet-based microfluidic systems use monodisperse aqueous droplets dispersed in a continuous oil phase as independent bio-compatible microreactors for ultrahigh-throughput chemical or biological assays. These droplets have pL to nL volumes, one thousand to one million times smaller than microtitre plate wells, and can be made and manipulated at kHz frequencies: a range of on-chip droplet manipulations such as mixing, splitting, fusing, injecting, incubating and sorting have been developed to allow further automation. This miniaturized technology has developed into a powerful tool for a number of applications including synthesis of small molecules or particles, screening of small molecule libraries, targeted sequencing, digital PCR and directed evolution of enzymes.
In particular, directed evolution is a Darwinian approach in which iterative rounds of mutations and selection in the laboratory are used to rapidly evolve novel proteins with tailor-made activities adapted to the desired therapeutic or industrial application. This strategy mimics the process of evolution that takes place in nature by mutagenesis, recombination and survival of the fittest, through a selection for the desired properties of the protein variants encoded by the mutated genes. The combination of directed evolution and ultrahigh-throughput droplet-based microfluidic systems proved particularly effective to select/screen proteins with enhanced features (e.g. catalytic efficiency, thermostability, etc.) whilst maintaining proper folding and functionality.
In particular, directed evolution is a Darwinian approach in which iterative rounds of mutations and selection in the laboratory are used to rapidly evolve novel proteins with tailor-made activities adapted to the desired therapeutic or industrial application. This strategy mimics the process of evolution that takes place in nature by mutagenesis, recombination and survival of the fittest, through a selection for the desired properties of the protein variants encoded by the mutated genes. The combination of directed evolution and ultrahigh-throughput droplet-based microfluidic systems proved particularly effective to select/screen proteins with enhanced features (e.g. catalytic efficiency, thermostability, etc.) whilst maintaining proper folding and functionality.