The 'evolvability' of promiscuous protein functions

Amir Aharoni, Leonid Gaidukov, Olga Khersonsky, Stephen Mc Q. Gould, Cintia Roodveldt, Dan S. Tawfik

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

686 Scopus citations

Abstract

How proteins with new functions (e.g., drug or antibiotic resistance or degradation of man-made chemicals) evolve in a matter of months or years is still unclear. This ability is dependent on the induction of new phenotypic traits by a small number of mutations (plasticity). But mutations often have deleterious effects on functions that are essential for survival. How are these seemingly conflicting demands met at the single-protein level? Results from directed laboratory evolution experiments indicate that the evolution of a new function is driven by mutations that have little effect on the native function but large effects on the promiscuous functions that serve as starting point. Thus, an evolving protein can initially acquire increased fitness for a new function without losing its original function. Gene duplication and the divergence of a completely new protein may then follow.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)73-76
Number of pages4
JournalNature Genetics
Volume37
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2005
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Genetics

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