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Yang J, Li FZ, Arnold FH. Opportunities and Challenges for Machine Learning-Assisted Enzyme Engineering. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2024; 10:226-241. [PMID: 38435522 PMCID: PMC10906252 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.3c01275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Enzymes can be engineered at the level of their amino acid sequences to optimize key properties such as expression, stability, substrate range, and catalytic efficiency-or even to unlock new catalytic activities not found in nature. Because the search space of possible proteins is vast, enzyme engineering usually involves discovering an enzyme starting point that has some level of the desired activity followed by directed evolution to improve its "fitness" for a desired application. Recently, machine learning (ML) has emerged as a powerful tool to complement this empirical process. ML models can contribute to (1) starting point discovery by functional annotation of known protein sequences or generating novel protein sequences with desired functions and (2) navigating protein fitness landscapes for fitness optimization by learning mappings between protein sequences and their associated fitness values. In this Outlook, we explain how ML complements enzyme engineering and discuss its future potential to unlock improved engineering outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Yang
- Division
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California
Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Francesca-Zhoufan Li
- Division
of Biology and Biological Engineering, California
Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Frances H. Arnold
- Division
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California
Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
- Division
of Biology and Biological Engineering, California
Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
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2
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Sigg A, Klimacek M, Nidetzky B. Pushing the boundaries of phosphorylase cascade reaction for cellobiose production I: Kinetic model development. Biotechnol Bioeng 2024; 121:580-592. [PMID: 37983971 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
One-pot cascade reactions of coupled disaccharide phosphorylases enable an efficient transglycosylation via intermediary α-d-glucose 1-phosphate (G1P). Such transformations have promising applications in the production of carbohydrate commodities, including the disaccharide cellobiose for food and feed use. Several studies have shown sucrose and cellobiose phosphorylase for cellobiose synthesis from sucrose, but the boundaries on transformation efficiency that result from kinetic and thermodynamic characteristics of the individual enzyme reactions are not known. Here, we assessed in a step-by-step systematic fashion the practical requirements of a kinetic model to describe cellobiose production at industrially relevant substrate concentrations of up to 600 mM sucrose and glucose each. Mechanistic initial-rate models of the two-substrate reactions of sucrose phosphorylase (sucrose + phosphate → G1P + fructose) and cellobiose phosphorylase (G1P + glucose → cellobiose + phosphate) were needed and additionally required expansion by terms of glucose inhibition, in particular a distinctive two-site glucose substrate inhibition of the cellobiose phosphorylase (from Cellulumonas uda). Combined with mass action terms accounting for the approach to equilibrium, the kinetic model gave an excellent fit and a robust prediction of the full reaction time courses for a wide range of enzyme activities as well as substrate concentrations, including the variable substoichiometric concentration of phosphate. The model thus provides the essential engineering tool to disentangle the highly interrelated factors of conversion efficiency in the coupled enzyme reaction; and it establishes the necessary basis of window of operation calculations for targeted optimizations toward different process tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Sigg
- Institute of Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering, Graz University of Technology, NAWI Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Mario Klimacek
- Institute of Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering, Graz University of Technology, NAWI Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Bernd Nidetzky
- Institute of Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering, Graz University of Technology, NAWI Graz, Graz, Austria
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology (ACIB), Graz, Austria
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3
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Ao YF, Dörr M, Menke MJ, Born S, Heuson E, Bornscheuer UT. Data-Driven Protein Engineering for Improving Catalytic Activity and Selectivity. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202300754. [PMID: 38029350 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Protein engineering is essential for altering the substrate scope, catalytic activity and selectivity of enzymes for applications in biocatalysis. However, traditional approaches, such as directed evolution and rational design, encounter the challenge in dealing with the experimental screening process of a large protein mutation space. Machine learning methods allow the approximation of protein fitness landscapes and the identification of catalytic patterns using limited experimental data, thus providing a new avenue to guide protein engineering campaigns. In this concept article, we review machine learning models that have been developed to assess enzyme-substrate-catalysis performance relationships aiming to improve enzymes through data-driven protein engineering. Furthermore, we prospect the future development of this field to provide additional strategies and tools for achieving desired activities and selectivities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Fei Ao
- Department of Biotechnology and Enzyme Catalysis, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Recognition and Function, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongguancun North First Street 2, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Road 19(A), Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Mark Dörr
- Department of Biotechnology and Enzyme Catalysis, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Marian J Menke
- Department of Biotechnology and Enzyme Catalysis, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Stefan Born
- Technische Universität Berlin, Chair of Bioprocess Engineering, Ackerstraße 76, 13355, Berlin, Germany
| | - Egon Heuson
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, Univ. Artois, UMR 8181 UCCS, Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Uwe T Bornscheuer
- Department of Biotechnology and Enzyme Catalysis, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
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4
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Xie WJ, Warshel A. Harnessing generative AI to decode enzyme catalysis and evolution for enhanced engineering. Natl Sci Rev 2023; 10:nwad331. [PMID: 38299119 PMCID: PMC10829072 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Enzymes, as paramount protein catalysts, occupy a central role in fostering remarkable progress across numerous fields. However, the intricacy of sequence-function relationships continues to obscure our grasp of enzyme behaviors and curtails our capabilities in rational enzyme engineering. Generative artificial intelligence (AI), known for its proficiency in handling intricate data distributions, holds the potential to offer novel perspectives in enzyme research. Generative models could discern elusive patterns within the vast sequence space and uncover new functional enzyme sequences. This review highlights the recent advancements in employing generative AI for enzyme sequence analysis. We delve into the impact of generative AI in predicting mutation effects on enzyme fitness, catalytic activity and stability, rationalizing the laboratory evolution of de novo enzymes, and decoding protein sequence semantics and their application in enzyme engineering. Notably, the prediction of catalytic activity and stability of enzymes using natural protein sequences serves as a vital link, indicating how enzyme catalysis shapes enzyme evolution. Overall, we foresee that the integration of generative AI into enzyme studies will remarkably enhance our knowledge of enzymes and expedite the creation of superior biocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Jun Xie
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Center for Natural Products, Drug Discovery and Development, Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Arieh Warshel
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
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5
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Prešern U, Goličnik M. Enzyme Databases in the Era of Omics and Artificial Intelligence. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16918. [PMID: 38069254 PMCID: PMC10707154 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Enzyme research is important for the development of various scientific fields such as medicine and biotechnology. Enzyme databases facilitate this research by providing a wide range of information relevant to research planning and data analysis. Over the years, various databases that cover different aspects of enzyme biology (e.g., kinetic parameters, enzyme occurrence, and reaction mechanisms) have been developed. Most of the databases are curated manually, which improves reliability of the information; however, such curation cannot keep pace with the exponential growth in published data. Lack of data standardization is another obstacle for data extraction and analysis. Improving machine readability of databases is especially important in the light of recent advances in deep learning algorithms that require big training datasets. This review provides information regarding the current state of enzyme databases, especially in relation to the ever-increasing amount of generated research data and recent advancements in artificial intelligence algorithms. Furthermore, it describes several enzyme databases, providing the reader with necessary information for their use.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marko Goličnik
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
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6
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Buller R, Lutz S, Kazlauskas RJ, Snajdrova R, Moore JC, Bornscheuer UT. From nature to industry: Harnessing enzymes for biocatalysis. Science 2023; 382:eadh8615. [PMID: 37995253 DOI: 10.1126/science.adh8615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Biocatalysis harnesses enzymes to make valuable products. This green technology is used in countless applications from bench scale to industrial production and allows practitioners to access complex organic molecules, often with fewer synthetic steps and reduced waste. The last decade has seen an explosion in the development of experimental and computational tools to tailor enzymatic properties, equipping enzyme engineers with the ability to create biocatalysts that perform reactions not present in nature. By using (chemo)-enzymatic synthesis routes or orchestrating intricate enzyme cascades, scientists can synthesize elaborate targets ranging from DNA and complex pharmaceuticals to starch made in vitro from CO2-derived methanol. In addition, new chemistries have emerged through the combination of biocatalysis with transition metal catalysis, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis. This review highlights recent key developments, identifies current limitations, and provides a future prospect for this rapidly developing technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Buller
- Competence Center for Biocatalysis, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, 8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - S Lutz
- Codexis Incorporated, Redwood City, CA 94063, USA
| | - R J Kazlauskas
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - R Snajdrova
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Global Discovery Chemistry, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - J C Moore
- MRL, Merck & Co., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA
| | - U T Bornscheuer
- Institute of Biochemistry, Dept. of Biotechnology and Enzyme Catalysis, Greifswald University, Greifswald, Germany
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7
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Markus B, C GC, Andreas K, Arkadij K, Stefan L, Gustav O, Elina S, Radka S. Accelerating Biocatalysis Discovery with Machine Learning: A Paradigm Shift in Enzyme Engineering, Discovery, and Design. ACS Catal 2023; 13:14454-14469. [PMID: 37942268 PMCID: PMC10629211 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.3c03417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Emerging computational tools promise to revolutionize protein engineering for biocatalytic applications and accelerate the development timelines previously needed to optimize an enzyme to its more efficient variant. For over a decade, the benefits of predictive algorithms have helped scientists and engineers navigate the complexity of functional protein sequence space. More recently, spurred by dramatic advances in underlying computational tools, the promise of faster, cheaper, and more accurate enzyme identification, characterization, and engineering has catapulted terms such as artificial intelligence and machine learning to the must-have vocabulary in the field. This Perspective aims to showcase the current status of applications in pharmaceutical industry and also to discuss and celebrate the innovative approaches in protein science by highlighting their potential in selected recent developments and offering thoughts on future opportunities for biocatalysis. It also critically assesses the technology's limitations, unanswered questions, and unmet challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Braun Markus
- Department
of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, Petersgasse 12/2, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Gruber Christian C
- Enzyme
and Drug Discovery, Innophore. 1700 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, California 94111, United States
| | - Krassnigg Andreas
- Enzyme
and Drug Discovery, Innophore. 1700 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, California 94111, United States
| | - Kummer Arkadij
- Moderna,
Inc., 200 Technology
Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Lutz Stefan
- Codexis
Inc., 200 Penobscot Drive, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Oberdorfer Gustav
- Department
of Biochemistry, Graz University of Technology, Petersgasse 12/2, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Siirola Elina
- Novartis
Institute for Biomedical Research, Global Discovery Chemistry, Basel CH-4108, Switzerland
| | - Snajdrova Radka
- Novartis
Institute for Biomedical Research, Global Discovery Chemistry, Basel CH-4108, Switzerland
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8
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Xie WJ, Warshel A. Harnessing Generative AI to Decode Enzyme Catalysis and Evolution for Enhanced Engineering. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.10.561808. [PMID: 37873334 PMCID: PMC10592750 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.10.561808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Enzymes, as paramount protein catalysts, occupy a central role in fostering remarkable progress across numerous fields. However, the intricacy of sequence-function relationships continues to obscure our grasp of enzyme behaviors and curtails our capabilities in rational enzyme engineering. Generative artificial intelligence (AI), known for its proficiency in handling intricate data distributions, holds the potential to offer novel perspectives in enzyme research. By applying generative models, we could discern elusive patterns within the vast sequence space and uncover new functional enzyme sequences. This review highlights the recent advancements in employing generative AI for enzyme sequence analysis. We delve into the impact of generative AI in predicting mutation effects on enzyme fitness, activity, and stability, rationalizing the laboratory evolution of de novo enzymes, decoding protein sequence semantics, and its applications in enzyme engineering. Notably, the prediction of enzyme activity and stability using natural enzyme sequences serves as a vital link, indicating how enzyme catalysis shapes enzyme evolution. Overall, we foresee that the integration of generative AI into enzyme studies will remarkably enhance our knowledge of enzymes and expedite the creation of superior biocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Jun Xie
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Departmet of Medicinal Chemistry, Center for Natural Products, Drug Discovery and Development (CNPD3), Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Arieh Warshel
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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9
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Barry CJ, Pillay CS, Rohwer JM. Modelling the Decamerisation Cycle of PRDX1 and the Inhibition-like Effect on Its Peroxidase Activity. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1707. [PMID: 37760010 PMCID: PMC10525498 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12091707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Peroxiredoxins play central roles in the detoxification of reactive oxygen species and have been modelled across multiple organisms using a variety of kinetic methods. However, the peroxiredoxin dimer-to-decamer transition has been underappreciated in these studies despite the 100-fold difference in activity between these forms. This is due to the lack of available kinetics and a theoretical framework for modelling this process. Using published isothermal titration calorimetry data, we obtained association and dissociation rate constants of 0.050 µM-4·s-1 and 0.055 s-1, respectively, for the dimer-decamer transition of human PRDX1. We developed an approach that greatly reduces the number of reactions and species needed to model the peroxiredoxin decamer oxidation cycle. Using these data, we simulated horse radish peroxidase competition and NADPH-oxidation linked assays and found that the dimer-decamer transition had an inhibition-like effect on peroxidase activity. Further, we incorporated this dimer-decamer topology and kinetics into a published and validated in vivo model of PRDX2 in the erythrocyte and found that it almost perfectly reconciled experimental and simulated responses of PRDX2 oxidation state to hydrogen peroxide insult. By accounting for the dimer-decamer transition of peroxiredoxins, we were able to resolve several discrepancies between experimental data and available kinetic models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Barry
- Laboratory for Molecular Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa;
| | - Ché S. Pillay
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa;
| | - Johann M. Rohwer
- Laboratory for Molecular Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa;
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10
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Gantz M, Neun S, Medcalf EJ, van Vliet LD, Hollfelder F. Ultrahigh-Throughput Enzyme Engineering and Discovery in In Vitro Compartments. Chem Rev 2023; 123:5571-5611. [PMID: 37126602 PMCID: PMC10176489 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Novel and improved biocatalysts are increasingly sourced from libraries via experimental screening. The success of such campaigns is crucially dependent on the number of candidates tested. Water-in-oil emulsion droplets can replace the classical test tube, to provide in vitro compartments as an alternative screening format, containing genotype and phenotype and enabling a readout of function. The scale-down to micrometer droplet diameters and picoliter volumes brings about a >107-fold volume reduction compared to 96-well-plate screening. Droplets made in automated microfluidic devices can be integrated into modular workflows to set up multistep screening protocols involving various detection modes to sort >107 variants a day with kHz frequencies. The repertoire of assays available for droplet screening covers all seven enzyme commission (EC) number classes, setting the stage for widespread use of droplet microfluidics in everyday biochemical experiments. We review the practicalities of adapting droplet screening for enzyme discovery and for detailed kinetic characterization. These new ways of working will not just accelerate discovery experiments currently limited by screening capacity but profoundly change the paradigms we can probe. By interfacing the results of ultrahigh-throughput droplet screening with next-generation sequencing and deep learning, strategies for directed evolution can be implemented, examined, and evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Gantz
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1GA, U.K
| | - Stefanie Neun
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1GA, U.K
| | - Elliot J Medcalf
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1GA, U.K
| | - Liisa D van Vliet
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1GA, U.K
| | - Florian Hollfelder
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1GA, U.K
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