Directed evolution of enzymes for biocatalytic applications

Directed molecular evolution is a rapidly growing field revolutionizing the development of biocatalysts with improved properties. This review describe s methods to create mutant libraries and assays for rapid screening or sele ction of desired variants. Selected examples emphasizing the evolution of e nzymes for applications in biocatalysis show that it is possible to alter s ubstrate specificity, modulate enantio selectivity and increase enzyme perf ormance under process conditions.