Enzyme Engineering Services
Enzyme Activity Screening and Optimization
Measure catalytic function across enzyme libraries, rank hits, and iteratively improve activity, selectivity, and stability under application-relevant conditions.
What This Service Covers
Enzyme activity screening measures the catalytic function of enzymes or enzyme libraries using substrate-based assays, commonly in high-throughput formats such as microplates or droplet microfluidics. Optimization then proceeds through iterative rounds of assay development, screening, and validation to improve enzyme activity, selectivity, or stability.
This service is built for teams that already have candidate enzymes, panels, or libraries and need quantitative evidence of how those catalysts behave under defined conditions. Rather than treating screening as a single measurement, we structure engagement as a cycle: define the reaction and readout, screen the relevant diversity, confirm hits, then characterize the variants that matter for your application.
Activity Screening
Substrate-based assays are configured to detect and quantify catalytic function across enzyme panels or libraries, with readouts matched to the chemistry of the target reaction.
- Microplate and droplet-based high-throughput formats
- Assay design aligned to substrate and detection chemistry
- Controls and replicates built into screening runs
Variant Optimization
Iterative rounds of screening and validation are used to improve activity, selectivity, or stability, with directed evolution or rational design applied as the project requires.
- Library construction or sourcing as scoped
- Iterative screening rounds with hit ranking
- Validation of improved variants
Kinetic Profiling
Confirmed hits are characterized for kinetic behavior and substrate preference so that improvements can be interpreted against your intended application conditions.
- Kinetic parameters such as Km and kcat
- Substrate specificity and selectivity assessment
- Comparative profiling of variants
Screening Formats and Readouts
Screening format is selected to match library size, assay chemistry, and the level of kinetic detail required. Plate-based workflows support straightforward quantitative comparison across panels and variants, while droplet microfluidics enables ultrahigh-throughput screening of large libraries with reduced reagent consumption.
Detection strategy is equally important. Fluorescence-based readouts are widely used, and absorbance-activated droplet sorting has extended droplet screening to enzyme families that are not readily addressed by fluorescence alone. Where quantitative kinetic characterization is the goal, array-based and plate-based approaches can be combined to balance throughput and depth.
| Format | Typical Use | Readout Options | Project Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microplate screening | Panels, focused libraries, and variant comparison | Absorbance, fluorescence, coupled assays | Plate count and replicate depth scoped per project |
| Droplet microfluidics | Large libraries requiring ultrahigh-throughput screening | Fluorescence-activated and absorbance-activated sorting | Library size and sorting strategy scoped per project |
| Array-based kinetics | Quantitative kinetic characterization of variants | Time-lapse imaging of fluorogenic substrates | Variant number and substrate panel scoped per project |
| Biosensor-linked screening | Genotype-phenotype linkage in engineered libraries | Genetically encoded or proximity-labeling readouts | Assay configuration scoped per project |
How Engagement Works
Projects move from assay definition through screening to validated, characterized variants. Each stage produces decision-ready data so that the next round of optimization is grounded in measured performance rather than assumption.
Assay Design and Optimization
We define the target reaction, substrate, detection chemistry, and control strategy, then optimize the assay for reproducibility and signal window before screening begins.
Library Construction or Sourcing
Enzyme libraries or panels are constructed or sourced according to the project design, whether the starting point is a defined variant set, a mutagenesis library, or an existing collection.
High-Throughput Screening
Libraries are screened under controlled conditions in microplate or droplet-based formats, with hit identification and ranking based on the assay readout and predefined thresholds.
Hit Validation and Characterization
Candidate hits are re-tested to confirm activity, then characterized for substrate specificity, selectivity, and kinetic parameters such as Km and kcat.
What Makes This Different
Screening and optimization are treated as one connected workflow rather than separate services. Assay design decisions are made with the downstream optimization goal in view, and characterization data feeds directly back into the next round of variant selection.
The result is a project structure that keeps measurement, interpretation, and iteration aligned, so that reported improvements are traceable to defined assay conditions and comparable across variants.
Screening to Optimization
Assay development, screening, hit validation, and iterative optimization are coordinated within a single project so that data from one stage informs the next.
- Assay design aligned to optimization goals
- Consistent conditions across screening rounds
- Characterization data feeding variant selection
Format and Readout Choice
Format is selected against library size and required kinetic detail, allowing projects to balance throughput against the depth of characterization needed.
- Microplate and droplet-based options
- Fluorescence and absorbance readouts
- Coupled assays where the target reaction requires them
Kinetics and Selectivity
Confirmed hits are profiled for kinetic behavior and substrate preference, supporting decisions about which variants merit further development.
- Km and kcat determination for validated variants
- Substrate specificity and selectivity assessment
- Comparative ranking across candidate enzymes
Service Scope
Scope is defined case by case after consultation. The table below describes the parameters that can be customized; the specific combination is agreed in the project statement of work.
| Parameter | Typical Project Scope | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enzyme source | Recombinant enzymes, microbial enzymes, panels, or project-supplied libraries | Starting material and format confirmed during consultation | Project SOW |
| Library construction | Constructed or sourced as scoped, depending on starting diversity | Mutagenesis or sourcing strategy agreed per project | Project SOW |
| Screening format | Microplate or droplet-based, selected against library size | Readout chemistry matched to the target reaction | Project SOW |
| Screening depth | Screening depth and replicate structure scoped per project | Thresholds for hit calling agreed in advance | Project SOW |
| Validation | Re-testing and confirmation of candidate hits | Validation depth scoped per project | Project SOW |
| Characterization | Kinetic parameters, substrate specificity, and selectivity profiling | Substrate panel and assay conditions scoped per project | Project SOW |
| Optimization rounds | Iterative screening rounds with directed evolution or rational design | Number of rounds determined by project goals | Project SOW |
| Reporting | Screening data, hit lists, and characterization results | Data format and delivery agreed per project | Project SOW |
Deliverables and Data
Deliverables are structured so that screening results can be reviewed, compared, and carried into the next stage of development. The exact package is scoped per project, and the table below describes the deliverable types typically included.
| Deliverable | Description | Format | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screening data | Assay readouts for screened enzymes or variants under defined conditions | Tabular data with assay conditions documented | Scoped per project |
| Hit list | Ranked candidates identified against agreed thresholds | Ranked table with supporting measurements | Scoped per project |
| Validated variants | Confirmed hits re-tested and characterized for activity | Variant records with validation data | Scoped per project |
| Kinetic parameters | Km, kcat, and related kinetic values for validated variants | Kinetic summary tables | Scoped per project |
| Specificity profile | Substrate specificity and selectivity assessment across the tested panel | Comparative profile tables | Scoped per project |
| Optimization summary | Summary of iterative rounds and observed changes in variant performance | Written summary with supporting data | Scoped per project |
Applications and Fit
This service supports teams working on enzyme performance for industrial and environmental applications, including enzymes intended for polymer or waste degradation, where activity and stability under relevant conditions are central concerns.
It is also applicable to research groups that need quantitative screening and kinetic characterization of enzyme variants, and to programs that require a structured path from candidate identification to validated, improved enzymes.
Industrial Enzyme Development
Supports programs seeking enzymes with improved activity or stability for use under process-relevant conditions.
- Screening under defined reaction conditions
- Comparative ranking of candidate enzymes
- Iterative improvement of selected variants
Degradation and Waste Applications
Relevant to programs evaluating enzymes for degradation of target substrates, where measured activity against the intended substrate is the key decision input.
- Substrate-based activity measurement
- Specificity assessment against target substrates
- Validation of candidate enzymes
Research and Discovery
Provides screening and kinetic characterization support for research groups studying enzyme function, variants, or engineered libraries.
- High-throughput screening of libraries
- Kinetic characterization of variants
- Data suitable for comparative analysis
Assay Development and Controls
Assay quality determines what screening data can support. Before a library is screened, the assay is developed and optimized for the target reaction, with attention to signal window, reproducibility, and the control structure needed to distinguish genuine activity from background.
Where the target reaction is not directly detectable, coupled assays can be configured so that the readout reflects the enzyme activity of interest. Detection strategy is chosen to match the enzyme family and substrate chemistry, and the same assay conditions are maintained across screening rounds so that variant comparisons remain meaningful.
Working With Our Team
Engagement begins with a consultation to define the target reaction, the starting enzyme material, and the decision the screening data needs to support. From there, assay design, screening format, and characterization depth are agreed before work begins.
Projects are supported by a named scientific contact from project start, with milestone review calls and email response within one business day. Scope changes, additional screening rounds, and expanded characterization are handled through the project statement of work.
FAQ
What is the difference between enzyme activity screening and directed evolution?
Enzyme activity screening measures the catalytic function of enzymes or libraries using substrate-based assays and identifies which candidates are active under defined conditions. Directed evolution is one optimization strategy that can follow screening, using iterative rounds of library generation and selection to improve a variant. In this service, screening is the measurement framework and directed evolution or rational design is applied when further improvement is required.
Can you screen enzymes for which no assay exists yet?
Assay development is part of the workflow. We define the target reaction, substrate, and detection chemistry, then optimize the assay for reproducibility and signal window before screening. Where the reaction is not directly detectable, coupled assays can be configured so the readout reflects the activity of interest. Feasibility is confirmed during consultation based on the specific enzyme and substrate.
What kinetic information do you provide for validated variants?
Validated hits are characterized for kinetic behavior, including parameters such as Km and kcat, along with substrate specificity and selectivity assessment across the tested panel. The substrate panel and assay conditions are scoped per project, and results are reported with the conditions under which they were generated so that values can be compared across variants.
How is screening format chosen for a project?
Format is selected against library size, assay chemistry, and the level of kinetic detail required. Microplate screening supports quantitative comparison across panels and focused libraries, while droplet microfluidics enables ultrahigh-throughput screening of large libraries with reduced reagent consumption. Detection options include fluorescence-based readouts and absorbance-activated droplet sorting, which extends droplet screening to enzyme families not readily addressed by fluorescence alone.
How is project scope determined?
Scope is defined case by case after consultation. Parameters such as enzyme source, library construction or sourcing, screening format and depth, validation depth, characterization panel, and the number of optimization rounds are agreed in the project statement of work. This allows the workflow to be matched to your starting material and the decision the data needs to support.
References
- Wang K, Zhang Z, Hang J, et al. Microbial-host-isozyme analyses reveal microbial DPP4 as a potential antidiabetic target. Science (New York, N.Y.). 2023;381(6657):eadd5787. View on PubMed
- Hengoju S, Tovar M, Man DKW, et al. Droplet Microfluidics for Microbial Biotechnology. Advances in biochemical engineering/biotechnology. 2022;179:129-157. View on PubMed
- Woo SG, Kim SK, Oh BR, et al. Genetically Encoded Biosensor-Based Screening for Directed Bacteriophage T4 Lysozyme Evolution. International journal of molecular sciences. 2020;21(22). View on PubMed
- Heiniger M, Vanella R, Walsh-Korb Z, et al. Functionalized Polysaccharides Improve Sensitivity of Tyramide/Peroxidase Proximity Labeling Assays through Electrostatic Interactions. ACS biomaterials science & engineering. 2024;10(9):5869-5880. View on PubMed
Discuss Your Enzyme Screening Project
Share your target reaction, starting enzyme material, and the decision your screening data needs to support. We will outline an assay and screening approach scoped to your project.