Optovolution: Teaching Proteins to Think Like Computers (EP. 31)

Optovolution: Teaching Proteins to Think Like Computers (EP. 31)

Hosted by Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhary, this episode is a deep dive into a new synthetic-biology breakthrough out of EPFL: OptoEvolution. The big idea is simple but powerful — traditional directed evolution is great at making proteins that are always “on,” but biology is full of proteins that need to switch states, respond to stimuli, and behave more like logic gates than static tools. This paper takes directed evolution and couples it to light and the cell cycle, creating a new way to evolve dynamic proteins that can toggle, compute, and respond with far more control.

Summary

  • Why directed evolution needed an upgrade — classic methods select for proteins with continuous function, not proteins that toggle between active and inactive states.
  • OptoEvolution — using light as a control signal and the cell cycle as a built-in oscillator to evolve proteins that must turn on and off to survive.
  • Color-multiplexed biology — engineering proteins to respond to different wavelengths of light, opening the door to finer control of gene expression.
  • Single-protein logic gates — proof-of-concept AND-gate behavior inside a single protein, hinting at a future where biology can be programmed with much more software-like precision.

Support the show
Donate: FFPod.com/donate
Follow: @FFPod on X / Instagram / TikTok / Facebook


Show Notes

  • OptoEvolution / dynamic protein control (Cell)

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(63)

Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2026 Explained: Mirror Molecules (EP 63)

Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2026 Explained: Mirror Molecules (EP 63)

Why does life favor one molecular mirror image? The 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry honors Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai for nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.Lester Na...

7 Loka 1h 20min

Nobel Prize in Physics 2026 Explained: IceCube & Neutrinos (EP 62)

Nobel Prize in Physics 2026 Explained: IceCube & Neutrinos (EP 62)

Why build a telescope inside a billion tons of Antarctic ice? The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics recognizes Francis Halzen's work on IceCube and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos from the cosmos.In ...

6 Loka 1h 2min

Nobel Prize in Medicine 2026 Explained: Optogenetics (EP 61)

Nobel Prize in Medicine 2026 Explained: Optogenetics (EP 61)

How do you prove what a brain cell actually does? The 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine celebrates a remarkable answer: give cells a light-sensitive protein, then switch their activity on or off with light...

5 Loka 1h 11min

2026 Nobel Prize Predictions: Medicine, Physics & Chemistry (EP 60)

2026 Nobel Prize Predictions: Medicine, Physics & Chemistry (EP 60)

Who could win the 2026 Nobel Prizes? From the science behind Ozempic to quantum interference and droplets inside living cells, Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhary make their picks for Medicine, Physics ...

3 Loka 40min

Golden Goose Awards 2026: The Science Behind the Winners (Part 1) (EP 59)

Golden Goose Awards 2026: The Science Behind the Winners (Part 1) (EP 59)

What connects a noise complaint, holiday lights seen from space, and the physics of a coffee stain? Three unexpected paths from basic research to discoveries with real-world impact.Krishna Choudhary a...

29 Syys 2h 7min

What OpenAI Actually Did to Navier-Stokes (EP 58)

What OpenAI Actually Did to Navier-Stokes (EP 58)

What does it mean to solve an equation that describes almost every fluid around us, from the air over a wing to the water swirling down a drain?In Episode 58 of From First Principles, Lester Nare and ...

24 Syys 4h 9min

What’s Next in Science? Nobel Prizes, Space Missions & More (EP 57)

What’s Next in Science? Nobel Prizes, Space Missions & More (EP 57)

What science should you be watching this fall? From Nobel Prize season to NASA’s Roman Space Telescope, Mars’ moons and Mercury, Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhary take a relaxed tour of the discoverie...

14 Syys 1h 3min

The Yak Mutation That Could Help Repair the Brain (EP 56)

The Yak Mutation That Could Help Repair the Brain (EP 56)

What can a yak living thousands of meters above sea level teach us about repairing the human brain?In Episode 56 of From First Principles, Lester Nare and Krishna Choudhary break down a new Neuron pap...

7 Syys 1h 35min

Suosittua kategoriassa Tiede

tiedekulma-podcast
rss-mita-tulisi-tietaa
utelias-mieli
rss-duodecim-lehti
rss-hereilla
docemilia
rss-kasvikutsut
rss-radplus
rss-normaalivinouma
rss-vaasan-yliopiston-podcastit
rss-poliisin-mieli