DIRECTED EVOLUTION OF ENZYMES BY PLASMID TAGGING IN DROPLETS

1 . A method for the selection of an enzyme capable of modifying a nucleic acid, wherein the method is not dependent on the complete replication of the enzyme-encoding gene, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a parent nucleic acid encoding an enzyme of interest, wherein the parent nucleic acid provides the gene sequence of the enzyme of interest, and wherein the parent nucleic acid is provided in a host cell;

(b) providing conditions to induce the host cell to produce the enzyme of interest;

(c) following production of the enzyme of interest by the host cell, compartmentalizing the host cell, such that the compartment comprises the parent nucleic acid together with the enzyme encoded by the parent nucleic acid;

(d) providing conditions to cleave at least one strand of the parent nucleic acid to provide at least one free 3′ end and at least one free 5′ end;

(e) providing conditions such that the at least one free 3′ end or the at least one free 5′ end of the parent nucleic acid is modified by the enzyme of interest to yield a modified parent nucleic acid comprises a molecular tag; and

(f) isolating the modified parent nucleic acid.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the enzyme of interest is a DNA polymerase or a DNA ligase.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the enzyme of interest is a DNA polymerase.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the DNA polymerase is a class Y polymerase.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the class Y polymerase is DPO4.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the conditions to cleave the at least one free 3′ end or the at least one free 5′ end of the parent nucleic acid comprise exposing the parent nucleic acid to a restriction endonuclease.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the restriction endonuclease is a nickase.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the nickase is Nt.BspQ1.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the conditions to cleave the at least one free 3′ end or the at least one free 5′ end of the parent nucleic acid linearizes the parent nucleic acid.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the modified nucleic acid comprises XNTPs.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the host cell is a bacterial cell.

12 . A convertible parental expression plasmid for conducting directed evolution of enzymes by plasmid tagging in droplets (DEEPid) comprising at least one recognition sequence for at least one nickase enzyme.

13 . The convertible parental expression plasmid of claim 11 , comprising two recognition sequences for at least one nickase enzyme.

14 . The convertible parental expression plasmid of claim 12 , wherein the two recognition sequences are on opposite strands of the plasmid.

15 . The convertible parental expression plasmid of claim 13 , wherein the two recognition sequences are separated by from around 4 to around 20 nucleotides.

16 . The convertible parental expression plasmid of claim 13 , wherein the two recognition sequences are separated by at least one challenge sequence.