Kristen Van Gelder

Rethinking suicide Thi4 thiazole synthases: comparative genomic insights and pilot functional evidence

This paper investigates suicide Thi4 thiazole synthases, showing genomic evidence suggesting non-suicidal function and supporting this with functional experiments in E. coli.

Mirages in continuous directed enzyme evolution: A cautionary case study with plantized bacterial THI4 enzymes

The paper shows that synonymous mutations, not nonsynonymous ones, drove growth improvements in bacterial THI4 enzymes adapted for plant use through continuous directed evolution.

Directed evolution of aerotolerance in sulfide-dependent thiazole synthases

This study improves the aerotolerance and activity of sulfide-dependent THI4 enzymes through directed evolution in yeast, identifying beneficial mutations that enhance their performance under aerobic conditions.

Using Continuous Directed Evolution to Improve Enzymes for Plant Applications

The paper describes a method to improve enzymes for plant applications using continuous directed evolution in yeast, demonstrating its effectiveness with a bacterial thiamin synthesis enzyme.