Title:Machine-learning-guided Directed Evolution for AAV Capsid Engineering
Volume: 30
Issue: 11
Author(s): Xianrong Fu, Hairui Suo*, Jiachen Zhang and Dongmei Chen
Affiliation:
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
Keywords:
Gene therapy, vector, adeno-associated virus, capsid, directed evolution, machine learning.
Abstract: Target gene delivery is crucial to gene therapy. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) has emerged as a primary
gene therapy vector due to its broad host range, long-term expression, and low pathogenicity. However,
AAV vectors have some limitations, such as immunogenicity and insufficient targeting. Designing or modifying
capsids is a potential method of improving the efficacy of gene delivery, but hindered by weak biological
basis of AAV, complexity of the capsids, and limitations of current screening methods. Artificial intelligence
(AI), especially machine learning (ML), has great potential to accelerate and improve the optimization of capsid
properties as well as decrease their development time and manufacturing costs. This review introduces the
traditional methods of designing AAV capsids and the general steps of building a sequence-function ML model,
highlights the applications of ML in the development workflow, and summarizes its advantages and challenges.