Enzymes are naturally occurring biocatalysts that have been applied in creative ways within the biotechnology sector. Some of these include the manufacture of chemicals such as antibiotics and biofuels, detoxification of harmful pollutants, preparation of foods and drinks, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, synthesis and sequencing of DNA, genetic modification of organisms, labelling of proteins, and even the development of novel drugs.

One powerful application of enzymes is their use in high-throughput analytical tools for evaluating biological components and systems. As we proceed with ever-growing vigour into the translational era of science, an important strategy from a methodological standpoint is to devise new or improve old analytical approaches that increase sample throughput and decrease sample run-times without adversely compromising the sensitivity, accuracy, consistency and reliability of the data. In this regard, enzyme-based techniques are likely to be pivotal for the development of biotechnological innovations.

For this Research Topic, we are seeking articles which describe or discuss enzyme-based analytical tools for the purpose of assessing biological functionality. The analytical tools should be high-throughput and permit the study of particular aspects of biology, either in a qualitative or quantitative fashion. Of course, a key part of developing such tools is to also be able to source or synthesize the desired enzymes with the required activity. Therefore, articles that present findings on new enzyme sequences, or even the detailed characterization of enzymes will also be considered. Examples of studies that would fall within this article call include enzyme-coupled assays for the kinetic evaluation and engineering of enzymes, kinetic and structural characterization of enzymes, ORFeome collections, tag-labeling for fluorescence imaging of proteins, or even bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET)/ time-resolved fluorescence energy transfer (TR-FRET) for studying protein interactions. This research topic will showcase the latest developments and the current thinking relating to the use of enzymes in high-throughput analytical tools.

Keywords: high-throughput, assay, enzymes, biotechnology, food, drink, biofuel, discovery, drugs, textile, antibiotic, chemical, disease, treatment, diagnosis, wastewater, genetic, modification, synthesis, sequencing, DNA, paper, cosmetics, fragrance, bioremediation, detoxification, biomanufacturing

Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.