TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY: Thermostable GlowTag (YFAST)

The Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists behind this invention developed a new way to make enzymes tougher so they can survive and work well at high temperatures. They used a heat-loving microorganism called Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius as a testing ground and created a modified version of a fluorogenic protein called YFAST that glows only when it folds correctly. The modified version called hsFAST is stable under heat and by attaching this glowing tag to other enzymes, we can quickly see which ones are working and stable just by checking if they glow.

The Challenge:

The enzyme engineering industry faces significant challenges, particularly in developing enzymes that can function reliably at high temperatures, which are common in industrial processes such as biofuel production, waste degradation and chemical manufacturing. Most available enzymes come from mesophilic organisms that degrade and become non-functional under heat, while naturally thermostable enzymes from thermophiles are rare, difficult to work with and limited in diversity. Additionally, current screening methods for identifying heat-resistant enzymes are slow, error-prone and produce many false positives, making the development process inefficient.

How it Works:

This innovation introduces a novel high-throughput screening platform that uses a thermophilic organism (Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius) combined with a specially engineered thermostable fluorogenic reporter protein (hsFAST). This system enables scalable selection of enzyme variants that remain stable and functional at elevated temperatures. By allowing mesophilic enzymes to be re-engineered for high-heat environments, reducing reliance on cold storage, and streamlining the screening process with direct fluorescence-based selection, this technology overcomes key bottlenecks in enzyme development and opens the door to more robust, cost-effective and versatile enzymes for industrial and environmental applications.

Key Advantages:

• Enables rapid, high-throughput screening at high temperatures.
• Introduces a thermostable fluorogenic reporter that provides an optical response that correlates to the quantity of the protein it is fused to.
• Improves screening accuracy by using direct selection rather than elimination-based methods, reducing false positives.
• Expands access to thermostable enzymes by allowing common mesophilic enzymes to be engineered for heat resistance.
• Allows for screening and optimization of proteins from thermophilic sources.
• Reduces storage and operational costs by producing enzymes that remain stable without refrigeration.

Market Applications:

• Biofuels
• Waste Management
• Chemical and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
• Food and Beverage Processing
• Textiles and Detergents

Development Status:  TRL 2-3

U.S. Non-provisional Patent pending 19/284504

LA-UR-25-32018

LANL Tech Partnerships: Unlock the Innovative Potential

Los Alamos National Laboratory offers a wide range of cutting-edge technologies and capabilities that may provide your company with a competitive edge in the market and unlock the innovative potential that can enhance, refine, and revolutionize your products.

LANL’s licensing program focuses on moving inventions developed by our researchers to commercial innovations. Patented and patent pending inventions and copyrighted software are available to existing and start-up companies through exclusive and non-exclusive licensing agreements. For specific discussions, please contact licensing@lanl.gov.

Note: This is not a call for external services for the development of this technology.

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