Physics-based modeling in the new era of enzyme engineering.

Enzyme engineering is entering a new era characterized by the integration of computational strategies. While bioinformatics and artificial intelligence methods have been extensively applied to accelerate the screening of function-enhancing mutants, physics-based modeling methods, such as molecular mechanics and quantum mechanics, are essential complements in many objectives. In this Perspective, we highlight how physics-based modeling will help the field of computational enzyme engineering reach its full potential by exploring current developments, unmet challenges and emerging opportunities for tool development.