. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2021 Jun 22.

Published in final edited form as: Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2020 Jan 22;22(12):6492–6506. doi: 10.1039/c9cp05912a

Table 1. Typical features of selection methods.

The values features listed below represent estimates for the most common protocols for each selection method. Some deviations from those estimates are possible.

	Cell-based selections^a	In vitro selections
		Ribosome display	mRNA display
Library diversity	10⁶–10⁹	~10¹³	~10¹³
Genotype-phenotype connection	Non-covalent	Non-covalent	Covalent
Type of protein	Cell-compatible only	Any	Any
Temperature range	±5°C^b	~4°C	0–100°C
Buffer conditions	Must be compatible with cell or phage integrity	High Mg²⁺, low T; must be compatible with ternary complex	Generally tolerant as long as compatible with chemical integrity of protein and RNA

Selection parameters and conditions are limited to ensure compatibility with cell survival.

Optimum temperature depends on the type of cell used. Phages may tolerate wider temperature ranges.