Strategizing the search for bio-utility: A framework for evolution-integrated in silico bioprospecting

Naturally evolved biological innovations could help solve many of humanity's most pressing challenges. However, our ability to discover them is bottlenecked. Only a small portion of the world’s biodiversity has been sampled, and even less has been characterized. Approaches that can identify useful biology at scale are needed. A comprehensive accounting of evolutionary history may be the key. Structuring biological data through an evolutionary lens enhances analytical capabilities, predictive power, and generative potential. It can also be our guide, telling us where in the tree of life we should look next. Here, we provide a framework for searching for bio-utility, outline aspects of biological variation that hint at utility, and discuss multiple ways to integrate evolution into the ongoing search for bio-utility.