Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sebastian Kruth, Cindy J. -M. Zimmermann, Katharina Kuhr, Wolf Hiller, Stephan Luetz, Joerg Pietruszka, Marcel Kaiser, Markus Nett
Summary: In this study, it was found that the natural product aurachin D not only has activity against the causative agent of malaria, but also inhibits other parasitic protozoa. While it has limited effects on Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, it shows strong killing effects on T. cruzi and Leishmania donovani at low concentrations. The IC50 values of aurachin D are even lower than the reference drugs benznidazole and miltefosine.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rongkang Gao, Feng Liu, Wenfeng Liu, Silue Zeng, Jingqin Chen, Ruru Gao, Liang Wang, Chihua Fang, Liang Song, Adam C. Sedgwick, Jonathan L. Sessler, Jun Chu, Fei Yan, Chengbo Liu
Summary: This study developed a tumor-targeting delivery system using tumor-homing bacteria as carriers to deliver genetically encoded photochromic probes to the tumor area in order to eliminate background signals in photoacoustic imaging. The system integrated a genetically encoded reporter protein, photoacoustic imaging, and synthetic biology to achieve background-suppressed tumor-targeted imaging in deep-seated tissues, enabling more sensitive, accurate, and specific cancer diagnoses.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jianfeng Mei, Xia Wu, Sujing Zheng, Yu Yi, Xudong Wang, Guoqing Ying
Summary: Bilirubin, a valuable Chinese medicine, is currently produced from pig bile, but due to raw material shortage, its price has increased. This study explores the use of biotransformation to produce bilirubin using recombinant E. coli expressing biliverdin reductase. With optimized conditions, the conversion yield reached 72.3%. This provides a potential alternative process for bilirubin production.
BIOPROCESS AND BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ting-Ting Zhu, Li-Jiao Tian, Sheng-Song Yu, Han-Qing Yu
Summary: The study discovered the significance of the Cd(II) efflux system in the biotransformation of Cd ions and selenite through engineered Escherichia coli strains. Suppressing the Cd(II) efflux system led to increased accumulation of Cd ions and higher production of CdSxSe1_x quantum dots (QDs), which exhibited similar viability to wild type cells and had potential applications in bio-imaging.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anuwatchakij Klamrak, Jaran Nabnueangsap, Ploenthip Puthongking, Natsajee Nualkaew
Summary: 4-Hydroxycoumarin (4HC) has been used as a lead compound for synthesizing various bioactive substances and drugs. Through genetic engineering, E. coli was used as an in vivo prenylation system to produce farnesyl derivatives of 4HC, including the identification of ferulenol. This study suggests the engineered pathway has potential for synthesizing farnesylated-4HC derivatives.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nicola Pellicciotta, Matteo Paoluzzi, Dario Buonomo, Giacomo Frangipane, Luca Angelani, Roberto Di Leonardo
Summary: By modulating bacterial motility with light, researchers have found a way to control the transport direction and speed of microscopic particles by adjusting the active pressure gradients. This discovery provides new insights into the potential use of active pressure for controlled transport of microscopic objects.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Cristina Povedano-Priego, Fadwa Jroundi, Pier L. Solari, Isabel Guerra-Tschuschke, Maria del Mar Abad-Ortega, Alexander Link, Ramiro Vilchez-Vargas, Mohamed L. Merroun
Summary: In this study, the impact of bentonite microbial communities on the allotropic transformation of Se(IV) bioreduction products under DGR relevant conditions was investigated. Moreover, the Se amendment-dependent shifts in the bentonite microbial populations were assessed. The results showed that the bentonite color changed from orange to black after selenite treatment, and the allotropic changes of Se bioreduction products were tracked using analytical techniques. The distribution of strains involved in Se(IV) reduction and Se(0) allotropic biotransformation potential was identified.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Y. Nancharaiah, M. Sarvajith
Summary: The study showed that aerobic granular sludge (AGS) can efficiently remove selenite and tellurite, as well as COD, nitrogen, and phosphorus simultaneously. It also demonstrated that AGS can effectively remove ammonia, total nitrogen, and phosphorus stably in the presence of toxic Se-IV and Te-IV concentrations.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yurou Liu, Xiaoqiang Ma, Hong Liang, Gregory Stephanopoulos, Kang Zhou
Summary: Monoterpenoids are a large family of natural products used in various industries, with microbial biosynthesis showing promise as an alternative source. However, challenges such as production efficiency and limitations of microbial hosts need to be addressed for commercialization.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MICROBIOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Andrew Yiakoumetti, Erik K. R. Hanko, Yutong Zou, Jeremy Chua, Jakub Chromy, Ruth A. Stoney, Kris Nino G. Valdehuesa, Jack A. Connolly, Cunyu Yan, Katherine A. Hollywood, Eriko Takano, Rainer Breitling
Summary: Flavones and flavonols are important classes of flavonoids. This study successfully produced various flavones and flavonols in E.coli using a rapid prototyping platform, with the highest titers reaching 128 mg L-1 and 151 mg L-1.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pedro Farias, Romeu Francisco, Paula Morais
Summary: This study characterized bacteria isolated from high metal-content mining residues that are able to resist/reduce tellurite and produce tellurium deposits. Most tellurite resistance genes were found in strains from Bacillales.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Guohui Li, Dixuan Huang, Li Wang, Yu Deng
Summary: The study established an effective platform for putrescine production through engineered Escherichia coli, achieving high-efficiency production of putrescine in a short period of time. Compared with the original strain, the putrescine production efficiency was significantly improved.
BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Biology
Yoshimi Kinoshita, Ryo Murakami, Nao Muto, Shintaroh Kubo, Ryo Iizuka, Sotaro Uemura
Summary: RNA helicases are enzymes that unwind double-stranded RNA using ATP hydrolysis energy and are involved in various RNA-related processes. The study focuses on Vasa, a RNA helicase in Bombyx mori, which plays a crucial role in dissociating RNA and amplifying piRNA. Single-molecule imaging shows that Vasa oligomerization guides the regulation of dissociation efficiency.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Olivia Dwijayanti Wiguna, Diana Elizabeth Waturangi, Yogiara
Summary: This study found that DW-EC bacteriophage isolated from Indonesian traditional food has inhibitory and destructive effects on the biofilms of pathogenic E. coli, and its activity is significantly higher than that against B. cereus. This indicates that DW-EC bacteriophage has the potential to be used as an anti-biofilm candidate for polystyrene and stainless steel equipment in the food industry.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Lindsey Dzierozynski, Jessica Queen, Cynthia L. Sears
Summary: This commentary discusses the influence of host genetics on the microbiome and highlights the need for mechanistic experimental studies to understand the interplay between host genes and the microbiome.
CELL HOST & MICROBE
(2023)