Article
History & Philosophy Of Science
Tarja Knuuttila, Rami Koskinen
Summary: The study focuses on two cases from synthetic biology that can be seen as concrete fictions, emphasizing their relative existence. Before their realizations, minimal cells and alternative genetic systems were not well-defined objects, and subsequent experimental work has enriched these initially schematic imaginings. It is uncertain whether individual members of these heterogeneous groups of functional synthetic constructs will eventually become fully realizable, partially realizable, or impossible.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Emma J. Chory, Dana W. Gretton, Erika A. DeBenedictis, Kevin M. Esvelt
Summary: Researchers have developed Pyhamilton, an open-source Python platform for executing complex pipetting patterns required for high-throughput experiments. By integrating a plate reader, they were able to maintain nearly 500 remotely monitored bacterial cultures in log-phase growth without the need for user intervention. Using this technology, they successfully optimized bioreactor protein production and comprehensively sampled the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus fitness landscape.
MOLECULAR SYSTEMS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Aravind Madhavan, K. B. Arun, Parameswaran Binod, Ranjna Sirohi, Ayon Tarafdar, R. Reshmy, Mukesh Kumar Awasthi, Raveendran Sindhu
Summary: Enzyme engineering plays a crucial role in improving the efficiency and stability of enzymes in industrial processes. Protein engineers focus on studying the design and application of enzyme engineering to tailor industrially important enzymes for versatile production of biochemicals.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Aditya K. Padhi, Timir Tripathi
Summary: Dimerization of SARS-CoV-2 main protease is essential for its activity, and mutations in the dimeric interface may further stabilize it. Through protein design strategies, potential mutations that can stabilize the protein have been identified in the circulating SARS-CoV-2 genomes, providing insights into viral adaptation and mutational surveillance.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rui Feng, Chuan Zhang, Michael C. Gao, Zongrui Pei, Fan Zhang, Yan Chen, Dong Ma, Ke An, Jonathan D. Poplawsky, Lizhi Ouyang, Yang Ren, Jeffrey A. Hawk, Michael Widom, Peter K. Liaw
Summary: The study introduces a high-throughput computational method to design precipitation-strengthened lightweight high-entropy alloys for elevated-temperature applications. By integrating experimental and theoretical understanding, the accuracy of the thermodynamic database is improved, accelerating the discovery of advanced structural materials. This approach proves to be efficient and useful in screening promising high-entropy alloys for high-temperature applications.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ahmad Rafsanjani
Summary: Researchers demonstrate a 3D-printed millirobot made of multifunctional metamaterials.
Editorial Material
Chemistry, Physical
Li Tao, Shuangyin Wang
Summary: The researchers discovered a process for selectively extracting precious metals from waste products and ore using simple photo-catalytic oxidation without the use of strong acids or toxic cyanide.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mutsuko Kukimoto-Niino, Mikako Shirouzu, Tesshi Yamada
Summary: TNIK is a promising therapeutic target for colorectal cancer due to its role in regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In this study, structural insights into TNIK inhibitors targeting the ATP-binding site are presented.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jan Bohning, Tanmay A. M. Bharat
Summary: The review discusses new advances in electron cryotomography to address throughput and technical problems, focusing on solutions for sample thinning, improving data collection speed, strategies for target localisation, and advancements in resolution. These advances will significantly decrease the time and effort required for cryo-ET and sub-tomogram averaging.
PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Dorota Kubacka, Mateusz Kozarski, Marek R. Baranowski, Radoslaw Wojcik, Joanna Panecka-Hofman, Dominika Strzelecka, Jerome Basquin, Jacek Jemielity, Joanna Kowalska
Summary: This study aimed to develop molecular tools for advanced studies on the cellular role of cytosolic nucleotidase cN-IIIB. Through substrate and inhibitor property profiling of a library of 41 substrate analogs, several 7-benzylguanosine 5'-monophosphate derivatives were identified as potent, unhydrolyzable inhibitors of cN-IIIB. The inhibitory mechanism was elucidated using X-ray crystallography and molecular docking, and it was demonstrated that these compounds can inhibit m(7)GMP decay in cell lysates.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Youngtaek Kim, Jihoon Ko, Nari Shin, Seonghyuk Park, Seung-Ryeol Lee, Suryong Kim, Jiyoung Song, Seokjun Lee, Kyung-Sun Kang, Jeeyun Lee, Noo Li Jeon
Summary: The All-in-One IMPACT is a scalable and highly reproducible in vitro tumor microenvironment platform that integrates vascularized tumor spheroids for high-throughput experimentation. It allows for the formation of self-assembled cell spheroids on a chip, as well as the patterning of spheroids in three dimensions along the culture channel. This device has been successfully used with patient-derived cancer cells and various cancer cell lines to study combination therapies and establish anticancer treatment strategies.
BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Valerie Campanacci, Agathe Urvoas, Liza Ammar Khodja, Magali Aumont-Nicaise, Magali Noiray, Sylvie Lachkar, Patrick A. Curmi, Philippe Minard, Benoit Gigant
Summary: The study demonstrates the binding of CPAP's PN2-3 domain with tubulin and the similarity in binding mode with fungal and bacterial inhibitors. This finding uncovers the characteristic features of cellular partners binding to this site and highlights the structural convergence of CPAP with small-molecule inhibitors.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jian Liu, Shicao Zhao, Bowen Duan, Xudong He, Chunming Yang, Xuemei Pu, Xinben Zhang, Yonghao Xiao, Fude Nie, Wen Qian, Geng Li, Chaoyang Zhang
Summary: This study proposes a high-throughput design method that accelerates the autonomous design of novel energetic molecules through accurate prediction and efficient screening. The research utilizes quantum chemistry and machine learning models, and develops an easy-to-use platform that integrates multiple methods and models to achieve high-throughput design of energetic molecules.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yu Gan, Naihua Miao, Penghua Lan, Jian Zhou, Stephen R. Elliott, Zhimei Sun
Summary: In this study, we propose a robust design strategy for novel crystalline solids based on group-theory classification and high-throughput computation, which has successfully led to the discovery of new optoelectronic semiconductors. This design strategy offers a promising way to search for unknown high-performance functional materials.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Timothy Notton, Joshua J. Glazier, Victoria R. Saykally, Cassandra E. Thompson, Leor S. Weinberger
Summary: The method introduced comprehensively maps viral cis and trans elements at single-nucleotide resolution through high-throughput random deletion, identifying essential elements in HIV and Zika virus. It provides a versatile framework for generating viral deletion mutants, aiding in the discovery of replication mechanisms and development of novel antiviral therapeutics for emerging viral infections.
