Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tao Ding, Xiaokang Liu, Zhinan Tao, Tianyang Liu, Tao Chen, Wei Zhang, Xinyi Shen, Dong Liu, Sicong Wang, Beibei Pang, Dan Wu, Linlin Cao, Lan Wang, Tong Liu, Yafei Li, Hongting Sheng, Manzhou Zhu, Tao Yao
Summary: The study reports a novel strategy to develop atomically precise Ni-2 sites and demonstrates their efficient catalytic performance in the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction. The key O-Ni-2-N-6 structure significantly lowers the energy barrier for CO2 activation, leading to enhanced CO production with >94% Faradaic efficiency. The findings provide insights into the synergy mechanism of dinuclear catalysts and offer a bottom-up synthesis approach for efficient catalytic reactions.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Francisco Zaera
Summary: Catalysis in industrial chemical processes has long been studied through various spectroscopic techniques like vibrational and X-ray spectroscopies, allowing for a molecular-level understanding of catalytic mechanisms. These techniques help researchers explore the intricate details of catalytic processes and advancements in the field.
JOURNAL OF CATALYSIS
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Chi-Yen Tung, Yu-Ting Tseng, Tsai-Te Lu, Wen-Feng Liaw
Summary: Over the past two decades, extensive research has been conducted in the field of bioinorganic study of synthetic dinitrosyliron complexes (DNICs), encompassing synthetic methodology, spectroscopic discrimination, biological application of NO-delivery reactivity, and transformation of small molecules.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Weifeng Huang, Jianxin Kang, Tingwen Chen, Dawei Pang, Lihua Wang, Hang Wei, Changchun Yang, Dongfeng Zhang, Lin Guo
Summary: Nickel based magnetic nanocrystals have wide applications in magnetic and catalytic fields. Tunable magnetic properties of nickel can be achieved through non-magnetic doping or phase transformation. This study presents a way to control the magnetism of Au@Ni-carbide magnetic materials by adjusting the amount of carbon in the Ni layer, and provides solid evidence for the carbonation process from fcc-Ni to Ni X C instead of phase transformation to hcp-Ni. Further investigation reveals that the magnetism of the hybrids is mainly contributed from the residual fcc-Ni.
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Valery G. Vlasenko, Anatolii S. Burlov, Yurii V. Koshchienko, Alexandra A. Kolodina, Bogdan V. Chaltsev, Yan V. Zubavichus, Victor N. Khrustalev, Tatyana N. Danilenko, Alexander A. Zubenko, Leonid N. Fetisov, Alexander I. Klimenko
Summary: A series of new copper(II) complexes with Schiff bases were synthesized and characterized, and their antibacterial, protistocidal, and fungistatic activities were screened. The complexes were characterized by various methods and their crystal structures were studied.
INORGANICA CHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yogesh Kumar, S. Tripathi, Mangla Nand, R. Jangir, V. Srihari, A. Das, R. Singh, U. Deshpande, S. N. Jha, A. Arya
Summary: This study investigated the effect of Nd doping on the structural, optical, and electronic properties of lanthanum monazite structure. Pure and Nd-doped LaPO4 powders were prepared and analyzed for their composition, oxidation states, crystal structure, and bandgaps. The results confirmed the successful substitution of Nd in the LaPO4 matrix and provided insights into the local structure using extended X-ray absorption fine structure analysis.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Mauricio Lopez Luna, Janis Timoshenko, David Kordus, Clara Rettenmaier, See Wee Chee, Adam S. Hoffman, Simon R. Bare, Shamil Shaikhutdinov, Beatriz Roldan Cuenya
Summary: The study investigates the structural and chemical evolution of oxide-supported iron nanoparticles during the activation stages and the CO2 hydrogenation reaction, revealing the preferential formation of iron surface oxides under reaction conditions. The results highlight the important role played by the oxide support in the final structure and composition of nanosized catalysts.
Review
Chemistry, Physical
George E. Cutsail, Serena DeBeer
Summary: X-ray spectroscopy plays a significant role in catalysis research by providing essential electronic and geometric structural information. The development of dedicated synchrotron-based X-ray emission spectrometers has expanded experimental capabilities, offering more detailed data. There is a continuous demand for conventional XAS applications and the integration with more advanced techniques.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Deok-Yong Cho, Ki-jeong Kim, Kug-Seung Lee, Michael Lubben, Shaochuan Chen, Ilia Valov
Summary: Thin layers inserted between a metal electrode and a solid electrolyte can modify the transport of mass and charge at interfaces and affect electrode reactions. Incorporating C films in functional materials can alter the host's chemical properties and device functionalities. Using X-ray spectroscopies, it was found that inserting graphene or ultrathin amorphous C layers in a Ta2O5/Ta system can tune its chemical and electronic structures, thereby fundamentally changing the resistive switching functionalities.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Cafer Tufan Cakir, Tobias Piotrowiak, Uwe Reinholz, Alfred Ludwig, Franziska Emmerling, Christina Streli, Ana Guilherme Buzanich, Martin Radtke
Summary: In this study, the use of nondestructive, depth-resolved, element-specific characterization using grazing exit X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy (GE-XANES) is proposed to investigate the corrosion process in compositionally complex alloys (CCAs). The setup allows for scanning-free, nondestructive, depth-resolved analysis in a sub-micrometer depth range for layered materials. The findings demonstrate the potential of this approach for studying surface catalysis and corrosion processes in real-world materials.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ian Byrnes, Lisa Magdalena Rossbach, Jakub Jaroszewicz, Daniel Grolimund, Dario Ferreira Sanchez, Miguel A. Gomez-Gonzalez, Gert Nuyts, Estela Reinoso-Maset, Koen Janssens, Brit Salbu, Dag Anders Brede, Ole Christian Lind
Summary: Micro- and nanoscopic X-ray techniques were used to investigate the relationship between uranium tissue distributions and adverse effects on the digestive tract of Daphnia magna. The study showed that exposure to uranium nanoparticles (UNPs) resulted in adverse morphological changes to the midgut and hepatic ceca, as well as abnormal intestinal epithelial cells. High-resolution nano-XRF identified U particulates throughout the midgut and within hepatic ceca cells, coinciding with tissue damages. These findings highlight the importance of disrupted intestinal function as a mode of acute U toxicity in D. magna.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
N. Jourdain, L. Lecherbourg, V Recoules, P. Renaudin, F. Dorchies
Summary: The ultrafast dynamics of the loss of crystalline periodicity in femtosecond laser heated warm dense copper was studied using x-ray absorption near-edge structures above the L3 edge. A characteristic time of approximately 1 ps was observed for energy densities ranging from 1 to 5 MJ/kg, with the experimental data well reproduced by two-temperature hydrodynamic simulations, indicating a thermal phase transition.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ziyi Chen, Andrew G. Walsh, Xiao Wei, Manzhou Zhu, Peng Zhang
Summary: This study investigates the electronic properties of Ag-25(SR)(18) and Au-25(SR)(18) and develops a unique method to analyze the charge transfer behavior of nanoclusters. Experimental X-ray spectroscopy is used to demonstrate the bonding properties of silver nanoclusters, with the staple motif shown to have a significant impact on their electronic properties. The effective X-ray analysis techniques developed here provide new opportunities for the site-specific study of other nanoclusters.
Article
Physics, Applied
Juan-Jesus Velasco-Velez, Lorenz J. Falling, Denis Bernsmeier, Michael J. Sear, Pip C. J. Clark, Ting-Shan Chan, Eugen Stotz, Michael Haevecker, Ralph Kraehnert, Axel Knop-Gericke, Cheng-Hao Chuang, David E. Starr, Marco Favaro, Rik Mom
Summary: In situ x-ray spectroscopies are a powerful tool for studying the electronic structure of the electrode-electrolyte interface, but the design of spectro-electrochemical cells plays a crucial role in determining the measurements and processes that can be studied. It is important to choose the right cell design for the specific process of interest, and understanding the opportunities and limitations of different cell designs through case studies is essential for practical experiments.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS D-APPLIED PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Han-Wei Chang, Yu-Cheng Huang, Jeng-Lung Chen, Chi-Liang Chen, Jin-Ming Chen, Da-Hua Wei, Wu-Ching Chou, Chung-Li Dong, Yu-Chen Tsai
Summary: Electrochemistry and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) were used to evaluate the capacitive performance and electronic structure of MnO2/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) as a supercapacitor. The specific capacitance of MnO2/RGO increased with the growth time, and the contributions to the capacitance were from electrochemical double-layer capacitance and pseudocapacitance.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Okke Melse, Samuel Sutiono, Magdalena Haslbeck, Gerhard Schenk, Iris Antes, Volker Sieber
Summary: In this study, the functionality and activity relationships of FeS-dependent dehydratases were investigated in vitro and in silico, resulting in a proposed classification based on evolutionary relationships and substrate profiles. Key positions affecting specificity were identified through simulations and analyses, which were experimentally verified. This research provides guidance for further development of this important biocatalyst for industrial applications.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tenuun Bayaraa, Jose Gaete, Samuel Sutiono, Julia Kurz, Thierry Lonhienne, Jeffrey R. Harmer, Paul V. Bernhardt, Volker Sieber, Luke Guddat, Gerhard Schenk
Summary: There is an urgent need worldwide to develop novel therapeutics to combat antibiotic-resistant superbugs. Enzymes in the branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) biosynthesis pathway are attractive targets for the development of new antimicrobial drugs. Recent research has focused on dihydroxy-acid dehydratase (DHAD), the third enzyme in the BCAA biosynthesis pathway, which has shown catalytic activity in cell-free enzyme cascades. In this study, researchers characterized DHADs from two bacterial human pathogens and identified potential inhibitors that could be used as starting points for the development of new antimicrobial chemotherapeutics.
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Marion Ringel, Nicole Dimos, Stephanie Himpich, Martina Haack, Claudia Huber, Wolfgang Eisenreich, Gerhard Schenk, Bernhard Loll, Thomas Brueck
Summary: This study identified two novel terpene synthases from the wood rotting fungus Coniophora puteana, which can catalyze the production of a potentially new bioactive compound, (+)-delta-cadinol. Mutagenesis studies revealed that the catalytic cycle of these enzymes may involve different conformational changes, suggesting a more complex role of tertiary structure elements in terpene synthase reactions. These findings may contribute to the sustainable production of bioactive compounds and serve as a model system for further mechanistic studies of terpenoid catalysis.
MICROBIAL CELL FACTORIES
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Michael Paper, Matthias Glemser, Martina Haack, Jan Lorenzen, Norbert Mehlmer, Tobias Fuchs, Gerhard Schenk, Daniel Garbe, Dirk Weuster-Botz, Wolfgang Eisenreich, Michael Lakatos, Thomas B. Brueck
Summary: This study demonstrates that the marine chlorophyte Picochlorum sp. can efficiently grow under green light illumination and produce unknown pigments. Green light illumination can enhance biomass production and trigger the formation of new metabolites.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alessandro Satta, Lygie Esquirol, Birgitta E. Ebert, Janet Newman, Thomas S. Peat, Manuel Plan, Gerhard Schenk, Claudia E. Vickers
Summary: This study investigated the activity of short-chain prenyltransferases (SPTs) and terpenoid synthesis in cyanobacteria. Different model cyanobacteria were found to have different catalytic products of SPTs, one of which has a functional role in tocopherol biosynthesis. Understanding native prenyl phosphate metabolism in cyanobacteria is an important step in developing approaches to engineer the production of different chain-length terpenoids.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Thierry Lonhienne, Yan Cheng, Mario D. Garcia, Shu Hong Hu, Yu Shang Low, Gerhard Schenk, Craig M. Williams, Luke W. Guddat
Summary: Acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) is the target of more than 50 commercial herbicides, with many site-of-action resistance isolates identified in weeds. The mutations at P197 and W574 of AHAS can reduce the binding affinity of herbicides and abolish time-dependent accumulative inhibition. However, the bulky herbicide bispyribac is able to counteract the detrimental effects of these mutations, explaining the absence of site-of-action resistance to this herbicide.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Sarah Shah, Thierry Lonhienne, Cody-Ellen Murray, Yibi Chen, Katherine E. Dougan, Yu Shang Low, Craig M. Williams, Gerhard Schenk, Gimme H. Walter, Luke W. Guddat, Cheong Xin Chan
Summary: This study identified 12 common herbicide-target genes and their proteins from seven species of Weeds of National Significance in Australia using high-throughput genome sequencing. The study found high sequence conservation at the herbicide-target sites among the diverse weed species. Mutations observed in the proteins of fireweed and parthenium suggest resistance of these weeds to certain herbicides. These findings provide important insights for herbicide discovery and development.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Daniel J. Ellis, Edward D. Kerr, Gerhard Schenk, Benjamin L. Schulz
Summary: Fermented beverages are a global industry, currently dominated by Saccharomyces yeasts. However, consumer demands for alternative products with different sensory profiles and health benefits are increasing the use of non-Saccharomyces yeasts. These yeasts produce diverse secondary metabolites, leading to a variety of flavors and sensory characteristics in fermented beverages. This review explores the use of metabolomic analyses to study the impact of non-Saccharomyces yeasts on sensory characteristics, highlighting key species currently used and emphasizing the potential for their use in producing diverse fermented beverages.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Liam A. Wilson, Marcelo M. Pedroso, Rosely A. Peralta, Lawrence R. Gahan, Gerhard Schenk
Summary: Biomimetics have potential applications in biotechnology and medicine, and are often used as benchmarks for studying more complex biological systems. However, the catalytic efficiencies of synthetic systems are often inferior to their biological counterparts due to their smaller size and lower complexity. Nonetheless, artificial catalysts inspired by biology have been developed to mimic various chemical transformations. In this article, we discuss biomimetics of the metallohydrolase purple acid phosphatase (PAP) and the seminal contributions of Prof. Ademir Neves and his group in designing ligands that mimic the active site of PAP.
JOURNAL OF INORGANIC BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Gabriel Foley, Ariane Mora, Connie M. Ross, Scott Bottoms, Leander Sutzl, Marnie L. Lamprecht, Julian Zaugg, Alexandra Essebier, Brad Balderson, Rhys Newell, Raine E. S. Thomson, Bostjan Kobe, Ross T. Barnard, Luke Guddat, Gerhard Schenk, Jorg Carsten, Yosephine Gumulya, Burkhard Rost, Dietmar Haltrich, Volker Sieber, Elizabeth M. J. Gillam, Mikael Boden
Summary: Ancestral sequence reconstruction is a powerful technique for recovering ancestral diversity and identifying building blocks using large data sets. The GRASP method efficiently implements maximum likelihood methods and uses partial order graphs to represent insertion and deletion events. By exploring variation over evolutionary time, GRASP enables the engineering of biologically active ancestral variants.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luel M. O. Costa, Iago S. Reis, Christiane Fernandes, Marcelo M. Marques, Jackson A. L. C. Resende, Elizabeth H. Krenske, Gerhard Schenk, Lawrence R. Gahan, Adolfo Horn Jr
Summary: We synthesized a new asymmetric heptadentate ligand based on the 1,3-diaminopropan-2-ol back-bone. The ligand contains two amide and two pyridine groups attached to the core. Reaction with Zn(ClO4)2.6H2O resulted in the formation of a dinuclear complex. The complex showed pH-dependent phosphatase activity with the highest activity at pH 9.
JOURNAL OF INORGANIC BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Yan Cheng, Thierry Lonhienne, Mario D. Garcia, Craig M. Williams, Gerard Schenk, Luke W. Guddat
Summary: Amidosulfuron (AS), a commercial sulfonylurea herbicide, effectively targets dicot broadleaf weeds by inhibiting acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) in the plants. The crystal structure analysis shows that AS lacks a second aromatic ring compared to other AHAS-inhibiting herbicides, but still exhibits potent herbicidal activity through accumulative inhibition. This study highlights the importance of accumulative inhibition in designing effective herbicides targeting plant AHAS.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Vindi M. Jayasinghe-Arachchige, Leonardo F. Serafim, Qiaoyu Hu, Cihan Ozen, Sreerag N. Moorkkannur, Gerhard Schenk, Rajeev Prabhakar
Summary: The hydrolytic activities of hetero- and homobinuclear metallovariants of an asymmetric or symmetric ligand with Fe-III-Zn-II, Zn-II-Zn-II, and Cu-II-Cu-II cores are studied using DFT calculations. The effects of different nucleophiles, coordination numbers, para substituents of the linker, and an external electric field on the energetics of these reactions are computed. The study highlights the influence of critical chemical factors on phosphoester hydrolysis and provides insights for designing versatile metal complexes for various reactions and applications.
Article
Microbiology
Karen Rodriguez, Marcelo Pedroso, Audrey Harris, Shivani Garg, Damian Hine, Michael Kopke, Gerhard Schenk, Esteban Marcellin
Summary: The challenge of limiting global warming to below 1.5°C requires immediate implementation of new technologies and practices in all industries. The aviation industry, which accounts for 2% of human-induced CO2 emissions and 12% of all transport emissions, has faced difficulties in decarbonizing due to its heavy reliance on high-density liquid fuels. The use of sustainable aviation fuels, derived from first-generation agricultural feedstocks, also creates a trade-off between biomass for food and energy generation. Developing electric aircraft has also presented challenges in decarbonizing aviation. Gas fermentation technologies, utilizing greenhouse gases from food production and waste, offer a feasible alternative for replacing fossil fuels in aviation fuel production, particularly in Australia where there are abundant feedstock resources.
MICROBIOLOGY AUSTRALIA
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Li Chen Cheah, Lian Liu, Manuel R. Plan, Bingyin Peng, Zeyu Lu, Gerhard Schenk, Claudia E. Vickers, Frank Sainsbury
Summary: Enzyme spatial organization is evolved to facilitate biocatalysis and regulate promiscuous enzymes. Artificial spatial organization can be used to control the specificity of bioengineered metabolic pathways. Co-localization and spatial organization of a promiscuous terpene synthase with the preceding enzyme enhances product production and modulates the ratio of end products.
