Science Daily May 23, 2019 The global spread of antibiotic resistance is a major public health issue. The spread of antibiotic resistance is for the most part due to the capacity of bacteria to exchange genetic material through a process known as bacterial conjugation. The ability of the bacterium to expel the antibiotic before it can exert its destructive effect using “efflux pumps” found on its membrane. Experimenting with E. Coli researchers in France have revealed that in just 1 to 2 hours, the single-stranded DNA fragment of the efflux pump was transformed into double-stranded DNA and then translated into […]
Tag Archives: Biology
UChicago researchers lay out how to control biology with light — without genetics
Eurekalert April 30, 2018 A team of researchers in the US (University of Chicago, Northwestern University) laid out a system of design principles for working with silicon to control biology at three levels–from individual organelles inside cells to tissues to entire limbs. They demonstrated each in cells or mice models, including the first time anyone has used light to control behavior without genetic modification. They tested the concept in mice and found they could stimulate limb movements by shining light on brain implants. They developed a map that lays out best methods to craft silicon devices depending on both the […]
Modified biomaterials self-assemble on temperature cues
Phys.org March 19, 2018 Post-translational modification of proteins is a strategy widely used in biological systems which has remained largely untapped for the synthesis of biomaterials. As a proof of concept of this technique, an international team of researchers (USA – Duke University, Germany) reports the generation of a family of three stimulus-responsive hybrid materials—fatty-acid-modified elastin-like polypeptides—using a one-pot recombinant expression and post-translational lipidation methodology. The hybrid approach allows researchers to control self-assembly more precisely, which may prove useful for a variety of biomedical applications from drug delivery to wound healing… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Researchers create a protein ‘mat’ that can soak up pollution
Physorg March 15, 2018 An international team of researchers (USA – UC Berkeley, Northwestern University, ARL, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, France) designed four-monomer random heteropolymers to mimic intrinsically disordered proteins for protein solubilization and stabilization in non-native environments. With optimized composition and statistical monomer distribution, they enable cell-free synthesis of membrane proteins with proper protein folding for transport and enzyme-containing plastics for toxin bioremediation. The research affords a new strategy to interface with biological systems for protein-based biomaterials and enable on-demand biochemical reactions where they were once not feasible… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Certain bacteria produce tiny gold nuggets by digesting toxic metals
Science Daily January 31, 2018 In nature, C. metallidurans plays a key role in the formation of so-called secondary gold, which emerges following the breakdown of primary, geologically created, ancient gold ores. It transforms the toxic gold particles formed by the weathering process into harmless gold particles, thereby producing gold nuggets only a few nanometers in size. An international team of researchers (Germany, Australia) has discovered the molecular processes that take place inside the bacteria C. metallidurans to extract valuable trace elements, including tiny gold nuggets, without poisoning itself… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE