Phys.org April 11, 2022 Microorganisms that produce useful substances are usually developed by modifying metabolism to convert energy that would normally be used for growth into a resource for synthesizing these target substances. Researchers in Japan used light, an external energy source, to improve production of useful substances without disrupting the microorganisms’ natural metabolism. As a test they introduced a heterologous membrane protein called rhodopsin into Escherichia coli. Rhodopsin is a pump that is activated by light, and the action of the pump leads to the generation of ATP without using the cell’s natural machinery to produce it. This approach […]
Tag Archives: Biomanufacturing
Biomanufacturing: Coming Soon to a Galaxy Near You?
DARPA November 22, 2021 DARPA announced Biomanufacturing: Survival, Utility, and Reliability beyond Earth (B-SURE) program which offers a novel approach for in-situ manufacturing in far-forward locations, including space and provide DoD-relevant molecules and materials and alleviate supply chain burdens associated with space operations. To accomplish this goal, B-SURE will collect data on the microbial utilization of space-based alternative feedstocks, optimization of microbial growth in variable gravities, and mitigation strategies for identified effects of galactic cosmic radiation on microbial growth and bioproduction. The 18-month effort involves three tracks – Track 1 “Alternative Feedstock Utilization” will determine which alternative feedstocks can be […]
Synthetic biologists developing a new class of high-performance materials
Science Daily November 18, 2019 A team of researchers in the US (Northwestern University, University of Illinois, Stanford University, UT Austin, industry) developed a set of design rules to guide how ribosomes, a cell structure that makes protein, can incorporate new kinds of monomers, which can be bonded with identical molecules to form polymers. The rules guide how ribosomes, a cell structure that makes protein, can incorporate new kinds of monomers, which can be bonded with identical molecules to form polymers. These findings are an exciting step forward to achieving sequence-defined synthetic polymers. The ability to harness and adapt cellular […]