Researchers from Shibaura Institute of Technology used molecular simulations to investigate how an enzyme's shape affects molecular recognition and ligand retention. They found that enzyme shape influences ligand retention, with 75.6% of trajectories in the closed group retaining ligands compared to 55.1% in the open group.
A team at TUM has developed a process to produce crucial amino acids from carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and renewable energy. The approach converts solar energy into electricity, generating hydrogen that is then converted into methanol and eventually into amino acids.
Researchers have developed a new AI method called Riff-Diff to construct artificial biocatalysts, resulting in enzymes that are significantly faster, more stable and versatile. The technology allows for precise design of protein structures around active centres, making enzyme design more accessible to the wider biotechnology community.
Two projects funded by federal grants use AI to design proteins for industrial applications, such as producing acrylates in paints. UC Davis will also expand its student training program in protein design to bring hands-on research opportunities to thousands of students nationwide.
A team of researchers has developed a new method to produce sturdy and reusable bioplastics from domestic raw materials, reducing reliance on petroleum-based chemicals. The bioplastics, known as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), have similar levels of toughness and malleability to traditional plastics, but are infinitely recyclable.
The University of Illinois team created a user-friendly process to improve enzyme performance using AI and automated robotics. By predicting sequence changes and testing variants, they increased the activity of two key industrial enzymes by up to 26 times and 90 times.
Linna An joins Rice University to develop protein-based biosensors for cancer detection, drug monitoring, and personalized diagnostics. Her work focuses on mapping the 'metabolism landscape' of cancer using synthetic proteins.
A Kobe University team developed a technique to classify thousands of enzymes, allowing for rapid evaluation and identification of highly active and versatile enzymes. The approach enabled the discovery of an enzyme with up to 10 times higher productivity than industry standards.
A novel nanozyme has been developed to prevent excess clotting in conditions like pulmonary thromboembolism and COVID-19. The nanozyme works by controlling reactive oxygen species levels, thereby preventing platelet over-activation and excess clot formation.
Scientists at UC Santa Barbara and UCSF have developed a new method to design enzymes from scratch, enabling the creation of highly efficient and selective catalysts. The new approach allows for the combination of desirable properties into novel enzymes for various applications, including drug development and materials design.
Researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys have discovered a way to target the energy supply chain of cancer cells. By understanding how enzymes like ubiquitous mitochondrial creatine kinase (uMtCK) function, scientists can design new treatments that slow or stop tumor growth.
Australian scientists engineer fish and flies to break down toxic methylmercury into a less harmful gas, offering a new solution to environmental pollution. The research could lead to the creation of wildlife that protects both human health and the environment.
Researchers at U of T have created SIMPL2, a platform that simplifies detection and improves accuracy of protein-protein interactions. The tool enables the rapid identification of protein interactions, including weak ones, for targeted drug therapies.
A novel nanobody-based immunosensor has been developed for quantitative point-of-care testing, including therapeutic drug monitoring and environmental applications. The design uses BRET—bioluminescence resonance energy transfer—and exhibits great potential in undiluted biological fluids.
Researchers at Max Planck Institute developed a new, efficient metabolic pathway to convert acetyl-CoA into pyruvate, enabling effective CO2 utilization. The 'lactyl-CoA mutase' enzyme can produce valuable products like 3-hydroxypropionate for sustainable plastics.
Scientists have designed bioluminescent proteins that can produce multiple colors of light for real-time imaging in cellular and animal models. These proteins are small, efficient, highly stable and can be used for non-invasive bioimaging, diagnostics, drug discovery and more.
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have developed an AI-driven protein design framework that uses multimodal data to speed up the design of new proteins. The framework has been selected as a finalist for the prestigious Gordon Bell Prize, recognizing breakthroughs in high-performance computing.
Researchers demonstrate the first cross-chiral exponential amplification of an RNA enzyme, potentially leading to the development of cross-chiral therapeutics and biotechnologies. The discovery suggests that a bioengineer can create a new form of biochemical evolution by using both left- and right-handed molecules.
Researchers developed a novel, homogeneous customizable OpenGUS immunoassay that detects target analytes quickly and effectively. The platform provides a hassle-free approach for biomarker detection in point-of-care diagnostics, high-throughput testing, and environmental monitoring.
A team of researchers has identified mangrove bacteria that can transform polyethylene terephthalate (PET) particles, which are a major contributor to ocean pollution. The discovery of novel enzymes and bacterial species with the ability to break down PET could potentially be used to develop new strategies for plastic waste cleanup.
Researchers successfully designed and engineered novel enzyme systems that can degrade various types of plastics. By replacing the binding module with different modules, they created chimera LPMOs capable of recognizing and breaking down different types of plastics, including biosourced polyhydroxyalkanoate.
Researchers developed a wearable sensor using single-atom materials to detect uric acid, a biomarker for various health conditions. The sensor offers improved sensitivity and selectivity compared to conventional nanomaterials.
Researchers at the University of Illinois developed an eco-friendly method to precisely mix fluorine into olefins using natural enzymes and light, offering a more efficient strategy for creating high-value chemicals with potential applications in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, renewable fuels and more.
Scientists improve stability and bioavailability of mRNA nanocarriers using triphenylphosphonium, leading to increased protein production in tumor tissues. The TPP-based system also shows higher mRNA levels in blood after 30 minutes compared to amine-based micelles.
Scientists have identified a mechanism that enables enzymes to communicate and produce organic molecules with disease-fighting properties. This breakthrough could aid in the discovery of new drugs by allowing researchers to design or modify enzymes to create novel natural products.
Researchers created an enzyme with a reactive boronic acid group, enabling faster and more selective catalytic reactions. This breakthrough has potential applications in the pharmaceutical industry, offering a greener alternative to traditional chemical synthesis methods.
Scientists from OIST created synthetic droplets to mimic biological processes, finding that pH gradients facilitate Marangoni effect and enabling droplets to detect and migrate towards each other. This study sheds light on the movement of simplest forms of life in primordial soup billions of years ago.
A team of scientists from SFU has created a synthetic protein-based motor that harnesses biological reactions to propel itself, called 'The Lawnmower'. The device uses the digestive enzyme trypsin to cut peptides and convert them into energy, enabling self-guided motion.
Researchers at the Max-Planck-Institute have developed a synthetic biochemical cycle that directly converts CO2 into Acetyl-CoA using three modules implemented in E.coli. The THETA cycle has shown promising results with improved acetyl-CoA yield through optimization and in vivo feasibility testing.
Researchers have identified a new enzyme, KtzT, that can form a rare nitrogen-nitrogen bond in molecules. The discovery enables the efficient production of tailored compounds with specific effects on organisms and their metabolic processes.
A team of researchers developed synthetic enzymes that can control the behavior of the signaling protein Vg1, which plays a key role in vertebrate embryonic development. The study uses zebrafish to investigate how Vg1 is formed and found that it must undergo additional processing before it can be activated.
Researchers from BSC and CSIC have developed an artificial protein capable of degrading PET micro- and nanoplastics with efficiency between 5 and 10 times higher than current PETases. The protein can be used as filters to purify or recycle plastics, offering a potential solution to environmental pollution.
Researchers created artificial allosteric sites in protein complexes using computational design to regulate concerted functions. This breakthrough holds promise for industry, biology, medicine, and agriculture.
A team of researchers at IISc has designed a small molecular fluorogenic probe that can sense Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an enzyme linked to the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The probe is designed to detect AChE levels in the early stages of the disease, which become imbalanced.
A new Raman probe, 9CN-JCR, has been developed for detecting multiple enzyme activities in heterogeneous biological tissues. The probe exhibits high sensitivity and multiplexing ability, making it a promising tool for cancer diagnosis and research.
A team of scientists has designed a molecule that targets the PLpro enzyme in SARS-CoV-2, limiting its replication and hampering the host's immune response. The covalent inhibitor shows promise as a new treatment for COVID-19 and other viral diseases.
Scientists have reconstructed the evolutionary history of flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs), a class of detoxifying enzymes present in all lifeforms. The study reveals that a single ancestral gene diverged into two distinct functions, with one gene triggering a different breakdown reaction.
Researchers used machine-learning algorithms to design new light-emitting enzymes called luciferases that can efficiently recognize specific chemicals and emit light. This breakthrough could lead to custom enzymes for a wide range of applications in biotechnology, medicine, environmental remediation, and manufacturing.
Researchers discovered a new enzyme with molecular protection against oxygen, increasing its resistance by genetic modification. This breakthrough aims to improve protein dynamics and control inorganic centre reactivity for carbon-neutral hydrogen production.
A team led by UMass Amherst scientist Margaret Stratton is studying the calcium-sensitive protein CaMKII to understand long-term memory and its potential therapeutic applications. The research has far-reaching implications for treating neurologic diseases, cardiac dysfunction, and infertility.
A new experimental drug has shown promising results in treating liver cancer, with two patients experiencing a partial response to the treatment. The drug, NMS-01940153E, targets an enzyme that plays a critical role in cell division and growth, and its side effects are manageable.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a chemical process that can add two distinct functional groups to single alkenes, a breakthrough in drug design and materials science. The process uses manganese catalysts and photocalysts to enable radical ligand transfer, allowing for the creation of unique molecules.
Researchers developed an amphiphilic assembly to enhance electron transfer kinetics in biofuel cells. The approach resulted in high power output and operational stability, breaking the limitations of traditional enzyme immobilization methods.
A new mathematical framework has been created to study fitness landscapes of regulatory DNA, enabling the prediction of gene expression changes. The framework uses a neural network model trained on millions of experimental measurements to decipher the evolutionary past and future of non-coding sequences.
A new wearable sensor has been developed using MXene nanomaterials that can detect changes in pH levels in sweat, which correlate with muscle fatigue. The device measures electrical resistance patterns in response to mechanical stress and pH changes.
Researchers developed a novel sensor that can detect SARS-CoV-2 proteins without antibodies, giving results within minutes. The technology enables rapid diagnostics for Covid-19 and future pandemics, reducing economic loss.
Researchers used evolutionary 'time travel' to study an ancient enzyme from archaea, finding a universal NTP binding motif that could be used for novel enzyme design. The study also revealed how the human version of the enzyme evolved over time.
Researchers developed gene silencing nanocapsules to target GATA-3, a component of the immune response leading to allergic asthma attacks. The treatment showed promise in reducing inflammatory damage and presence of eosinophils in an allergic asthma mouse model and human white blood cells.
Researchers at uOttawa developed a novel computational procedure for enzyme design that approximates the intrinsic flexibility of protein scaffolds, improving catalytic efficiency by 1000-fold. This breakthrough enables the creation of artificial enzymes with high-efficiency catalysis on par with natural enzymes.
Researchers developed a designer enzyme with an unnatural aniline side chain, increasing its activity by a factor of 90. Directed evolution led to variants with higher conversion rates, showing the potential for this method in producing highly effective enzymes.
Researchers have developed a synthetic enzyme that reduces sulfite to sulfide, a notoriously complex multistep chemical reaction. The new enzyme's design focused on functionality rather than structure, accounting for previously thought secondary interactions that proved crucial to its activity.
Researchers at University of Groningen created a new enzyme with an unnatural amino acid as its active centre, increasing catalysis by almost three orders of magnitude. The enzyme links organic molecules by forming a hydrazone structure, a reaction used in medical biotechnology.
The study reveals that a slight change in the substrate can practically stop an enzyme reaction. Computational design of a new variant was successfully produced and tested, demonstrating the method's accuracy and potential for future research.
Enzymes play a crucial role in most biological processes by controlling energy transduction and genetic information. Researchers at USC determined that dynamics has little to do with accelerating enzyme-catalyzed reaction rates, clarifying the factors contributing to their activity. This discovery sheds light on the 100-year-old puzzle...
Researchers have designed enzyme-functionalized micromotors that can rapidly remove carbon dioxide from water and convert it into a usable solid form, potentially helping to mitigate ocean acidification and global warming.
A team of researchers has developed a computational model that challenges entrenched ideas about enzyme catalysis, proposing a method for designing custom-designed enzymes. The 'lock and key' model is replaced by an electrical attraction theory, suggesting a perfect physical fit between catalyst and substrate is not necessary.
Researchers designed an enzyme for a specific reaction using computational design, but the synthetic enzyme was less efficient than naturally occurring ones. However, by allowing the enzyme to undergo 'evolution in a test tube,' they were able to improve its efficiency 200-fold and increase reaction rates by a million-fold.
The research successfully created designer enzymes for a chemical reaction known as the Kemp elimination, a non-natural chemical transformation in which hydrogen is pulled off a carbon atom. The researchers also designed an active site for the aldol reaction, involving at least six chemical transformations.
Researchers have designed a technique to steer the evolution of enzymes towards desired outcomes, creating specific products. The technique uses mathematical models and site-directed mutagenesis to rapidly evolve promiscuous enzymes into specialized ones.
Andrew Hamilton, an organic chemist at Yale University, is being honored with the American Chemical Society's Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award for his work on designing molecules that can control cell growth in cancer treatment. His research focuses on targeting a protein called Ras, which accounts for over 30% of all cancers.