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Pennington Biomedical researchers offer new perspective on how protein restriction may promote healthy aging and longevity

Pennington Biomedical researchers propose a new understanding of how protein restriction promotes healthy aging and extends lifespan by triggering a coordinated whole-body response. The response connects cellular nutrient sensing with hormones, brain function, and changes throughout the body, influencing healthy aging and longevity.

SourcePennington Biomedical Research Center·JournalCell Metabolism·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateSep 10, 2026

Metabolic reprogramming on demand: enzymatic nanovesicles open a new frontier for acute kidney injury therapy

Scientists create a novel nano-delivery system that boosts NAD+ synthesis and reduces consumption, rapidly restoring energy metabolism in damaged kidneys. The approach halts disease progression and prevents chronic kidney disease, offering a promising drug development platform for AKI and other energy metabolism disorders.

SourceScience China Press·JournalScience Bulletin·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 28, 2026

Researchers decode molecular secrets of surfactant-mediated enzyme protection in lignocellulose biorefining

A comprehensive study decodes structure-function relationships governing surfactant-mediated enzyme protection, revealing a competitive stabilization mechanism. The research identifies key factors influencing mitigation efficacy, including hydrophobicity and hydrogen bonding capacity, and provides predictive power for designing more ef...

SourceJournal of Bioresources and Bioproducts·JournalJournal of Bioresources and Bioproducts·DateMar 31, 2026

Precision tumor imaging with a fluorescence probe and engineered enzymes

Researchers developed a bioorthogonal fluorescence probe and matching reporter enzyme that selectively activates at targeted tumor sites, enabling high-contrast tumor visualization with minimal background. This technology has potential for improving cancer surgery outcomes and may also be adapted for targeted drug delivery.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 1, 2026

Sensor technology uses nature’s blueprint and machinery to monitor metabolism in body

Researchers developed a sensor platform that tracks multiple metabolites continuously, offering a window into disease onset and health status. The technology harnesses natural biochemical processes, enabling reliable detection of over 800 metabolites, with potential applications in diagnosing metabolic disorders and optimizing fitness.

SourceCalifornia NanoSystems Institute·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 26, 2025

A matter of life and death

A team of researchers from the University of Tokyo proposes a new mathematical definition of cell death based on enzymatic reactions and thermodynamics. This definition enables the development of computational methods to quantify the life-death boundary, which could lead to better understanding and control of cellular processes.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalPhysical Review Research·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateNov 27, 2024

Fixing excess carbon dioxide: biocatalyst-driven carboxylation under mild conditions

Researchers from Tokyo Institute of Technology developed a biocatalyzed carboxylation reaction using Thermoplasma acidophilum malic enzyme to fix CO2, increasing the yield and sustainability of the process. The method can be tailored for selective synthesis of wider carboxylation products, unlocking new avenues for renewable resources.

SourceTokyo Institute of Technology·JournalJACS Au·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 10, 2024

Boosting PET recycling with higher standards for laboratory experiments

Researchers establish new standards for laboratory experiments to improve PET recycling efficiency. Four engineered enzymes were tested, with LCC-ICCG outperforming the others in terms of depolymerisation rate and enzyme requirement. The study aims to accelerate the development of industrial-scale solutions for PET waste management.

SourceHelmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie·JournalACS Catalysis·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 24, 2023

CABBI develops eco-friendly enzyme to create key chemical building blocks

Researchers at CABBI develop photoenzymatic system to efficiently synthesize chiral amines, crucial chemical building blocks with wide applications. The team's new method addresses a longstanding challenge in synthetic chemistry and offers a promising platform for biomanufacturing.

Tiny microbes could brew big benefits for green biomanufacturing

Researchers have engineered bacteria to combine natural enzymatic reactions with the carbene transfer reaction, producing new-to-nature carbon products that can be used in biochemicals and advanced biofuels. This breakthrough could reduce industrial emissions by providing sustainable alternatives to chemical manufacturing processes.

SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 8, 2023

Solving the mystery of left-handed amino acids in primordial RNA reactions

Researchers at Tokyo University of Science used computer simulations to clarify why L-alanine was preferred over D-alanine during primordial RNA aminoacylation reactions. The study revealed that L-amino acid had more electrostatic stability in its transition state, providing a plausible reason for the selective aminoacylation.

SourceTokyo University of Science·JournalLife·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 16, 2023

Evolutionary history of detoxifying enzymes reconstructed

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.

SourceUniversity of Groningen·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateFeb 27, 2023

Surfing the research data wave

The EnzymeML format provides a standardized way to record enzymatic experiment results, including conditions, data, kinetic models, and parameters. This enables seamless communication between experimental platforms and promotes reproducibility and trust in scientific results.

SourceUniversitaet Stuttgart·JournalNature Methods·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 13, 2023

New enzyme could mean better drugs

Rice University scientists identified a new Diels-Alderase enzyme, CtdP, which catalyzes the Diels-Alder reaction with precise stereochemistry control. This discovery could lead to improved pharmaceutical synthesis and development of more effective drugs.

SourceRice University·JournalNature Chemistry·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 23, 2023

Enzyme-metal-single-atom hybrid catalysts for efficient one-pot chemoenzymatic reactions

Researchers have developed a novel hybrid catalyst that combines enzymatic and single-atom catalysis, achieving high efficiency in one-pot chemoenzymatic reactions. This breakthrough simplifies chemical production and separation processes, offering a promising strategy for efficient synthesis of pharmaceutical intermediates.

Coenzyme switch: Researchers recreate the way nature change coenzyme binding on Rossmann enzymes

Scientists at OIST successfully engineered a protein to bind a methylating agent instead of its natural coenzyme. The study uses insertions and deletions to modify the protein's structure, offering insights into coenzyme-protein interactions and potential applications in artificial enzyme design.

SourceOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 23, 2022

Primeval reaction pathways

A team of researchers has discovered that a reaction sequence from the reverse Krebs cycle can take place without enzymes under metal or meteorite catalysis. The study suggests that simple organic molecules existed on early Earth, even before life as we know it developed.

SourceWiley·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 23, 2022

Using sound to control enzymatic reactions

A team of scientists successfully controlled multistep enzyme reactions using audible sound, creating a new method for spatiotemporal regulation. The researchers used standing waves generated by sound to separate and compartmentalize solutions, allowing for the precise control of chemical reactions.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 2, 2022

Researchers develop powerful strategy for creating new-to-nature enzymes

A team of researchers developed a simple yet powerful strategy for creating new enzymes with novel reactivity that can produce valuable chemical compounds. They used photobiocatalysis to repurpose naturally occurring enzymes and achieved an enantioselective biocatalytic reaction.

How a soil microbe could rev up artificial photosynthesis

A team of researchers discovered a soil microbe's enzyme that performs carbon fixation 20 times faster than plant enzymes. The enzyme consists of pairs of molecules working in sync to get the job done faster. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient artificial photosynthesis and produce fuels, fertilizers, and other products.

SourceDOE/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory·JournalACS Central Science·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 29, 2022

Firefly luminescence reveals pesticides

Researchers developed a simple, inexpensive test to detect organophosphate pesticides directly in foods and biological samples. The method uses a new enzymatic cascade reaction called HELP to synthesize luciferin analogues, which produce luminescence in different wavelengths.

SourceWiley·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 11, 2022

A novel baker’s yeast-mediated microwave-induced reduction of racemic 3-Keto-2-Azetidinones: Facile entry to optically active hydroxy β-lactam derivatives

A team of researchers developed a novel method for producing optically active hydroxy β-lactam derivatives using baker's yeast and microwave irradiation. The process yielded 3:1 ratio of two hydroxyl compounds in 65% yield, with the resulting compounds showing high optical purity.

SourceBentham Science Publishers·JournalCurrent Organocatalysis·DateMar 8, 2022

Novel enzyme catalyzing the formation of glycosidic bonds in complex sugar moieties characterized

Researchers have identified a novel enzyme that catalyzes the formation of glycosidic bonds in complex sugar moieties. The discovery provides fresh insights into carbohydrate metabolism and offers a breakthrough for the synthesis of sugar chains, which play key roles in various biological processes.

SourceTokyo University of Science·JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 7, 2022