Articles tagged with Biosynthetic Pathways
A new study reveals how Lactococcus lactis regulates the production of a key precursor in vitamin K2 biosynthesis. By tuning substrate supply and genetic architecture, researchers can push production above natural ceilings, opening the door to engineering bacteria for enhanced vitamin K2 production.
A research team from the University of Copenhagen has developed a biotechnological method to produce Taxol, a widely used cancer drug. The new method involves cloning taxol-producing genes and inserting them into yeast cells, making it more cost-effective and sustainable than traditional chemical synthesis.
Researchers mapped yerba mate's genome, discovering an ancestor that duplicated its genome 50 million years ago. This event led to the evolution of caffeine biosynthesis in yerba mate and coffee through convergent pathways. The study provides opportunities for creating plant varieties with new characteristics.
Furan fatty acids have been found to exist in all samples of rubber tree latex, with varying concentrations. The study identifies specific genotypes with high FuFA content, offering potential for enhanced economic value and sustainability.
Researchers develop innovative hybrid control strategy to improve product yields in biosynthetic processes. The new approach combines model-based optimization with in-cell feedback control, outperforming traditional methods and promising reduced costs and environmental impact.
Researchers discovered GAME15, a crucial protein for controlling steroidal glycoalkaloids and saponin production in Solanum plants. The study also showed that steroidal saponins play an ecological role in insect defense, with GAME15 knockout plants being more susceptible to herbivores.
Researchers at Tokyo University of Science discovered a natural tyrosinase inhibitor from Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum that inhibits melanin synthesis and provides an alternative to toxic hydroquinone-based products. The compound, cyclo(L-Pro-L-Tyr), exhibits low toxicity and potential benefits for hyperpigmentation treatment.
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have successfully produced the QS-21 adjuvant in yeast, which is currently extracted from tree bark. The production process is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than traditional methods, making it a promising solution for lowering vaccine costs and increasing availability.
Researchers have discovered the gene responsible for producing a unique type of chlorophyll in marine algae. This breakthrough could lead to improved crop yields on less land, making it a key step towards achieving a more sustainable food supply. The study also demonstrated that a land plant can produce this specific type of chlorophyll.
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.
A recent study in Nature Communications has identified a gene cluster in wheat that produces triticein, an isoflavone compound with potential health benefits. This discovery offers opportunities for metabolic engineering efforts to improve wheat's nutritional quality and resistance to disease.
The high-quality Bougainvillea genome assembly provides new insights into the species' evolutionary history, genetic duplication events, and pigment biosynthetic pathways. The study's findings suggest that bract coloration requires high levels of expression for the betacyanin biosynthetic pathway.
Researchers have found that benzoxazinoids, a special plant defense compound, evolved independently in distantly related plant families. The study used two species, golden dead-nettle and zebra plant, to elucidate the metabolic pathway of these compounds, revealing unexpected diversity in enzymes performing the same reactions.
Researchers at Hokkaido University unveil unprecedented carrier protein-mediated ring-forming step in actinopyridazone biosynthesis. The dihydropyridazinone ring is formed through a novel machinery involving Apy3, Apy4, and Apy6 proteins.
A new enzyme, CtdY, has been identified that can break an amide bond, a fundamental type of bond found in proteins. This discovery holds significant promise for the pharmaceutical industry, as it could enable the creation of new anticancer drugs and improve treatment outcomes.
Researchers have deciphered the biosynthetic pathway of orcinol glucoside from Curculigo orchioides and successfully engineered its production in Yarrowia lipolytica. The resulting yields are significantly higher, exceeding 6,400-fold that of natural plant extraction.
Researchers at Leibniz-HKI have confirmed experimentally that bacteria use electrons from hydrogen to produce organic compounds. This breakthrough could make microbial electrosynthesis (MES) a commercially viable technology, producing ethanol and other fuels while storing excess electricity. The study optimized the process for high yie...
Researchers used single-cell multi-omics to study specialized cell types involved in producing medically relevant plant compounds. The analyses revealed that three distinct cell types are organized in a specific biosynthetic pathway for vinblastine, a key alkaloid compound with anti-cancer properties.
Researchers have discovered a way to produce limonoids, a family of valuable chemicals with potential as bee-friendly insecticides and anti-cancer drugs. By identifying the enzymes required for production, they can now use host organisms to create these compounds in a more sustainable way.
Researchers at Max-Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology have deciphered the biosynthesis of benzobactins, a class of natural compounds with special biological activity. The study reveals that these compounds are widespread in diverse bacteria and could be excellent candidates for future drug therapy.
Researchers from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics have engineered yeast to produce sclareol at high levels by rewiring its isoprenoid biosynthetic pathways. This enables efficient synthesis of the Ambrox precursor without laborious purification procedures.
New research by Frank Schroeder's team reveals two parallel biosynthetic pathways for serotonin production in C. elegans, challenging the long-held assumption that serotonin is made and quickly broken down. The findings suggest new therapeutic targets for treating anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.
Researchers discovered that catnip and pea aphid use different enzymes to produce nepetalactone, a complex sex pheromone. The biosynthetic pathways of these two organisms share identical intermediates, but employ distinct catalytic mechanisms.
Diatoms have a complex pathway to produce the brown pigment fucoxanthin, which enables efficient light harvesting during photosynthesis. The discovery provides new insights into the synthesis of this important pigment, with potential applications in biotechnology and ecology.
Researchers at Princeton University have discovered a biosynthetic pathway that incorporates selenium into microbial small molecules, marking the first time such atoms have been uncovered in natural products. This breakthrough suggests that selenium may have a more important biological role in bacteria than previously assumed.
Researchers have genetically engineered yeast to produce vindoline and catharanthine, the precursors to vinblastine, a widely used anti-cancer drug. This breakthrough may lead to new sources of these compounds and reduce dependence on plant farming and logistics challenges.
Researchers have developed an interactive metabolic map of bio-based chemicals, providing a versatile tool for easy assessment and optimization of synthetic pathways. The map enables exploration and analysis of complex networks of biological and/or chemical reactions, facilitating the design and production of desired chemicals.
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology elucidate the complete biosynthetic pathway of strychnine, a highly toxic alkaloid used as rat poison. The study reveals that the conversion of prestrychnine to strychnine occurs spontaneously, without an enzyme.
A new therapeutic target for melioidosis has been identified by researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology. The enzyme BurG synthesizes a toxic molecule central to infection, and inhibiting it could make bacteria less virulent.
Researchers at Purdue University have identified a new pathway for producing the anti-cancer compound thymohydroquinone, found in plants like thyme and oregano. By understanding this process, plant scientists can engineer plants to produce higher levels of beneficial compounds or synthesize them in microorganisms.
Researchers at Northwestern University developed a new rapid-prototyping system to accelerate the design of biological systems, reducing production time from months to weeks. The iPROBE platform leverages cell-free synthetic biology and computational design algorithms to discover optimal biosynthetic pathways for sustainable chemicals.
Austrian scientists identify critical enterotoxin tilivalline and its potent metabolite tilimycin, produced by penicillin-resistant bacteria. The discovery provides insights into antibiotic side reactions and potential new approaches for producing anticancer drugs.
Anaerobic bacteria can produce vitamin ergothioneine in oxygen-free environments, challenging the previously oxygen-dependent theory. This discovery suggests that ergothioneine may have played a crucial role in early Earth's life forms.
Researchers used bioassay-guided evolution to identify more efficient antibiotic-producing mutants in Escherichia coli, reconstituting the biosynthetic pathways of sugars to yield a new antibiotic. This approach opens doors for harnessing genetics to investigate polyketide synthases and biosynthetic engineering.
Researchers have successfully produced triacetic acid lactone (TAL) by combining the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway with glucose, offering an alternative to traditional methods using petroleum or chemicals. This breakthrough enables the production of TATB, a more stable and sensitive explosive than TNT.