Synthetic biology and molecular machines
The latest chemistry news and research on synthetic biology, including genetic engineering, biomedicine and molecular machines, from the Royal Society of Chemistry's magazine, Chemistry World
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Research
E. coli engineered to become methanol addict to make industry feedstocks
Bacterium could head off food versus fuel dilemma by producing chemicals from agricultural waste
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Research
Self-dyeing vegan leather made by genetically engineered bacteria
Material can be shaped into shoes and wallets, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional leather
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Research
Engineered enzymes break down silicon–carbon bonds in siloxane, an emerging pollutant
Directed evolution offers a way to tackle waste silicone
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Research
Unravelling enzyme pathway of Taxol precursor brings synthetic production of cancer medicine closer
Expression of nine genes in tobacco plants led to formation of complex precursor of drug
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Research
E. coli rewired to shift carbon flow towards C4 chemicals
Bioengineering strategy creates evolutionary advantage linking cell growth with product formation
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Research
Autonomous platform engineers enhanced proteins
AI-powered robotic system designs and optimises proteins following its own ‘scientific method’
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Research
Synthetic yeast genome project creates strain with over 50% synthetic DNA
Entirely artificial organism opens up door to designer yeast with biotechnology applications
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Research
Crispr editing reduces poplar lignin content
Gene-edited wood could reduce waste and save energy during pulping process
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Research
Carbene chemistry built into microbe’s metabolism in first for biosynthesis
Proof-of-concept work opens pathway to bacteria engineered to synthesise new-to-nature products
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Business
Pfizer to buy cancer biotech Seagen for $43 billion
Antibody-drug conjugate specialist will fill Pfizer’s cancer pipeline
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Research
Bioelectric bacteria-powered sensor detects water contaminants in real time
Synthetic biology harnessed to detect endocrine disruptor and thiosulfate
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Research
Artificially expanded genetic alphabet evolves enzymes for the first time
Libraries of short DNA sequences incorporating synthetic nucleotides perform better as enzymes than ordinary DNA
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Careers
Carving out a career as an amateur scientist
Lacking a degree has not stopped Sebastian Cocioba making waves in the world of biotechnology
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Research
Diverse pharmaceutical building blocks prepared with evolved enzymes
Computation guides enzyme evolution to produce high-value drug compounds
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Research
NMR spectroscopy used to guide evolution of better enzymes
Identifying mutagenic ‘hotspots’ could speed development of new proteins
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Opinion
Nobel vision
Looking beyond the here-and-now let click chemistry open up a whole new world of possibility
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News
Explainer: why have bioorthogonal and click chemistry won the 2022 Nobel prize?
Carolyn Bertozzi, Morten Meldal and Barry Sharpless have won the 2022 Nobel prize in chemistry – find out why
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Research
Yeast engineered to ferment sugars into chemotherapy drug precursors
Semisynthesis offers new route to anticancer drug vinblastine
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Research
Artificially evolved enzyme tackles tricky cross coupling
Directed evolution on the metalloenzyme cytochrome P450 creates a catalyst for making macrocyclic antibiotics
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Research
AI-engineered enzyme eats entire plastic containers
Enzyme with only five amino acid alterations depolymerises 51 different PET products faster and at lower temperature than other proteins