Biology and biotechnology – Page 17
-
Research
Enzyme ancestors resurrected to boost thermal stability
Scientists constructing enzyme library make serendipitous discovery
-
Research
Bacterial factories rival petrochemical route to nylon building block
Significant step towards sustainable commercial route for producing glutaric acid
-
Research
Ceramic–polymer combination gives mantis shrimp its incredible punching power
Composite material gives shrimp ‘spring’ both strength and flexibility
-
Research
Healthy animals mimic body odour of sick companions
Sniffer mice and chemical analysis suggest that sickness odours are contagious
-
Research
Banned persistent pollutant still threatens half of killer whales
PCBs in world’s oceans could drive most contaminated populations to extinction
-
Research
Hepatitis C drug lead designed to target virus RNA
Gene-to-RNA-to-medicine pipeline possible thanks to technique that reveals interactions between RNA and small molecules
-
Research
Biomarker evidence that Dickinsonia were first animals
Analysis places unusual ovular organism on multicellular branch of phylogenetic tree
-
Research
Gold rush for lignin conversion
Catalytic breakthrough surrounding the notoriously difficult oxidative depolymerisation of lignin could make cellulosic ethanol biofuels commercially viable
-
Research
Artificial iron–sulfur catalyst is highly functional
Sulfite reductase mimic represents major advancement in engineering synthetic enzymes
-
Research
Novel fatty acids have exceptional lubricant potential
Chinese oilseed plant offers opportunities for industry
-
Research
Sound-sensing protein finally found after 35-year hunt
Quest to find the protein responsible for our ability to hear finally appears to be over
-
Research
Twisting molecule probes cell membrane tension
Changing fluorescence visualises strain in live cells, and reveals unusual behaviour
-
Research
Reverse liquid sieve lets only large particles pass
Soap film that retains smaller particles while letting bigger ones through could be useful in open surgery or water-free toilets
-
Research
Nerve agents destroyed by self-powering enzyme nanobot
Pumping action of tethered organophosphorus acid anhydrase as it breaks up sarin and Soman is used to release antidote
-
Research
Bubbly protocells bob up and down
Enzymes inflate or consume oxygen bubbles making clay capsules float and sink reversibly
-
Research
Chemical analysis adds to evidence for early microfossils
Well-preserved samples enable examination of intact microstructures rather than powdered material
-
Research
Prebiotically plausible version of pH gradient generating catalyst
Scientists create simple metal ion system could have facilitated early metabolic processes, like ATP synthesis
-
Research
Supramolecular system refines enzyme impression
Metalloenzyme mimic combines a guest binding pocket, a well-defined coordination sphere and an internal base to achieve impressive catalytic control
-
Research
Enzyme survives blistering conditions to rapidly break down cellulose
Ionic liquid protects enzyme as it turns woody biomass into sugars 30 times faster than previously possible
-
Research
Parasitic self-replicating molecules consume their creators
Simple chemicals display life-like behaviour