Biology and biotechnology – Page 18
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ResearchEnzyme 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
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ResearchParasitic self-replicating molecules consume their creators
Simple chemicals display life-like behaviour
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Research'Trojan horse' artificial enzyme smuggles unnatural reactions into cells
New-to-nature chemistry in mammalian cells made possible by metalloenzyme system
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ResearchHippo dung is a serious matter for river ecosystems
Large amounts of organic material transferred into river systems by the animals can change entire ecosystems
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ResearchSurgical sensor tracks healing and then simply fades away
Exceptionally sensitive biodegradable implant can sense strain and pressure on recovering tendons
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ResearchArtificial blood reaches the feline frontier
Space crystals of serum proteins help scientists make a red blood cell substitute for cats
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ResearchInsights into nucleobase repair on Archean Earth
Self-repair mechanism may be part of nucleic acids’ evolutionary advantage
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ResearchJelly implant keeps an eye on body oxygen levels
A soft hydrogel implant – the first of which has survived in the foot of its inventor for four years – could detect circulatory problems that end in amputations
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ResearchOptogenetic control puts biosynthesis into – and out of – the spotlight
Using light to switch which enzymes brewer’s yeast produces boosts concentrations of biofuel candidate isobutanol fivefold.
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ResearchBeer engineered in pursuit of hoppiness
Crispr-augmented brewer’s yeast produces flavour molecules, enabling hoppy beer without adding extra hops
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ResearchBacteria churn out a million potential protein drugs
Modified bacteria produce enormous library of macrocycles, one of which inhibits a HIV protein
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ResearchTofu works as tissue-engineering scaffold
Garlic, ginger and chilli swapped for fibroblast cells
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ResearchAntimalarial plant's chlorophyll catalyses drug synthesis
New ‘green’ method makes malaria-fighting artemisinin’s synthesis faster and cheaper with industrial production planned for 2021
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ResearchSoil search unearths new class of antibiotics
Malacidins have a novel mode of action and can kill MRSA
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ResearchNucleus infiltrated by peptide gene switch
Synthetic peptides used to control cellular processes
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ResearchHuman genome sequenced by handheld device
MinION nanopore sequencer fills in gaps in our knowledge of genome
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ResearchPhotoredox sugar synthesis plausible on early Earth
Study using prebiotically realistic wavelengths adds weight to origin-of-life theory
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ResearchMeteorites' mechanical energy might have created building blocks of life
Did a cosmic impact kick-start amino acid formation?
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ResearchRobot with AI brain learns to evolve synthetic protocells
Evolution of oil-in-water system guided by machine learning offers insight into origins of life
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ResearchDeadly component of centipede venom identified
Neurotoxin allows poisonous predator to subdue a mouse within half a minute