Upon infection, the C. elegans worm reshuffles the roles of brain cells and flips the functions of some of the chemicals it uses to regulate behavior.
Category: chemistry – Page 67
Green recipe: Engineered yeast boosts D-lactic acid production
Constructed strain achieves record-high yield from methanol, advancing ecofriendly biomanufacturing. Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University have discovered the ideal genetic “recipe” to turn yeast into a tiny yet powerful eco-friendly factory that converts methanol into D-lactic acid, a key compound used in biodegradable plastics and pharmaceuticals.
This approach could help reduce reliance on petroleum-based processes and contribute to more sustainable chemical production.
Lactic acid is widely used in food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and bioplastics.
Novel membrane design mimics protein channels for efficient energy harvesting
A research team from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with collaborators, has introduced a novel membrane design that mimics biological protein channels to enhance proton transport for efficient energy harvesting. The study was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Proton transport is fundamental to many biological processes and energy conversion methods. Inspired by the ClC-ec1 antiporter found in Escherichia coli, which facilitates the movement of chloride (Cl-) and protons, the researchers developed a hybrid membrane composed of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) integrated with aramid nanofibers (ANFs).
This ANF/COF composite forms a robust hydrogen-bonding network and features amide groups that selectively bind to Cl- ions, significantly lowering the energy barrier for proton conduction.
RNA transformed into biosensor for detecting health-related chemicals
Scientists have transformed RNA, a biological molecule present in all living cells, into a biosensor that can detect tiny chemicals relevant to human health.
Research by Rutgers University-New Brunswick scientists centers on RNA, a nucleic acid that plays a crucial role in most cellular processes. Their work is expected to have applications in the surveillance of environmental chemicals and, ultimately, the diagnosis of critical diseases including neurological and cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
“Imagine that people will go to the hospital and give a sample of cells from their own bodies for regular check-ups,” said Enver Cagri Izgu, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology in the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences and the corresponding author of the study.
Scientists discover new inhibitors of inflammation-related enzyme
Using computational tools and virtual screening, researchers at the Center for Redox Processes in Biomedicine (Redoxoma) have identified new inhibitors of the enzyme human 15-lipoxygenase-2 (h15-LOX-2). This protein plays an important role in inflammatory and metabolic processes and contributes to cellular homeostasis.
The discovery, described in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, could open up new avenues for investigating the biological and pathological functions of the enzyme and provide promising candidates for the development of new drugs.
“Although h15-LOX-2 is a potential biological target, it’s scarcely been explored for this purpose. Our work contributes to new inhibitors that have structural diversity among themselves and with respect to inhibitors already described in the literature. What’s more, they have similar drug properties according to predictions based on computational models,” says Lucas Gasparello Viviani, first author of the article.
Recycling wind turbine blade materials to make improved plastics
A new method to recycle wind turbine blades without using harsh chemicals resulted in the recovery of high-strength glass fibers and resins that allowed Washington State University researchers to repurpose the materials to create stronger plastics.
The innovation provides a simple and environmentally friendly way to recycle wind turbine blades to create useful products.
Reporting in the journal, Resource, Conservation, and Recycling, the team of researchers cut the lightweight material that is commonly used in wind turbine blades, called glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP), into approximately two inch-sized blocks. They then soaked the flakes in a bath of low-toxicity organic salt in pressurized, superheated water for about two hours to break down the material. They then repurposed its components to make stronger plastics.
Redox flow battery achieves energy efficiency of 87.9% and longer cycling life with new catalytic electrode
A team of materials scientists, chemical engineers, and environmental scientists affiliated with a host of institutions in China has developed a redox flow battery (RFB) with 87.9% energy efficiency, which can also last for 850 cycles. In their project, published in the journal Nature Communications, the group developed a new kind of catalytic electrode to improve the efficiency of the battery.
Single-atom catalysts transform hydrogenation, improving food and fuel production
A chemical reaction that’s vital to a range of commercial and industrial goods may soon be initiated more effectively and less expensively thanks to a collaboration that included Oregon State University College of Engineering researchers.
The study, published in Nature, involves hydrogenation —adding the diatomic hydrogen molecule, H2, to other compounds.
“Hydrogenation is a critical and diverse reaction used to create food products, fuels, commodity chemicals and pharmaceuticals,” said Zhenxing Feng, associate professor of chemical engineering. “However, for the reaction to be economically viable, a catalyst such as palladium or platinum is invariably required to increase its reaction rate and thus lower cost.”