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IMAGE: Figure: Systems metabolic engineering was employed to construct and optimize the metabolic pathways and membrane engineering was employed to increase the production of the target colorants, successfully producing the seven. view more
Credit: KAIST
A research group at KAIST has engineered bacterial strains capable of producing three carotenoids and four violacein derivatives, completing the seven colors in the rainbow spectrum. The research team integrated systems metabolic engineering and membrane engineering strategies for the production of seven natural rainbow colorants in engineered
Escherichia coli strains. The strategies will be also useful for the efficient production of other industrially important natural products used in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.
A team at Washington University in St. Louis has developed a new brain stimulation technique using focused ultrasound that is able to turn specific types of neurons in the brain on and off and precisely control motor activity without surgical device implantation.
Chemists have succeeded for the first time in manufacturing pharmaceutical cholesterol from plant-based materials. In future it will be possible to supply large quantities of the molecule for the production of modern mRNA-based vaccines.
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IMAGE: Special X-ray colors resonate with bonds in molecules, (methyl is pictured in this illustration). This enables scientists to selectively probe chemically distinct parts of micelle nanocarriers in development for smart medicine. view more
Credit: Washington State University
PULLMAN, Wash. - Before the huge potential of tiny nanocarriers for highly targeted drug delivery and environmental clean-up can be realized, scientists first need to be able to see them.
Currently researchers have to rely on attaching fluorescent dyes or heavy metals to label parts of organic nanocarrier structures for investigation, often changing them in the process. A new technique using chemically-sensitive soft X-rays offers a simpler, non-disruptive way of gaining insight into this nano-world.