Aerobic degradation of aromatic compounds

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Highlights► Metabolic and regulatory networks are finely tuned for biodegradation of aromatics. ► New pathways and widespread bacterial biodegradation capabilities revealed by omics. ► Full characterization of hybrid pathways expands the scope of aromatic biodegradation. ► The metabolism of aromatics plays a pivotal role in cell to cell communication. ► Computational and synthetic biology approaches design novel biodegradation pathways.     

Signaling networks in human pluripotent stem cells

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Highlights► Signaling in pluripotent stem cells is a complex, dynamic process. ► Multiple signaling pathways are required for maintenance of the stem cell state: Fgf/MAPK, TGFβ/SMAD2,3 and insulin/PI3K. ► These pathways are highly interactive and form a finely-balanced signaling network. ► Thresholds, temporal changes and combinatorial effects make important contributions to cell fate outcomes.     

The challenges of cellular compartmentalization in plant metabolic engineering

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Highlights► Targeting enzymes to organelles with highest precursor pool affects product yield. ► Targeting of nonendogenous enzymes to organelles is a useful tool for engineering. ► Identification of transporters is central for effective metabolic engineering. ► Advances in metabolomics of isolated organelles will impact engineering strategies. ► Future plant metabolic engineering will include introduction of entire pathways.     

Biodegradation of gasoline ether oxygenates

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Highlights► The different types of MTBE and TBA-degrading microorganisms are summarized. ► The pathways involved in aerobic and anaerobic MTBE biodegradation are described. ► The roles of key and novel enzymes in these processes are highlighted. ► The impacts of biochemical studies on stable isotope-based analyses are discussed.     

Transcriptome data modeling for targeted plant metabolic engineering

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Highlights► Network analysis is essential for data mining of omics-based large-scale data sets. ► Gene coexpression analysis is useful for prediction of gene function. ► Comparative network analysis can reveal common and unique plant metabolic pathways. ► Novel genome editing tools facilitate rational metabolic engineering.     

Plant–bacteria interactions in the removal of pollutants

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Highlights► Rhizobacteria degrade a wide range of pollutants and efficiently colonize plant roots. ► Plants have an effect on the selection of their own rhizospheric microorganisms. ► Catabolic pathways can be induced by natural secondary plant products. ► Horizontal gene transfer has an important role in bioremediation. ► Manipulation of plant/microbe interactions could improve rhizoremediation outcomes.     

Metabolomic investigations of anaerobic hydrocarbon-impacted environments

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Highlights► This review describes metabolomic studies of anaerobic hydrocarbon-impacted sites. ► The discovery of new pathways has provided new metabolic and molecular biomarkers. ► Assessment of in situ biodegradation is enhanced via integrative approaches.     

Current algorithmic solutions for peptide-based proteomics data generation and identification

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Highlights► Peptide-based proteomics algorithms for ETD, HCD, and high-resolutions MS/MS spectra. ► Algorithms for identifying proteins in complex mixtures using shotgun proteomics. ► Spectral libraries and software pipelines for improved analytical throughput. ► Cloud computing to obtain results for large data sets.     

Enzyme and metabolic engineering for the production of novel biopolymers: crossover of biological and chemical processes

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Highlights► Poly(ω-hydroxy fatty acids) are polyethylene-like biobased polyester. ► Medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoate homopolymers are processed to stretchy film. ► Microbial lactate-based polyesters exhibit transparent and flexible properties. ► Enzyme and metabolic engineering facilitates the expanding of bio-based polymers.     

Reengineering viruses and virus-like particles through chemical functionalization strategies

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Highlights► Virus-based nanoparticles provide unique traits for nanoparticle applications. ► We discuss prevailing covalent functionalization strategies for VNPs. ► We discuss recent progress in noncanonical amino acid applications in VNPs.     

Progress in understanding and engineering primary plant metabolism

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Highlights► Crop yield depends on efficiency of conversion of light energy into biomass. ► Models have estimated energy conversion efficiency in photosynthesis and metabolism. ► Research is exploring strategies to modify or suppress photorespiration. ► Energy loss during conversion of photosynthate to biomass is also large ► Research is addressing uncertainties over where these losses occur.     

Plant genome-scale metabolic reconstruction and modelling

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Highlights► Recent advances have been made on plant genome-scale metabolic reconstruction. ► Cellular compartmentation makes plant genome-scale reconstruction challenging. ► Current reconstructions capture important features of plant metabolism. ► The models have been used to study isolated tissues and tissue interaction. ► We review the challenges and potential of plant reconstruction and modelling.     

Human milk and related oligosaccharides as prebiotics

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Highlights► The intestinal microbiome is recognized as an important determinant of health. ► Galacto-oligosaccharides are non-digestible carbohydrates. ► Galacto-oligosaccharides stimulate growth and activity of gut bacteria. ► Subtle differences in structure can result in significant differences in activity. ► Less abundant oligosaccharides from bovine milk are similar to those from human milk.     

Vaccine design: emerging concepts and renewed optimism

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Highlights► Highly variable and complex pathogens remain challenging vaccine targets. ► Systems biology and reverse vaccinology continue to foster success. ► New ways of presenting conserved, functionally critical epitopes hold promise. ► Adjuvant systems allow for enduring, native antigen presentation. ► An ideal vaccine provides synergy between innate, cellular, and humoral immunity.     

Nanotechnology meets electrophysiology

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Highlights► We focus on the latest developments in nanotechnology-based electrophysiology. ► Methods for extracellular recording via nanoFET-based devices are described. ► Metal nanoelectrodes for the recording of electrogenic cells are reviewed. ► The latest developments of intracellular FET-based probes are shortly covered. ► Pioneering electrical scaffold devices for the interfacing with tissues are described.     

The interplay between microevolution and community structure in microbial populations

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Highlights► The action of industrial processes depends on microbial community structure. ► Microbes evolve very rapidly. ► Microbial evolution is affected by community structure. ► Community structure is affected by microbial evolution. ► This feedback may be crucial when considering microbial communities in industry.     

Clawing back: broadening the notion of metal chelators in medicine

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Highlights► Not all chelators are the same: more than metal sequestration and elimination. ► Metal chelates can redistribute metals across biological membranes. ► Metal-chelating fragments provide leads for metalloenzyme inhibition. ► Metal chelation can enhance metal reactivity and thus cytotoxicity. ► Prochelators provide site-activated metal chelation and passivation.     

DNA nanotechnology with one-dimensional self-assembled nanostructures

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Highlights► Hybridization chain reactions for amplified DNA detection and DNA assembly. ► Rolling circle amplification-synthesized DNAzyme chains for amplified DNA detection. ► Bi-enzyme cascades and biocatalytic synthesis of metallic nanowires on DNA templates. ► Self-assembled one-dimensional DNA nanostructures for biocatalytic cascades. ► Programmed assembly of metal nanoparticles on one-dimensional DNA nanostructures.