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.     

Perspectives on the contribution of lactic acid bacteria to cheese flavor development

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Highlights► This review covers current know-how on cheese flavor development. ► Proteolysis, autolysis and amino acid catabolism by lactic acid bacteria are discussed. ► Systems biology approaches will drive future technology improvements. ► Next-generation sequencing holds promise for fast increase in exploitable knowledge. ► Culture heterogeneity may be significant for industrial flavor production by LAB.     

Metabolomics platforms for genome wide association studies—linking the genome to the metabolome

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Highlights► Genome-wide association studies with metabolomics constitute mGWAS. ► mGWAS provide insights into genetic and environmental impact on metabolic processes. ► We review essential strategies for mGWAS. ► Examples of mGWAS in large cohort studies are discussed.     

Zooming in on biological processes with fluorescence nanoscopy

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Highlights► Fluorescence nanoscopy can be used to decipher subcellular structures in biological systems. ► We review the underlying principles and biological application of STED, PALM, and STORM. ► For super-resolution imaging methods, there is a tradeoff between temporal and spatial resolution. ► Improving probe brightness and probe photostability are key factors for achieving higher resolution.     

A systems biology approach to studying the role of microbes in human health

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Highlights► Constraint-based modeling has been applied to the metabolism of single organisms. ► We summarize studies using this approach for microbe–microbe models. ► Host–microbe interactions can also be modeled with this approach. ► We also highlight current challenges in multi-organism modeling. ► This approach is very promising for studying the role of microbes in human health.     

Protein/peptide based nanomaterials for energy application

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Highlights► This review focuses on the application of protein based nanomaterials for the energy application. ► Assembled peptides and engineered proteins. ► Hybrid structures of protein and inorganic nanomaterials. ► Supramolecular structures of proteins for energy application.     

Modern X-ray scattering studies of complex biological systems

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Highlights► We review modern advances to characterize biological nano-complexes using X-ray scattering. ► X-ray scattering is used to study both the structures and macro-molecular interactions. ► Contemporary techniques include integration of complementary techniques together with X-ray scattering. ► Novel computational and technological advances, including coherent scattering technique, will be discussed.     

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.     

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.     

Bioremediation of uranium-contaminated groundwater: a systems approach to subsurface biogeochemistry

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Highlights► Microbial reduction of U(VI) can remove uranium from contaminated groundwater. ► Concerns about the stability of precipitated uranium need further study. ► Environmental omics is useful for diagnosing in situ physiological state of microbes. ► Genome-scale modeling of in situ activity of bioremediation organisms is possible.     

Cobalt derivatives as promising therapeutic agents

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Highlights► Cobalt is a versatile transition metal for drug development. ► The tunable physicochemical properties can be exploited by understanding the mechanism of bioactive cobalt complexes. ► The review highlights examples of mechanistic investigations of cobalt therapeutics.     

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.     

Bioavailability of pollutants and chemotaxis

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Highlights► The exposure of bacteria to pollutants induces chemoattraction or chemorepellence. ► Pollutant chemoreceptors so far identified are present on plasmids. ► Chemotaxis increases pollutant bioavailability and enhances biodegradation rates. ► Chemotaxis may improve microbial inoculants designed just on catabolic potential.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

The role of membrane transport in metabolic engineering of plant primary metabolism

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Highlights► The plastidial pyruvate transporter in plants is driven by sodium symport. ► The mitochondrial pyruvate transporter MPC has been identified. ► All transporters needed for a synthetic PEP-CK/C₄ photosynthetic cycle are now known. ► The SWEET proteins define a new class of sugar efflux carriers in plants.     

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.