Engineering protein nanoparticles for drug delivery
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2024 Feb 13;86:103070. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103070. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTProtein nanoparticles offer a highly tunable platform for engineering multifunctional drug delivery vehicles that can improve drug efficacy and reduce off-target effects. While many protein nanoparticles have demonstrated the ability to tolerate genetic and posttranslational modifications for drug delivery applications, this review will focus on three protein nanoparticles of increasing size. Each protein nanoparticle possesses distinct properties such as highly tunable stability, capacity for splitting or fusing s...
Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology - February 14, 2024 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Blake A Richards Antonio G Goncalves Millicent O Sullivan Wilfred Chen Source Type: research
Green horizons: how plant synthetic biology can enable space exploration and drive on Earth sustainability
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2024 Feb 10;86:103069. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103069. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTAs humanity looks towards expanding activity from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond, resource use efficiency and self-sustainability will be critical to ensuring success in the long term. Furthermore, solutions developed for the stringent requirements of space will be equally valuable in meeting sustainability goals here on Earth. Advances in synthetic biology allow us to harness the complex metabolism of life to produce the materials we need in situ. Translating those lessons learned from microbial systems to...
Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology - February 11, 2024 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Matthew Fox Morgan Jonathan Diab Matthew Gilliham Jenny C Mortimer Source Type: research
Overview on biotics development
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2024 Feb 8;86:103073. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103073. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTAlthough probiotics have been used in food products and supplements for decades, there has been a considerable increase in their use more recently. Recent technological advances have thus led to major advances in knowledge of the gut microbiota, enabling a significant development of biotics. In this review, we discuss the uses of traditional probiotics but also the discovery of next-generation probiotics that could be used as live biotherapeutics. These novel preventive and therapeutic strategies hold promise for th...
Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology - February 9, 2024 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Anne-Emmanuelle Roux Philippe Langella Rebeca Martin Source Type: research
Regulatory mechanisms underlying yeast chemical stress response and development of robust strains for bioproduction
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2024 Feb 7;86:103072. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103072. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTYeast is widely studied in producing biofuels and biochemicals using renewable biomass. Among various yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been particularly recognized as an important yeast cell factory. However, economic bioproduction using S. cerevisiae is challenged by harsh environments during fermentation, among which inhibitory chemicals in the culture media or toxic products are common experiences. Understanding the stress-responsive mechanisms is conducive to developing robust yeast strains. Here, we review ...
Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology - February 8, 2024 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Bing Yuan Wei-Bin Wang Ya-Ting Wang Xin-Qing Zhao Source Type: research
Recent advances in prime editing technologies and their promises for therapeutic applications
In conclusion, we address the challenges and opportunities linked with PE, emphasizing its profound impact on biological research and therapeutics.PMID:38330875 | DOI:10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103071 (Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology)
Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology - February 8, 2024 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Hongzhi Zeng Tyler C Daniel Ananya Lingineni Kelly Chee Komal Talloo Xue Gao Source Type: research
Impact of hormesis to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the bioactivities of polyphenols
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2024 Feb 6;86:103074. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103074. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTCells, organs, and the whole body are continuously exposed to various types of stressors, including oxidative stress, protein denaturation, hypoxia, energy starvation, and pathogen insults. Hormesis is an adaptive phenomenon in which a stressor induces cellular stress responses at low or moderate doses, while catastrophic damage is manifested at high doses. Polyphenols, as xenobiotic phytochemicals, exhibit stress responses in animal cells, as demonstrated in cellular and rodent models. In this review article, the a...
Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology - February 7, 2024 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Akira Murakami Source Type: research
Mass spectrometry imaging methods for visualizing tumor heterogeneity
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2024 Feb 3;86:103068. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103068. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTProfiling spatial distributions of lipids, metabolites, and proteins in tumors can reveal unique cellular microenvironments and provide molecular evidence for cancer cell dysfunction and proliferation. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a label-free technique that can be used to map biomolecules in tumors in situ. Here, we discuss current progress in applying MSI to uncover molecular heterogeneity in tumors. First, the analytical strategies to profile small molecules and proteins are outlined, and current methods fo...
Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology - February 4, 2024 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Kyle D Duncan Helena P ětrošová Julian J Lum David R Goodlett Source Type: research
Corrigendum to: "Design, construction, and application of noncanonical redox cofactor infrastructures" [Curr Opin Biotechnol 84 (2023) 103019]
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2024 Jan 31;86:103066. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103066. Online ahead of print.NO ABSTRACTPMID:38301592 | DOI:10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103066 (Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology)
Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology - February 1, 2024 Category: Biotechnology Authors: William B Black Sean Perea Han Li Source Type: research
Bridging bench to body: ex vivo models to understand articular cartilage repair
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2024 Jan 31;86:103065. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103065. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTWith little to no ability to self-regenerate, human cartilage defects of the knee remain a major clinical challenge. Tissue engineering strategies include delivering specific types of cells and biomaterials to the injured cartilage for restoration of architecture and function. Pre-clinical models to test the efficacy of the therapies come with high costs and ethical issues, and imperfect prediction of performance in humans. Ex vivo models represent an alternative avenue to trial cartilage tissue engineering. Define...
Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology - February 1, 2024 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Anna Trengove Serena Duchi Carmine Onofrillo Dulani Sooriyaaratchi Claudia Di Bella Andrea J O'Connor Source Type: research
Extracellular vesicles as therapeutics for inflammation and infection
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2024 Feb;85:103067. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103067. Epub 2024 Jan 25.ABSTRACTExtracellular vesicles (EVs) are an emergent next-generation biotechnology with broad application potential. In particular, immunomodulatory bioactivity of EVs leading to anti-inflammatory effects is well-characterized. Cell source and culture conditions are critical determinants of EV therapeutic efficacy, while augmenting EV anti-inflammatory bioactivity via diverse strategies, including RNA cargo loading and protein surface display, has proven effective. Yet, translational challenges remain. Additionally, the potential ...
Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology - January 26, 2024 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Daniel Levy Talia J Solomon Steven M Jay Source Type: research
Nonsterile microbial production of chemicals based on Halomonas spp
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2024 Feb;85:103064. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.103064. Epub 2024 Jan 22.ABSTRACTThe use of extremophile organisms such as Halomomas spp. can eliminate the need for fermentation sterilization, significantly reducing process costs. Microbial fermentation is considered a pivotal strategy to reduce reliance on fossil fuel resources; however, sustainable processes continue to incur higher costs than their chemical industry counterparts. Most organisms require equipment sterilization to prevent contamination, a practice that introduces complexity and financial strain. Fermentations involving extremophile or...
Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology - January 23, 2024 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Jing Zhang Xu Yan Helen Park Nigel S Scrutton Tao Chen Guo-Qiang Chen Source Type: research
Overcoming barriers to medium-chain fatty alcohol production
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2024 Feb;85:103063. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.103063. Epub 2024 Jan 13.ABSTRACTMedium-chain fatty alcohols (mcFaOHs) are aliphatic primary alcohols containing six to twelve carbons that are widely used in materials, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Microbial biosynthesis has been touted as a route to less-abundant chain-length molecules and as a sustainable alternative to current petrochemical processes. Several metabolic engineering strategies for producing mcFaOHs have been demonstrated in the literature, yet processes continue to suffer from poor selectivity and mcFaOH toxicity, leading to reduced ...
Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology - January 14, 2024 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Yun Su Anna M Mangus William T Cordell Brian F Pfleger Source Type: research
Engineering bacteria for cancer immunotherapy
We describe potential strategies to address this challenge, along with approaches for specific payload delivery and biocontainment to ensure safety. These strategies will pave the way for the development of cost-effective, widely applicable next-generation cancer therapeutics.PMID:38219524 | DOI:10.1016/j.copbio.2023.103061 (Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology)
Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology - January 14, 2024 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Jesse G Zalatan Lorenzo Petrini Roger Geiger Source Type: research
Designer protein compartments for microbial metabolic engineering
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2024 Feb;85:103062. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.103062. Epub 2024 Jan 9.ABSTRACTProtein compartments are distinct structures assembled in living cells via self-assembly or phase separation of specific proteins. Significant efforts have been made to discover their molecular structures and formation mechanisms, as well as their fundamental roles in spatiotemporal control of cellular metabolism. Here, we review the design and construction of synthetic protein compartments for spatial organization of target metabolic pathways toward increased efficiency and specificity. In particular, we highlight the comp...
Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology - January 10, 2024 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Zhen Fang Ya-Jiao Zhu Zhi-Gang Qian Xiao-Xia Xia Source Type: research
Resolving cellular dynamics using single-cell temporal transcriptomics
Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2024 Feb;85:103060. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.103060. Epub 2024 Jan 9.ABSTRACTCellular dynamics, the transition of a cell from one state to another, is central to understanding developmental processes and disease progression. Single-cell transcriptomics has been pushing the frontiers of cellular dynamics studies into a genome-wide and single-cell level. While most single-cell RNA sequencing approaches are disruptive and only provide a snapshot of cell states, the dynamics of a cell could be reconstructed by either exploiting temporal information hiding in the transcriptomics data or integrating addit...
Source: Current Opinion in Biotechnology - January 9, 2024 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Yifei Liu Kai Huang Wanze Chen Source Type: research
