Publications by authors named "Jonathan Penfield"

Article Synopsis
  • mRNA therapies have become popular, especially after the approval of mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, but large-scale production faces significant challenges.
  • The production process can be inefficient and costly due to issues with incorporating necessary cap analogs and the creation of unwanted double-stranded RNA byproducts that can trigger immune reactions.
  • Researchers have developed a new RNA polymerase called T7-68 that improves the incorporation of cap analogs and reduces the presence of harmful dsRNA, enhancing the efficiency of mRNA production.
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KshA is the oxygenase component of 3-ketosteroid 9α-hydroxylase, a Rieske oxygenase involved in the bacterial degradation of steroids. Consistent with its role in bile acid catabolism, KshA1 from Rhodococcus rhodochrous DSM43269 had the highest apparent specificity (kcat/Km) for steroids with an isopropyl side chain at C17, such as 3-oxo-23,24-bisnorcholesta-1,4-diene-22-oate (1,4-BNC). By contrast, the KshA5 homolog had the highest apparent specificity for substrates with no C17 side chain (kcat/Km >10(5) s(-1) M(-1) for 4-estrendione, 5α-androstandione, and testosterone).

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