Non-Canonical C Homoterpene Biosynthesis Widespread in Actinobacteria.

A novel biosynthetic pathway towards the rare and underexplored non-canonical family of homoterpenes was discovered in actinobacteria through targeted genome mining and enzymatic in vitro reconstitution. The pathway comprises initial methylation-induced double bond isomerization of farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) to (2E,7E)-6-methyl-farnesyl diphosphate, catalyzed by a novel family of methyltransferases with unique dual function. The resulting linear C double bond isomer of FPP constitutes the specific substrate for a distinct family of type I terpene cyclases, catalyzing diverse cyclization reactions.

Antibiotic-Polyphosphate Nanocomplexes: A Promising System for Effective Biofilm Eradication.

Purpose: The eradication of bacterial biofilms poses an enormous challenge owing to the inherently low antibiotic susceptibility of the resident microbiota. The complexation of antibiotics with polyphosphate can substantially improve antimicrobial performance.

Methods: Nanoparticular complexes of the model drug colistin and polyphosphate (CP-NPs) were developed and characterized in terms of their particle size and morphology, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and cytotoxicity.

Biomedical applications of functional hydrogels: Innovative developments, relevant clinical trials and advanced products.

Functional hydrogels are used for numerous biomedical applications such as tissue engineering, wound dressings, lubricants, contact lenses and advanced drug delivery systems. Most of them are based on synthetic or natural polymers forming a three-dimensional network that contains aqueous media. Among synthetic polymers, poly(meth)acrylates, polyethyleneglycols, poly(vinylalcohols), poly(vinylpyrrolidones), PLGA and poly(urethanes) are of high relevance, whereas natural polymers are mainly polysaccharides such as hyaluronic acid, alginate or chitosan and proteins such as albumin, collagen or elastin.

Design of charge converting lipid nanoparticles via a microfluidic coating technique.

It was the aim of this study to design charge converting lipid nanoparticles (LNP) via a microfluidic mixing technique used for the preparation and coating of LNP. LNP consisting of 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC), cholesterol, N-(carbonyl-methoxypolyethyleneglycol-2000)-1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (MPEG-2000-DSPE), and various cationic surfactants were prepared at diverging flow rate ratios (FRR) via microfluidic mixing. Utilizing a second chip in the microfluidic set-up, LNP were coated with polyoxyethylene (9) nonylphenol monophosphate ester (PNPP).

Overcoming intestinal barriers by heparanase-responsive charge-converting nanocarriers.

In this study, we present a novel approach for overcoming intestinal barriers by utilizing heparanase-responsive charge-converting nanocarriers (NCs). These NCs are designed to undergo charge conversion in response to the activity of heparanase (HPSE), an enzyme commonly overexpressed in cancer cells. Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) and solid lipid nanocarriers (SLNs) with a positively charged core were coated with heparin (Hep), resulting in a negative surface charge and a size between 195 and 220 nm.