Menaquinone-specific turnover by M. tuberculosis cytochrome bd is redox regulated by the Q-loop disulfide bond.

Cytochrome bd from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtbd) is a menaquinol oxidase that has gained interest as an antibiotic target due to its importance in survival under infectious conditions. Mtbd contains a characteristic disulfide bond that has been hypothesized to allow for Mtbd activity regulation at the enzymatic level, possibly helping M. tuberculosis to rapidly adapt to the hostile environment of the phagosome.

Semiartificial Photosynthetic Nanoreactors for H Generation.

A relatively unexplored energy source in synthetic cells is transmembrane electron transport, which like proton and ion transport can be light driven. Here, synthetic cells, called nanoreactors, are engineered for compartmentalized, semiartificial photosynthetic H production by a [FeFe]-hydrogenase (Hase). Transmembrane electron transfer into the nanoreactor was enabled by MtrCAB, a multiheme transmembrane protein from MR-1.

Engineering of bespoke photosensitiser-microbe interfaces for enhanced semi-artificial photosynthesis.

Biohybrid systems for solar fuel production integrate artificial light-harvesting materials with biological catalysts such as microbes. In this perspective, we discuss the rational design of the abiotic-biotic interface in biohybrid systems by reviewing microbes and synthetic light-harvesting materials, as well as presenting various approaches to coupling these two components together. To maximise performance and scalability of such semi-artificial systems, we emphasise that the interfacial design requires consideration of two important aspects: attachment and electron transfer.

Chimeric Protein Switch Biosensors.

Rapid detection of protein and small-molecule analytes is a valuable technique across multiple disciplines, but most in vitro testing of biological or environmental samples requires long, laborious processes and trained personnel in laboratory settings, leading to long wait times for results and high expenses. Fusion of recognition with reporter elements has been introduced to detection methods such as enzyme-linked immunoassays (ELISA), with enzyme-conjugated secondary antibodies removing one of the many incubation and wash steps. Chimeric protein switch biosensors go further and provide a platform for homogenous mix-and-read assays where long wash and incubation steps are eradicated from the process.