Bacterial outer-membrane vesicles promote Vγ9Vδ2 T cell oncolytic activity.

Background: Increasing evidence suggests the immune activation elicited by bacterial outer-membrane vesicles (OMVs) can initiate a potent anti-tumor immunity, facilitating the recognition and destruction of malignant cells. At present the pathways underlying this response remain poorly understood, though a role for innate-like cells such as γδ T cells has been suggested.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors were co-cultured with MG1655 Δ Δ OMVs and corresponding immune activation studied by cell marker expression and cytokine production.

The Discovery of Imine Reductases and their Utilisation for the Synthesis of Tetrahydroisoquinolines.

Imine reductases (IREDs) are NADPH-dependent enzymes with significant biocatalytic potential for the synthesis of primary, secondary, and tertiary chiral amines. Their applications include the reduction of cyclic imines and the reductive amination of prochiral ketones. In this study, twenty-nine novel IREDs were revealed through genome mining.

Direct Conversion of Hydrazones to Amines using Transaminases.

Transaminase enzymes (TAms) have been widely used for the amination of aldehydes and ketones, often resulting in optically pure products. In this work, transaminases were directly reacted with hydrazones in a novel approach to form amine products. Several substrates were investigated, including those with furan and phenyl moieties.

Multienzyme One-Pot Cascades Incorporating Methyltransferases for the Strategic Diversification of Tetrahydroisoquinoline Alkaloids.

The tetrahydroisoquinoline (THIQ) ring system is present in a large variety of structurally diverse natural products exhibiting a wide range of biological activities. Routes to mimic the biosynthetic pathways to such alkaloids, by building cascade reactions in vitro, represents a successful strategy and can offer better stereoselectivities than traditional synthetic methods. -Adenosylmethionine (SAM)-dependent methyltransferases are crucial in the biosynthesis and diversification of THIQs; however, their application is often limited in vitro by the high cost of SAM and low substrate scope.

A Biomimetic DNA-Based Membrane Gate for Protein-Controlled Transport of Cytotoxic Drugs.

Chemistry is ideally placed to replicate biomolecular structures with tuneable building materials. Of particular interest are molecular nanopores, which transport cargo across membranes, as in DNA sequencing. Advanced nanopores control transport in response to triggers, but this cannot be easily replicated with biogenic proteins.

Effects of bed compression on protein separation on gel filtration chromatography at bench and pilot scale.

Background: Poorly packed chromatography columns are known to reduce drastically the column efficiency and produce broader peaks. Controlled bed compression has been suggested to be a useful approach for solving this problem. Here the relationship between column efficiency and resolution of protein separation are examined when preparative chromatography media were compressed using mechanical and hydrodynamic methods.

Creation of an ultra scale-down bioreactor mimic for rapid development of lignocellulosic enzymatic hydrolysis processes.

Background: Cellulosic bioethanol processes involve several steps, all of which require experimental optimisation. A significant aid to this research would be a validated ultra scale-down (USD) model that could be used to perform rapid, wide ranging screening and optimisation experiments using limited materials under process relevant conditions.

Results: In this work, the use of 30 mL shaken conical tubes as a USD model for an enzymatic hydrolysis process is established.

Electromagnetic stirring in a microbioreactor with non-conventional chamber morphology and implementation of multiplexed mixing.

Background: Microbioreactors have emerged as novel tools for early bioprocess development. Mixing lies at the heart of bioreactor operation (at all scales). The successful implementation of micro-stirring methods is thus central to the further advancement of microbioreactor technology.

Quantification of the oxygen uptake rate in a dissolved oxygen controlled oscillating jet-driven microbioreactor.

Background: Microbioreactors have emerged as a new tool for early bioprocess development. The technology has advanced rapidly in the last decade and obtaining real-time quantitative data of process variables is nowadays state of the art. In addition, control over process variables has also been achieved.

Regenerative medicine through a crisis: social perception and the financial reality.

The aim of this perspective piece is to highlight how the "social perception" and "financial reality" of regenerative medicine may act to hinder its evolution into the principal health-care option for the future. We also consider the role of the consumer and the need for increased public awareness. Furthermore, we consider the effects of the changing social attitudes toward the field, as well as taking into account the influence of current and future political thinking.