Archive for the ‘Biochemistry’ Category
The research is being done about certain bacteria found in hot springs of Yellowstone could lead to commercially viable production of ethanol plants like grass Panicum virgatum.
Current production of ethanol is based on the use of expensive enzymes that break down complex plant material to release sugars that are fermented to ethanol. Hence the work on the development of a cheaper alternative, the consolidated bioprocessing, and a highly optimized process that uses microorganisms to break down tough biomass.
Richard Giannone’s team of Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the United States has considered a candidate microorganism: Caldicellulosiruptor obsidiansis, a bacterium discovered by scientists at the BESC in thermal waters of the Yellowstone National Park, U.S. Read the rest of this entry »
It has managed to recreate an important process that could occur in the prebiotic world. This scientific breakthrough is the first step toward a possible definitive demonstration of how developed two simple sugars threose and erythrose, key pieces of machinery that led to prebiotic emergence of the first living beings.
All biological molecules have the capacity to exist as L-forms (“left handed”) or dextrorotatory (“right-handed”). All sugars in biology consist of dextrorotatory molecules, and all amino acids that comprise the peptides and proteins are levorotatory. Read the rest of this entry »
A group of University of the Basque Country has been isolated and characterized a sugar in the gas phase for the first time in history. Sugars have a huge biochemical interest because of the importance and diversity of roles: they serve as energy stores and are the fuel of various biological systems, are part of DNA and ribonucleic acid (RNA) and also play a key role in cellular processes.
Recently, interest has grown sugars also in cosmochemistry, more specifically, in the search for fundamental material for the origin of life in interstellar space. Finding that key material would also help to understand that was the mechanism of the origin of life on Earth.
The most basic sugars, 2 and 3 units of carbon have been found in clouds and meteorites. However, it has not been possible to detect more complex sugars in space due to the lack of precise information on the structure. And that information should provide the research laboratories. Read the rest of this entry »
Bio Architecture Lab (BAL) scientists have genetically modified the bacterium E. coli to digest the sugars from brown algae and convert them into ethanol. Thus, the algae could be a profitable source of energy, say the authors of the project.
Oil and energy demand just keeps growing every day. It is therefore looking for new sources economically viable. According to experts, one of the most promising candidates to replace fossil fuels is algae.
“The brown algae can be a source of biomass for the production of chemical and renewable fuels more sustainable environmentally”, says Yasuo Yoshikuni of Bio Architecture Lab. Yoshikuni was part of the group who has designed a bacterium able to metabolize all the sugars in the seaweed and get more out of the process. Read the rest of this entry »
Nature atoms tend to bind to each other and can join one of three ways: covalent, ionic and metallic bonding. The atoms are the fundamental units that make up matter. Later, in modern chemistry, Dalton postulated its existence and this was demonstrated by experiments by another string of scientists. Although etymologically the word “atom” meaning indivisible, atoms are made up of smaller particles: protons, neutrons and electrons-whose operation can not be explained without resorting to quantum physics.
The atoms are rarely found alone in nature, only the atoms of noble gases try to join with others the name of noble gases were given when compared metaphorically with members of the upper echelons of society. The physical explanation that illustrates why some atoms join with other uses the principle of minimum energy, very common to nature-study in natural systems tend to situations of minimal energy. The atoms are joined together when they have less energy than apart. If you want to know details information about disinfection cap, you can visit here. Read the rest of this entry »
It has been discovered how a control system in the cianobacterias functions, the microorganisms responsible for almost the half of the current production of oxygen in the Earth. The finding has been experimenting with the “antennae” that allow biological capture light for photosynthesis in cyanobacteria.
Thorough understanding this mechanism could allow, among other things, increase agricultural productivity, more viable large-scale generation bio-solar energy, and improve the scientific understanding of biological processes that directly or indirectly, is vital for many forms of life on Earth. Read the rest of this entry »
It has taken a significant step on the road to the development of advanced biofuels that can substitute for gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, in what would be an ecological alternative, clean and renewable.
Researchers at the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) in United States have produced the first genetically engineered strains of Escherichia coli bacteria that can “digest” the biomass of grass species Panicum virgatum, and synthesize their sugars to obtain these three fuels for transport. Furthermore, microbes are able to do this without the help of additives of enzymes.
This work, led by Jay Keasling team shows that it is feasible to cut one of the most expensive parts of the biofuels production process: the addition of enzymes to depolymerize the cellulose and hemicellulose giving rise to fermentable sugars. Read the rest of this entry »
It has demonstrated the validity of a new technique to identify molecular structures. This technique can be used effectively in small samples of biological proteins; including proteins of pharmacological interest, and results in a fraction of the time is now needed using conventional methods.
The technique, an improved form of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, could enable identification of a protein structure in a matter of hours instead of weeks or months, dramatically accelerating the drug discovery process. Read the rest of this entry »
The fashion of tanning, in many nations has led to a change in sunbathing habits, and the hole in the ozone layer, caused a worldwide increase in the number of health problems caused by excessive exposure to solar radiation.
One way to deal with this problem has been to increase the use of sunscreen. However, these sunscreens can cause contact allergies in the sun, and this has led to an increased incidence of skin allergies.
A group of scientists from the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology, both in Sweden, is driving the search for a natural UV filter that does not have these side effects. Read the rest of this entry »