Osaka Metropolitan University researchers enhanced Saccharomyces cerevisiae to increase its tolerance for high 2,3-butanediol concentrations. This was achieved by introducing mutations into the genomic DNA and successfully obtaining a mutant strain that proliferates 122 times more than the parent strain.

Large phytoplankton blooms north of the Hawaiian Islands have been seen in satellite imagery as vast swirls of color nearly every summer, but their origin and ecosystem dynamics have remained mysterious. A recent investigation revealed the confluence of conditions that support the explosion of photosynthetic microbes and the cascade of responses within the microscopic marine world. The highly multidisciplinary study offers the first comprehensive look at the anatomy of these massive biological events

New research taking place at the University of Plymouth's Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence, and supported by the Children’s Tumor Foundation, will trial combinations of drugs to try and find the first effective non-surgical treatments for patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2)

Engineered oncolytic bacteria have emerged as a promising therapeutic platform for precision cancer treatment, offering tumor-specific colonization, immune activation, and controllable therapeutic delivery. This review summarizes recent advances in the design and application of synthetic biological strategies that enhance bacterial precision, safety, and efficacy in tumor therapy. These strategies are categorized into three major regulatory modes: exogenous input–responsive gene circuits, autonomous bacterial signal–responsive gene circuits, and tumor microenvironment-responsive gene circuits.

DNA–protein cross-links (DPCs) represent a severe form of DNA damage that can disrupt essential chromatin-based processes. Among them, DNA–histone cross-links (DHCs) occur frequently within nucleosomes, yet their structural and functional consequences remain poorly understood due to their instability and low natural abundance.

This study investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying ligand recognition, subtype selectivity, and activation of neuropeptide FF receptor 1 (NPFFR1)—a Gi/o-coupled receptor that responds to endogenous RF-amide peptides (RFRP-3 from pro-NPFFB, NPFF from pro-NPFFA) and regulates physiological processes like opioid function, pain, and energy homeostasis. To address gaps in understanding its role in opioid modulation (due to lack of selective ligands), the authors used cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to resolve atomic structures of two NPFFR1-Gi complexes: RFRP-3-bound and NPFF-bound. GloSensor cAMP assays confirmed ligand potency differences, and mutagenesis/MD simulations validated key interactions.