A new study led by Dr Lin Su of Queen Mary University of London, published today in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, describes a new integrated solar reactor in which engineered Escherichia coli (E. coli) are grown directly inside the same liquid that converts CO₂ into a usable energy source using sunlight. In future, this technology may be used to make environmentally clean chemicals, plastics or even microbial protein.   

Understanding the packing and folding of DNA in sperm cells is a fundamental question in modern biology, related to infertility and to genetic and developmental defects. UC Davis researchers have now unveiled an important new piece of this puzzle. They have identified a protein, called DAXX, that guides how sperm DNA is organized, silences numerous genes and keeps some switched on. The work was published recently in Genes & Development. 

Tumor cells exploit chemokine signaling to construct an immunosuppressive microenvironment that resists anti-tumor immune responses. A new review systematically maps the chemokine-receptor network in the tumor microenvironment and introduces a three-part “3D” targeting strategy: Decrease recruitment of suppressive cells (Tregs, MDSCs, TAMs), Develop effector T cell and NK cell function, and Dismantle physical and signaling barriers that exclude effectors from tumors. This framework ultimately provides a roadmap for precision combination immunotherapy to overcome immune evasion

Animals such as bats rely on sound for navigation and locating prey. However, they must distinguish between important signals and surrounding noise. Researchers from Doshisha University, Japan, now report that greater Japanese horseshoe bats actively create a “silent spectral window” through ultrasonic frequency control, which allows them to clearly detect echoes from their prey against the background clutter. This strategy not only stabilizes echoes but also suppresses environmental noise, inspiring future noise cancellation technologies.