In Europe, Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) include medicines based on gene therapy, somatic-cell therapy, tissue-engineered products, and combined ATMPs. ATMPs constitute an emerging and innovative class of medicines used to treat multiple pathologies and are particularly relevant in pathologies where therapeutic options are limited and require high medical needs. These therapies act, among

Rapid, accurate, cost-effective, and efficient ultrasensitive detection strategies are essential for public health safety (including food safety, disease prevention and environmental governance). The CRISPR/CRISPR-associated (Cas) detection is a cutting-edge technology that has been widely used in the detection of public health safety due to its targeted cleavage properties (signal amplification),

In recent years, the environmental unsustainability of traditional wastewater treatment processes, alongside the growing emphasis on carbon neutrality and self-sufficiency in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), has drawn attention to algal-bacterial aerobic granular sludge (AGS) systems. This review synthesizes recent advances in algal-bacterial AGS, focusing on the latest research on its granulation

In aquaculture, the presence of antibiotic residues is an escalating concern that poses significant risks to human health. Establishing efficient and user-friendly detection methods for antibiotic residues has become crucial to mitigate these potential hazards. To address the limitations of traditional techniques, novel enzyme biosensors, offering high sensitivity and specificity and rapid response

The role of gut microbiota in human health and disease is becoming increasingly recognized. Historically, the impact of human gut microbiota on health has been studied using clinical trials and animal models. However, clinical studies often struggle with controlling variables and pinpointing disease-causing factors, while animal models fall short of accurately replicating the human gut environment

Catalytic promiscuity in enzymes refers to their ability to catalyze multiple chemically distinct reactions in addition to their native activity. The increasing discovery of additional enzymes exhibiting catalytic promiscuity has underscored the significance of this trait in nature. The catalytic promiscuity of enzymes offers new avenues for functional redesign. Through protein engineering, existing

Engineered proteases with bespoke substrate specificities and activities can empower broad and innovative applications in biomedicine, mass spectrometry-based proteomics, and chemical and synthetic biology. This review provides an authoritative, topical, and detailed description and discussion of the directed evolution and high-throughput strategies designed to engineer the substrate specificity of

Antibiotics are essential chemicals for medicine and agritech. However, all antibiotics are small molecules that pathogens evolve antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Alternatively, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) offer potential to overcome or evade AMR. AMPs provide broad-spectrum activity, favourable biosafety profiles, and a rapid and efficient mechanism of action with low resistance incidence. These

The escalation of global climate change and environmental degradation has made it imperative to develop innovative strategies to mitigate carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and enhance its utilization. Formate dehydrogenase (FDH) is a key enzyme capable of catalyzing the reversible conversion between CO₂ and formate. Due to its critical role in sustainable carbon recycling processes, FDH has garnered significant

Enzymes are indispensable for biological processes and diverse applications across industries. While top-down modification strategies, such as directed evolution, have achieved remarkable success in optimizing existing enzymes, bottom-up de novo enzyme design has emerged as a transformative approach for engineering novel enzymes with customized catalytic functions, independent of natural templates

Oligonucleotide synthesis serves as a cornerstone of modern life sciences, enabling groundbreaking advancements across molecular diagnostics, therapeutic development, and transformative technologies including DNA data storage and programmable biological systems. While phosphoramidite-based chemical synthesis remains the industrial standard, its limitations in producing long-sequence constructs, cumulative

ABO blood group antigens (namely, A, B, and H antigens) are carbohydrate epitopes on cell surface that play important roles in biological processes and blood transfusion. The structure diversity of ABH antigens structures is associated with susceptibility to different pathogen infections. Advanced synthetic methodologies are required for studying and applying ABO blood group antigens. The existing

Phosphatases, the largest subgroup within the haloacid dehydrogenase (HAD) superfamily, catalyze the irreversible dephosphorylation of phosphate biomolecules. In in vitro synthetic enzymatic biosystems, sugar phosphatases drive the pathways of phosphorylation, transformation (isomerization, epimerization, dehydrogenation, and/or transamination), and dephosphorylation towards product formation through

Enzyme miniaturization offers a transformative approach to overcome limitations posed by the large size of conventional enzymes in industrial, therapeutic, and diagnostic applications. However, the evolutionary optimization of enzymes for activity has not inherently favored compact structures, creating challenges for modern applications requiring smaller catalysts. In this review, we surveyed the advantages

Since their large-scale adoption in the early 20th century, plastics have become indispensable to modern life. However, inadequate disposal and recycling methods have led to severe environmental consequences. While traditional end-of-life plastics management had predominantly relied on landfilling, a paradigm shift towards recycling and valorization emerged in the 1970s, leading to the development

Omega-transaminases (ωTAs) constitute an important class of biocatalysts in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and fine chemical industries, because of their generally good performance in the efficient, enantiospecific, and environment-friendly synthesis of chiral amines that possess diverse chemical structures and biological activities. However, their practical applications are often hindered by unfavorable

Microbial cell factories for the production of high-quality commercial-grade enzymes have accelerated the development of advanced bio-manufacturing approaches, which in turn are environmentally friendly and sustainable. Myxobacteria, a term commonly used to refer to a group within the Myxococcota phylum, are of great interest for their biotechnological applications due to their ability to synthesize

Biomanufacturing stands as a cornerstone of sustainable industrial development, necessitating a shift toward non-food carbon feedstocks to alleviate agricultural resource competition and advance a circular bioeconomy. Methanol, a renewable one‑carbon substrate, has emerged as a pivotal candidate due to its abundance, cost-effectiveness, and high reduction potential, further bolstered by breakthroughs

Interactions between bacteria and microalgae have been studied in natural environments and in industrial consortia. As results of co-evolution for millions of years in nature, they have developed complex symbiotic relationships, including mutualism, commensalism and parasitism, the nature of which is decided by mechanisms of the interaction. There are two main types of molecular interactions between

Inflammation is the body's response to infection, trauma or injury and is activated in a coordinated fashion to ensure the restoration of tissue homeostasis and healthy physiology. This process requires communication between stromal cells resident to the tissue compartment and infiltrating immune cells which is dysregulated in disease. Clinical innovations in patient diagnosis and stratification include

Biological degradation of plastics by microbial enzymes offers a sustainable alternative to traditional waste management methods that often pollute the environment. This review explores ecologically-informed bioprospecting for microorganisms possessing enzymes suitable for biological plastic waste treatment. Natural habitats enriched in plastic-like polymers, such as insect-derived polyesters, epicuticular

The genus Pedobacter consists of Gram-negative bacteria with a broad geographic distribution, isolated from diverse habitats, including water, soil, plants, wood, rocks and animals. However, characterization efforts have been limited to a small number of species. Likewise, in the context of natural products (NP), only a small fraction of Pedobacter -derived NPs have been characterized so far. In contrast

Biogas generated from anaerobic digestion can be upgraded to biomethane by photosynthetic biogas upgrading, using CO2 as a bioresource for algal (cyanobacteria and microalgae) cultivation. This allows the upgrading technology to offer economic and environmental benefits to conventional physiochemical upgrading techniques (which can be energy-intensive and costly) by co-generating biomethane with high-value

Biogeochemical cycles are fundamental processes that regulate the flow of essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, sustaining ecosystem productivity and global biogeochemical equilibrium. These cycles are intricately influenced by plant-microbe symbioses, which facilitate nutrient acquisition, organic matter decomposition, and the transformation of soil nutrients. Through mutualistic

Synthetic biology offers transformative opportunities to optimise Fusarium species as efficient platforms for the sustainable production of diverse bioproducts. Advanced engineering techniques, including CRISPR/Cas9, RNA interference and synthetic promoters, have enhanced the manipulation of metabolic pathways, enabling higher yields of industrially relevant compounds. Recent insights from next-generation

Betalains are food-grade hydrophilic pigments with antioxidant and biological activities, predominantly found in plants. Betanin is a red-violet betalain synthesized from tyrosine through L-DOPA formation, its subsequent aromatic ring-opening, spontaneous cyclization to betalamic acid, and then pH-dependent condensation with i) cyclo‐DOPA-5-O-glucoside or ii) cyclo‐DOPA followed by 5-O-glucosylation

Ergot alkaloids (EAs) are a class of secondary metabolites produced by fungi. These compounds are predominantly synthesized by Ascomycota, with variations in types and biosynthetic pathways among different fungal species. The EA synthesis has minimal impact on the normal growth and development of most EA-producing fungi, but serves as a virulence factor that influences the biocontrol functions of entomopathogenic

The inert nature, durability, low cost, and wide applicability of plastics have made this material indispensable in our lives. This dependency has resulted in a growing number of plastic items, of which a substantial part is disposed in landfills or dumped in the environment, thereby affecting terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Among plastic materials, polyolefins are the most abundant and are impervious

Human settlements on the Moon, crewed missions to Mars and space tourism will become a reality in the next few decades. Human presence in space, especially for extended periods of time, will therefore steeply increase. However, despite more than 60 years of spaceflight, the mechanisms underlying the effects of the space environment on human physiology are still not fully understood. Animals, ranging

Host cell proteins (HCPs) are process-related impurities of biotherapeutic production that might affect product quality and/or patient safety. In a few cases, adverse events were attributed to HCPs present in the administered biotherapeutic. HCP-associated immune risks include adjuvanticity and immunogenicity with potential cross-reactivity. Based on the published data, some HCPs can act as adjuvants

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) holds a unique position in the human diet and serves as a stable food source in many developing countries especially in African and south Asian regions. Tannins, the primary secondary metabolites in sorghum, are pivotal in determining its characteristic bitter taste. Beyond their influence on flavor, tannins play a vital role in sorghum's resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses

Curcumin, a natural compound found in turmeric, has shown promise in treating brain-related diseases and conditions associated with aging. Curcumin has shown multiple anti-inflammatory and brain-protective effects, but its clinical use is limited by challenges like poor absorption, specificity and delivery to the right tissues.

This review provides a comprehensive analysis of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), exploring their diverse sources, secondary structures, and unique characteristics. The review explores into the mechanisms underlying the antibacterial, immunomodulatory effects, antiviral, antiparasitic and antitumour of AMPs. Furthermore, it discusses the three principal synthesis pathways for AMPs and assesses their

With the global demand for sustainable agriculture on the rise, RNA-guided nuclease technology offers transformative applications in crop breeding. Traditional hybrid breeding methods, like three-line and two-line systems, are often labor-intensive, transgenic, and economically burdensome. While chemical mutagens facilitate these systems, they not only generate weak alleles but also produce strong

Hydroxybenzoic acids (HBAs) are plant secondary metabolites exhibiting antioxidant, antiviral, anticancer and antibacterial activities. A high and constantly increasing demand for these compounds underlines the need for novel and efficient production methods, as commonly applied plant extraction and chemical synthesis approaches are susceptible to low yields and are environmentally hazardous. Switching

Gastrointestinal (GI) parasitic nematodes threaten food security and affect human health and animal welfare globally. Current anthelmintics for use in humans and livestock are challenged by continuous re-infections and the emergence and spread of multidrug resistance, underscoring an urgent need to identify novel control targets for therapeutic exploitation. Recent evidence has highlighted the occurrence

Parasitic nematodes represent a substantial global burden, impacting animal health, agriculture and economies worldwide. Of these worms, Haemonchus contortus – a blood-feeding nematode of ruminants – is a major pathogen and a model for molecular and applied parasitology research. This review synthesises some key advances in understanding the molecular biology, genetic diversity and host-parasite interactions

Enzymatic polymerization has emerged as a sustainable strategy for synthesizing biodegradable, biocompatible polymers, addressing critical environmental challenges posed by conventional petroleum-based materials. This review comprehensively explores advancements from the past five years, spotlighting six pivotal enzymes lipase, horseradish peroxidase, laccase, glucose oxidase, glucosyltransferase,

Recent developments in nanomaterial-microbe hybrid systems have combined the unique physicochemical properties of nanomaterials with the biocatalytic capabilities of microorganisms. These hybrid systems have seen extensive use in energy production, particularly in enhancing hydrogen generation. Researchers have incorporated nanomaterials into microbial cultures, achieving significant improvements in

Lignocellulosic biomass is regarded as a potentially valuable second-generation biorefinery feedstock. Yeast has the ability to metabolize this substrate and convert it into fuel ethanol and an array of other chemical products. Nevertheless, during the pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass, inhibitors (furanaldehydes, carboxylic acids, phenolic compounds, etc.) are generated, which impede the growth

Self-replication is the process by which a system or entity autonomously reproduces or generates copies of itself, transmitting hereditary information through its molecular structure. Self-replication can be attractive for various researchers, ranging from biologists focused on uncovering the origin of life, to synthetic chemists and nanotechnologists studying synthetic machines and nanorobots. The

The development of optimized culture media is pivotal to advancements in human cell culture, underpinning progress in regenerative medicine, cell therapies, and personalized medicine. While foundational formulations like Eagle's Minimum Essential Medium (MEM) and Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) have historically enabled significant biological research, these media were primarily designed for

Filamentous fungi are essential industrial microorganisms that can serve as sources of enzymes, organic acids, terpenoids, and other bioactive compounds with significant applications in food, medicine, and agriculture. However, the underdevelopment of gene editing tools limits the full exploitation of filamentous fungi, which still present numerous untapped potential applications. In recent years,

Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) is a crucial industrial platform for producing a wide range of chemicals, fuels, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceutical ingredients. It is also commonly used as a model organism for fundamental research. In recent years, the CRISPR-Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR-associated proteins) system has become the preferred technology

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are steroid phytohormones which regulate various developmental and physiological processes throughout plant life cycle, from seed development and germination, up to modulation of reproduction and senescence. Importantly, mutants defective in the BR biosynthesis or response show various degree of plant height reduction (dwarfism or semi-dwarfism). This agronomic trait is of particular

Terpenoids, also known as isoprenoids, represent the largest and most structurally diverse family of natural products, and their biosynthesis is closely related to cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450s). Given the limitations of direct extraction from natural resources, such as low productivity and environmental concerns, heterologous expression of P450s in microbial cell factories has emerged as a promising

Animal toxins are proteins, peptides or metabolites that cause negative effects against predators, prey or competitors following contact or injection. They work by interacting with enzymes, receptors and other targets causing pain, debilitation or leading even to death. Their biological significance and pharmacological effects in humans make them interesting to researchers, but much remains to be learned

Fungal secondary metabolites are considered as important resources for drug discovery. Despite various methods being employed to facilitate the discovery of new fungal secondary metabolites, the trend of identifying novel secondary metabolites from fungi is inevitably slowing down. Under laboratory conditions, the majority of biosynthetic gene clusters, which store information for secondary metabolites

The persistent demand for plastic commodities, inadequate recycling infrastructure, and pervasive environmental contamination due to plastic waste present a formidable global challenge. Recycling, degradation and upcycling are the three most important ways to solve the problem of plastic pollution. Sequential enzymatic and microbial degradation of mechanically and chemically pre-treated plastic waste

The global cryopreservation market size rises exponentially due to increased demand for cell therapy-based products, assisted reproductive technology, and organ transplantation. Cryoprotectants (CPAs) are required to reduce ice-related damage, osmotic cell injury, and protein denaturation. Antioxidants are needed to hamper membrane lipid peroxidation under freezing stress, and antibiotics are added

As an emerging therapeutic tool, small interfering RNA (siRNA) had the capability to down-regulate nearly all human mRNAs via sequence-specific gene silencing. Numerous studies have demonstrated the substantial potential of siRNA in the treatment of broad classes of diseases. With the discovery and development of various delivery systems and chemical modifications, six siRNA-based drugs have been approved

Centella asiatica (L.) Urban is an herbaceous perennial plant that has long been widely used in traditional medicine, due to its diverse wound-healing, neuroprotection, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The major functional bioactive secondary metabolites are the triterpenoids asiatic acid, madecassic acid, asiaticoside and madecassoside, collectively known as centellosides. Current extraction

In living cells, alpha-ketoacid decarboxylases (KDCs, EC 4.1.1.-) are a class of enzymes that convert alpha-ketoacids into aldehydes through decarboxylation. These aldehydes serve as either drop-in chemicals or precursors for the biosynthesis of alcohols, carboxylic acids, esters, and alkanes. These compounds play crucial roles in cellular metabolism and fitness and the bioeconomy, facilitating the

The pulp and paper (P&P) industry plays a vital role in supporting the social and economic progress of a country by supplying essential commodities. Conventional P&P processing often consumes significant energy and use chemical agents to produce hazardous intermediates. The use of enzymes in the P&P industry has significantly reduced both the chemical and energy demands during processing. A variety

The advent of multi-specific antibodies has introduced a significant advantage over traditional monoclonal antibody therapeutics by engaging multiple targets and pathways. This review delves into the post-translational assembly techniques for multi-specific antibodies, highlighting the innovations and challenges associated with approaches of chemical conjugation, oligonucleotide-mediated assembly,

Biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) are groups of clustered genes found in bacteria, fungi, and some plants and animals that are crucial for synthesizing secondary metabolites. In recent years, genome mining of BGCs has emerged as a prominent research focus, particularly in natural product discovery and drug development. Compared to traditional experimental methods, applying computational techniques

Microalgae have emerged as a promising and sustainable source for polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), which are increasingly recognized for their potential in bioplastics production. However, the widespread application of microalgae-derived PHA faces challenges related to economic feasibility and scalability. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of recent advancements in the cultivation and optimization

Heparinized hemodialysis membranes represent a significant advancement in improving the biocompatibility and anticoagulant properties of dialysis treatments. This review explores the current challenges and innovations in developing these membranes, focusing on the incorporation of heparin and heparin-like substances to reduce protein adsorption, platelet adhesion, and clot formation. The methods for

Monoterpenes (MTPs) are valuable isoprenoids widely used in cosmetics, food flavorings, pharmaceuticals, etc. Compared to plant extraction and chemical synthesis, microbial biosynthesis offers superior sustainability and efficiency in producing natural MTPs, overcoming the limitations of raw material dependency, environmental impact, and racemic mixtures inherent in these methods. This review comprehensively