Genome-scale model-guided microbial engineering converts agricultural waste into biodegradable bioplastics
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 25-Oct-2026 08:16 ET (25-Oct-2026 12:16 GMT/UTC)
The study introduces an integrated engineering framework that combines transcriptomic analysis with a transcriptome-constrained genome-scale metabolic model (GEM) to identify metabolic engineering targets for enhanced bioplastic production. Rather than relying on conventional trial-and-error strain engineering, the approach predicts genetic modifications that redirect metabolic flux toward product biosynthesis, providing a new strategy for agricultural waste valorization and sustainable biomanufacturing.
Kidney disease can remain hidden until it becomes life-threatening: up to half of cases may go undiagnosed, despite simple blood and urine tests that can detect it early. This stark message is laid out in a landmark series of research papers by a team of global experts, including scientists from Duke-NUS.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects every individual differently. Scientists have identified more than a thousand genes associated with ASD, yet no single gene accounts for most cases. This has left researchers with a longstanding question: how can such diverse genetic changes give rise to the same condition, yet affect each person so differently?
A new study by researchers from A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore (A*STAR GIS), in collaboration with A*STAR Bioinformatics Institute (A*STAR BII), offers a new perspective. Published in Nature Communications, the study suggests that ASD may arise not only from which genes are affected, but also from where and how the changes unfold as the brain develops.
A team led by researchers from the University of Osaka has used acoustic tweezers to analyze the mechanical properties of biopolymer droplets without needing to physically touch the material. Using this method, the team investigated the stiffness of condensates of a model biopolymer. This technique will further the knowledge of biopolymer droplets and their roles in cellular biology, and may lead to the discovery of novel methods of treating diseases caused by the dysfunction of these droplets.
Fewer women are part of cardiac rehabilitation programs, particularly in rural or remote communities, but Flinders University researchers have found that a web-based program tailored for women in rural and remote communities can help change this situation.
A new study led by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health evaluated the real-world effectiveness of tuberculosis preventive treatment in six countries with high TB and HIV rates.
People living with severe mental illness face a substantially higher risk of dementia throughout adulthood, as well as a significantly elevated risk of stroke in early and middle adulthood, according to a large new study based on health records from Catalonia, Spain. The findings, published in the September 2026 edition of the peer-reviewed journal European Neuropsychopharmacology, suggest that physical health risks linked to severe psychiatric conditions emerge much earlier than many clinicians may expect, underscoring the need for general health care to be more integrated in mental health care.