All Natural Products articles
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NewsMeet the future of fashion: Clothes made alive by fungi
Scientists develop a flexible living textile based on caterpillar fungus, which can be used to make self-colouring, self-cleaning and self-repairing clothes.
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FeaturesCan monolaurin help fight superbugs?
Among the many naturally occurring antimicrobial compounds, glycerol monolaurate (GML), more commonly known as monolaurin, has attracted renewed interest because of its broad antimicrobial activity and potential role in addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
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NewsPomegranate emerges as a promising natural phytobiotic for veterinary medicine
Researchers have identified a broad range of biological properties in pomegranate with potential for use in medical applications, including antimicrobial, antiparasitic, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects.
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News‘Known’ TB gene springs to action under stress, with an unexpected biological role
New research has discovered that one of TB’s supposedly “known” genes has a completely unexpected biological role, with far-reaching implications.
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FeaturesUnder the Microscope: Microbes in fashion
In the dawn of a new era, the fashion industry is turning its sights to harnessing the power of microbes to produce cruelty-free fur and leather alternatives, to create pigments that will replace toxic dyes and even being used to more sustainably recycle textile waste.
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NewsRice-grown chaga reveals genes behind valuable triterpenoids
New study links triterpenoid accumulation in Inonotus obliquus with rising expression of key biosynthetic genes, providing a genetic foundation for future work to improve sustainable production of Chaga-derived compounds.
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NewsLandmark study reveals ‘megacluster’ of bacterial genes behind arsenal of potent antibiotics
A newly discovered “megacluster” of genes in Streptomyces bacteria produces four new natural product antibiotics that work together to stop rival bacteria.
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NewsOrangutans seek out medicinal plants
New research shows orangutans seek out plants with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties. The findings suggest orangutans eat combinations of plants in specific sequences – consistent with “self-medication” seen in other species.
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NewsCows vs plants: which milk delivers the greatest health benefits?
New research suggests that cow’s milk has the edge over plant-based alternatives when it comes to bone strength and nutrient absorption.
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NewsScientists identify endangered natural pharmacy hidden in coral reefs
The magnitude of the potential loss of the “natural pharmacy” found in the coral microbiome is demonstrated by a new study which identified new microbial species in corals which have the ability to produce novel substances.
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NewsInvasive death cap mushrooms are changing their chemistry
Scientists have just published new research about the chemistry of death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides) - the species is not only spreading rapidly as an invasive fungal species in the United States, but the move across continents has changed the chemistry of the species.
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NewsRhododendron-derived drugs now made by bacteria
Bioengineered E. coli bacteria can now produce a group of compounds with anticancer, anti-HIV, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory activities. The compounds, orsellinic acid-derived meroterpenoids, are produced by Rhododendron species.
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NewsNaval Research Lab Space Station study reveals key challenges and opportunities for microbial biomanufacturing in space
Scientists have completed a spaceflight biology investigation aboard the International Space Station (ISS) that reveals how microgravity fundamentally alters microbial metabolism, limiting the efficiency of biological manufacturing processes critical to future long-duration space missions.
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NewsGame-changer for rare sugars: alkaline media unlocks high yield of rare sugars from bacteria
Bacterial EPSs (exopolysaccharides) are emerging as a sustainable source of rare sugars, offering advantages including higher yields and lower environmental impact.
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NewsFrom small experiments to big production: how constant impeller tip speed helps scale-up
Rhamnolipids (RL) are widely used in areas such as oil recovery and bioremediation, but their industrial production has long faced key challenges in the scale-up stage, including poor scalability and reproducibility.
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NewsCommon food bacterium could help make vitamins cheaper and greener
A new study reveals how Lactococcus lactis, a common food bacterium, regulates the production of a key precursor in vitamin K₂ (menaquinone) biosynthesis. The bacteria produce enough of this precursor to support their growth while preventing toxic buildup.
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NewsAn antiviral chewing gum to reduce influenza and herpes simplex virus transmission
Researchers have used a clinical-grade antiviral chewing gum to substantially reduce viral loads of two herpes simplex viruses and two influenza A strains in experimental models. The chewing gum could also work against bird flu.
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NewsScientists develop eco-friendly, nylon-like plastic using microorganisms
Scientists have developed microbial strains through systems metabolic engineering to produce various eco-friendly, bio-based poly(ester amide)s from glucose derived from biomass sources such as waste wood and weeds.
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NewsScientists ID natural products targeting SARS-CoV-2 - including caffeine
Researchers used computational methods to identify potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins, revealing promising natural compounds for guiding antiviral drug development, including caffeine.
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NewsNew automated method increases the efficiency of bioactive natural product discovery
In light of the technological advancement in machine learning and bioinformatics tools, researchers developed a fully-automated and integrated platform that enables them to easily identify bioactive natural products in Streptomyces.