Ion sensing pencil: Draw your own sensor (2021)
Journal Article
Kirsanov, D., Jendrlin, M., Khumngern, S., Numnuam, A., Thavarungkul, P., Kanatharana, P., …Radu, A. (2021). Ion sensing pencil: Draw your own sensor. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemicall, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2021.129751

We demonstrate for the first time the concept of ion sensing pencil (ISP). The pencil’s lead carries chemical sensing functionality and is constructed by compression of graphite and zeolite, while the clutch is prepared by 3D printing. The ISP can be... Read More about Ion sensing pencil: Draw your own sensor.

Structural insights into protein folding, stability and activity using in vivo perdeuteration of hen egg-white lysozyme (2021)
Journal Article
Ramos, J., Laux, V., Haertlein, M., Erba, E. B., McAuley, K. E., Forsyth, V. T., …Langkilde, A. E. (2021). Structural insights into protein folding, stability and activity using in vivo perdeuteration of hen egg-white lysozyme. IUCrJ, 8, 372-386. https://doi.org/10.1107/S2052252521001299

This structural and biophysical study exploited a method of perdeuterating hen egg-white lysozyme based on the expression of insoluble protein in Escherichia coli followed by in-column chemical refolding. This allowed detailed comparisons with perdeu... Read More about Structural insights into protein folding, stability and activity using in vivo perdeuteration of hen egg-white lysozyme.

Effect of rearing temperature on physiological measures and antioxidant status of broiler chickens fed stevia (Stevia rebaudiana B.) leaf meal and exogenous xylanase (2021)
Journal Article
Pirgozliev, V., Whiting, I. M., Mansbridge, S. C., Enchev, S., Rose, S. P., Kljak, K., …Atanasov, A. G. (2021). Effect of rearing temperature on physiological measures and antioxidant status of broiler chickens fed stevia (Stevia rebaudiana B.) leaf meal and exogenous xylanase. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crbiot.2021.05.005

Background The global climate is warming. Heat stress, as a result of high ambient temperatures, may negatively impact physiology and reduce growth performance of poultry. Stevia is a perennial shrub indigenous to South America where its phytochemica... Read More about Effect of rearing temperature on physiological measures and antioxidant status of broiler chickens fed stevia (Stevia rebaudiana B.) leaf meal and exogenous xylanase.

Development of continuous flow systems to access secondary amines through previously incompatible biocatalytic cascades. (2021)
Journal Article
Mattey, A. P., Ford, G. J., Citoler, J., Baldwin, C., Marshall, J. R., Palmer, R. B., …Flitsch, S. L. (2021). Development of continuous flow systems to access secondary amines through previously incompatible biocatalytic cascades. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 60(34), 18660-18665. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202103805

A key aim of biocatalysis is to mimic the ability of eukaryotic cells to carry out multistep cascades in a controlled and selective way. As biocatalytic cascades get more complex, reactions become unattainable under typical batch conditions. Here a n... Read More about Development of continuous flow systems to access secondary amines through previously incompatible biocatalytic cascades..

Evolving origin-of-transfer sequences on staphylococcal conjugative and mobilizable plasmids—who’s mimicking whom? (2021)
Journal Article
Yui Eto, K., Kwong, S. M., LaBreck, P. T., Crow, J. E., Traore, D. A. K., Parahitiyawa, N., …Ramsay, J. (2021). Evolving origin-of-transfer sequences on staphylococcal conjugative and mobilizable plasmids—who’s mimicking whom?. Nucleic Acids Research, 49(9), 5177-5188. https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkab303

In Staphylococcus aureus, most multiresistance plasmids lack conjugation or mobilization genes for horizontal transfer. However, most are mobilizable due to carriage of origin-of-transfer (oriT) sequences mimicking those of conjugative plasmids relat... Read More about Evolving origin-of-transfer sequences on staphylococcal conjugative and mobilizable plasmids—who’s mimicking whom?.

The VMC Survey – XL. Three-dimensional structure of the Small Magellanic Cloud as derived from red clump stars (2021)
Journal Article
Tatton, B. L., Van Loon, J. T., Cioni, M. L., Bekki, K., Bell, C. P. M., Choudhury, S., …Sun, N. (2021). The VMC Survey – XL. Three-dimensional structure of the Small Magellanic Cloud as derived from red clump stars. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 504(2), 2983 - 2997. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staa3857

Galaxy interactions distort the distribution of baryonic matter and can affect star formation. The nearby Magellanic Clouds are a prime example of an ongoing galaxy interaction process. Here, we use the intermediate-age (similar to 1-10 Gyr) red clum... Read More about The VMC Survey – XL. Three-dimensional structure of the Small Magellanic Cloud as derived from red clump stars.

Apolipoprotein E Binding Drives Structural and Compositional Rearrangement of mRNA-Containing Lipid Nanoparticles (2021)
Journal Article
Sebastiani, F., Arteta, M. Y., Lerche, M., Porcar, L., Lang, C., Bragg, R. A., …Cardenas, M. (2021). Apolipoprotein E Binding Drives Structural and Compositional Rearrangement of mRNA-Containing Lipid Nanoparticles. ACS nano, 15(4), 6709 - 6722. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.0c10064

Emerging therapeutic treatments based on the production of proteins by delivering mRNA have become increasingly important in recent times. While lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are approved vehicles for small interfering RNA delivery, there are still chal... Read More about Apolipoprotein E Binding Drives Structural and Compositional Rearrangement of mRNA-Containing Lipid Nanoparticles.

Elongation rate and average length of amyloid fibrils in solution using isotope-labelled small-angle neutron scattering. (2021)
Journal Article
(2021). Elongation rate and average length of amyloid fibrils in solution using isotope-labelled small-angle neutron scattering

We demonstrate a solution method that allows both elongation rate and average fibril length of assembling amyloid fibrils to be estimated. The approach involves acquisition of real-time neutron scattering data during the initial stages of seeded grow... Read More about Elongation rate and average length of amyloid fibrils in solution using isotope-labelled small-angle neutron scattering..

Defect induced room temperature ferromagnetism in high quality Co-doped ZnO bulk samples (2021)
Journal Article
de Godoy, M., Gratens, X., Chitta, V., Mesquita, A., de Lima Jr., M., Cantarero, A., …de Carvalho, H. (2021). Defect induced room temperature ferromagnetism in high quality Co-doped ZnO bulk samples. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 157772 - 157772. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2020.157772

The nature of the often reported room temperature ferromagnetism in transition metal doped oxides is still a matter of huge debate. Herein we report on room temperature ferromagnetism in high quality Co-doped ZnO (Zn1-xCoxO) bulk samples synthesized... Read More about Defect induced room temperature ferromagnetism in high quality Co-doped ZnO bulk samples.

Glycosaminoglycans from Litopenaeus vannamei Inhibit the Alzheimer’s Disease ß Secretase, BACE1 (2021)
Journal Article
Mycroft-West, C. J., Devlin, A. J., Cooper, L. C., Guimond, S. E., Procter, P., Guerrini, M., …Skidmore, M. A. (2021). Glycosaminoglycans from Litopenaeus vannamei Inhibit the Alzheimer’s Disease ß Secretase, BACE1. Marine Drugs, 19(4), 203 -203. https://doi.org/10.3390/md19040203

Only palliative therapeutic options exist for the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease; no new successful drug candidates have been developed in over 15 years. The widely used clinical anticoagulant heparin has been reported to exert beneficial effects t... Read More about Glycosaminoglycans from Litopenaeus vannamei Inhibit the Alzheimer’s Disease ß Secretase, BACE1.

Coordination Sphere Hydrogen Bonding as a Structural Element in Metal-Organic Frameworks (2021)
Journal Article
Hawes, C. S. (2021). Coordination Sphere Hydrogen Bonding as a Structural Element in Metal-Organic Frameworks. Dalton Transactions, 50(18), 6034-6049. https://doi.org/10.1039/d1dt00675d

In the design of new metal–organic frameworks, the constant challenges of framework stability and structural predictability continue to influence ligand choice in favour of well-studied dicarboxylates and similar ligands. However, a small subset of k... Read More about Coordination Sphere Hydrogen Bonding as a Structural Element in Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Investigation of correlation of biochemical marker expression and mechanical properties of preterm membranes (2021)
Thesis
Bhunia, S. (2021). Investigation of correlation of biochemical marker expression and mechanical properties of preterm membranes. (Thesis). Keele University

The fetal membrane surrounds and supports the developing fetus during the pregnancy. The cellular structure of the fetal membrane and the proteins synthesized by the cells of amniotic and chorionic membranes, maintain the mechanical integrity of the... Read More about Investigation of correlation of biochemical marker expression and mechanical properties of preterm membranes.

Preparation and structural studies of halogen bonded co-crystals (2021)
Thesis
Mahmood, A. S. M. (2021). Preparation and structural studies of halogen bonded co-crystals. (Thesis). Keele University

The project investigates the reactions of selected aromatic nitrogen compounds with selected di- and interhalogens in order to obtain crystalline N···I halogen-bonded complexes according to the equation:
A + B ? AB

where reactant A is a pyridine... Read More about Preparation and structural studies of halogen bonded co-crystals.

Visualization of hydrogen atoms in a perdeuterated lectin-fucose complex reveals key details of protein-carbohydrate interactions. (2021)
Journal Article
(2021). Visualization of hydrogen atoms in a perdeuterated lectin-fucose complex reveals key details of protein-carbohydrate interactions. Structure, 1003-1013. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.str.2021.03.003

Carbohydrate-binding proteins from pathogenic bacteria and fungi have been shown to be implicated in various pathological processes, where they interact with glycans present on the surface of the host cells. These interactions are part of the initial... Read More about Visualization of hydrogen atoms in a perdeuterated lectin-fucose complex reveals key details of protein-carbohydrate interactions..

Protect to detect: A Golgi apparatus targeted probe to image mobile zinc through the use of a lipophilic cell-labile protecting group strategy (2021)
Journal Article
Fang, L., Crespo-Otero, R., Jones, C. R., & Watkinson, M. (2021). Protect to detect: A Golgi apparatus targeted probe to image mobile zinc through the use of a lipophilic cell-labile protecting group strategy. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemicall, 338, Article 129850. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2021.129850

The Golgi apparatus requires zinc for its normal function, but the role it plays in these processes at the sub-cellular level is not well-understood due to the lack of appropriate tools to image it. Herein, a small molecule Golgi apparatus targeted p... Read More about Protect to detect: A Golgi apparatus targeted probe to image mobile zinc through the use of a lipophilic cell-labile protecting group strategy.

Diarylethene-Powered Light-Induced Folding of Supramolecular Polymers. (2021)
Journal Article
Fukushima, T., Tamaki, K., Isobe, A., Hirose, T., Shimizu, N., Takagi, H., …Yagai, S. (2021). Diarylethene-Powered Light-Induced Folding of Supramolecular Polymers. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 143(15), 5845 - 5854. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.1c00592

Helical folding of randomly coiled linear polymers is an essential organization process not only for biological polypeptides but also for synthetic functional polymers. Realization of this dynamic process in supramolecular polymers (SPs) is, however,... Read More about Diarylethene-Powered Light-Induced Folding of Supramolecular Polymers..

Supramolecular aggregation properties of 4-(N-morpholino)-1,8-naphthalimide based fluorescent materials (2021)
Journal Article
Hawes, C. S. (2021). Supramolecular aggregation properties of 4-(N-morpholino)-1,8-naphthalimide based fluorescent materials. Materials Chemistry Frontiers, https://doi.org/10.1039/d1qm00091h

Here we report the synthesis of two morpholino-substituted naphthalimide ligands, N-(3-picolyl)-4-(N-morpholino)-1,8-naphthalimide L1 and N-benzyl-4-(N-morpholino)-1,8-naphthalimide L2, and study their supramolecular properties in the crystalline, so... Read More about Supramolecular aggregation properties of 4-(N-morpholino)-1,8-naphthalimide based fluorescent materials.

Intrinsic defects and non-stoichiometry in undoped cadmium silicate hosts (2021)
Journal Article
Vaz Freire, E., de Sales Santos, A., da Cunha Bispo, G., Macedo, Z., Gomes, M., Giroldo Valerio, M., & Jackson, R. (2021). Intrinsic defects and non-stoichiometry in undoped cadmium silicate hosts. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2020.157580

Cadmium silicates, mainly the CdSiO3 phase, are interesting materials due to their persistent and intrinsic luminescence, making them possible candidates for a number of applications. Although many of the luminescence properties of these materials ar... Read More about Intrinsic defects and non-stoichiometry in undoped cadmium silicate hosts.

Aluminum and Tau in Neurofibrillary Tangles in Familial Alzheimer’s Disease (2021)
Journal Article
(2021). Aluminum and Tau in Neurofibrillary Tangles in Familial Alzheimer’s Disease. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports, 283 - 294. https://doi.org/10.3233/ADR-210011

Background: Familial Alzheimer’s disease (fAD) is driven by genetic predispositions affecting the expression and metabolism of the amyloid-ß protein precursor. Aluminum is a non-essential yet biologically-reactive metal implicated in the etiology of... Read More about Aluminum and Tau in Neurofibrillary Tangles in Familial Alzheimer’s Disease.

A Code of Ethics for Gene Drive Research. (2021)
Journal Article
Annas, G. J., Beisel, C. L., Clement, K., Crisanti, A., Francis, S., Galardini, M., …Keith Joung, J. (2021). A Code of Ethics for Gene Drive Research. The CRISPR Journal, 19-24. https://doi.org/10.1089/crispr.2020.0096

Gene drives hold promise for use in controlling insect vectors of diseases, agricultural pests, and for conservation of ecosystems against invasive species. At the same time, this technology comes with potential risks that include unknown downstream... Read More about A Code of Ethics for Gene Drive Research..