Trends in biotechnologyPub Date : 2025-04-01Epub Date: 2025-02-20DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.01.009
Christina Stadlbauer, Marjan De Mey, Katrien Schaubroeck, Nele Buyst, Varsha Paleri, Kristien Hens
{"title":"Art-science collaborations in biotechnology research: a transdisciplinary approach.","authors":"Christina Stadlbauer, Marjan De Mey, Katrien Schaubroeck, Nele Buyst, Varsha Paleri, Kristien Hens","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.01.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.01.009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>While funding agencies promote transdisciplinary approaches, significant barriers persist. Successful transdisciplinary research (TDR) demands embracing different ways of knowing, addressing power imbalances, and accepting slower, more complex research processes. Drawing from the experience with BactoHealing, the authors demonstrate how genuine transdisciplinarity requires courage, trust, and institutional support to challenge traditional frameworks.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":" ","pages":"735-737"},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143473119","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Trends in biotechnologyPub Date : 2025-04-01Epub Date: 2024-10-26DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.012
Liya Liang, Huiping Tan, Rongming Liu
{"title":"Emerging gene editing in industrial microbiology beyond CRISPR-Cas9.","authors":"Liya Liang, Huiping Tan, Rongming Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.09.012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The CRISPR-Cas9 system has been widely applied for industrial microbiology but is not effective in certain microorganisms. This forum explores the strategies aimed at overcoming these challenges, including the use of the Cas12a system, Cas9 variants, and non-CRISPR techniques, to provide more effective strategies for expanding applications in microbial engineering.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":" ","pages":"742-744"},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142508797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Trends in biotechnologyPub Date : 2025-04-01Epub Date: 2024-12-16DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.11.017
Wenbin Gong, Zhenni Liu, Yuqiu Wang, Wenbo Huang, Kui Yang, Zhenhai Gao, Kun Guo, Zhengtao Xiao, Wei Zhao
{"title":"Reprogramming of Treg cell-derived small extracellular vesicles effectively prevents intestinal inflammation from PANoptosis by blocking mitochondrial oxidative stress.","authors":"Wenbin Gong, Zhenni Liu, Yuqiu Wang, Wenbo Huang, Kui Yang, Zhenhai Gao, Kun Guo, Zhengtao Xiao, Wei Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.11.017","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.11.017","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic relapsing immune-mediated inflammatory disorder of the alimentary tract without exact etiology. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) derived from mitochondrial dysfunction impair intestinal barrier function, increase gut permeability, and facilitate immune cell invasion, and, therefore, are considered to have a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of IBD. Here, we reprogrammed regulatory T cell (Treg)-derived exosomes loaded with the antioxidant trace element selenium (Se) and decorated them with the synthetic mitochondria-targeting SS-31 tetrapeptide via a peptide linker. This linker can be cleaved by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in inflammatory lesions. This actively targetable exosome-derived delivery system is protected from intestinal inflammation by scavenging excessive mtROS and preventing immunologically programmed cell death pyroptosis, necroptosis, and apoptosis, known as PANoptosis. Our results suggest that this engineered exosome delivery platform represents a promising targeted therapeutic strategy for the treatment of IBDs.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":" ","pages":"893-917"},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142847797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Using synthetic biology to express nitrogenase biosynthesis pathway in rice and to overcome barriers of nitrogenase instability in plant cytosol.","authors":"Yimin Shang, Haowen Shi, Minzhi Liu, Peichun Lan, Deyu Li, Xiaomeng Liu, Minyang Wang, Zhiguo Zhang, Sanfeng Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.12.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.12.002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Engineering nitrogen fixation in cereals could reduce usage of chemical nitrogen fertilizers. Here, a nitrogenase biosynthesis pathway comprising 13 genes (nifB nifH nifD nifK nifE nifN nifX hesA nifV nifS nifU groES groEL) was introduced into rice by transforming multigene vectors and subsequently by sexual crossing between transgenic rice plants. Genome sequencing analysis revealed that 13 nif genes in F<sub>4</sub> hybrid rice lines L12-13 and L8-17 were inserted at two loci on rice chromosome 1. Eleven nitrogen fixation (Nif) proteins were produced and stable NifDK tetramer was formed in rice cytosol. NifH in rice cytosol was unstable and NifH-S18 was found to be a key residue that conferred susceptibility to proteinase degradation. NifH variants with Fe protein activity and resistance to plant endoproteinase cleavage were obtained. This study provides an efficient approach for introducing multiple nif genes into plants and also helps to pre-evaluate the stability of prokaryotic proteins in plant cytosol.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":" ","pages":"946-968"},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143012335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Min Tae Park, Amrisha Verma, Clifford A Froelich, Seyed Pouria Motevalian
{"title":"Process and quality considerations for recombinant adeno-associated virus manufacturing platforms.","authors":"Min Tae Park, Amrisha Verma, Clifford A Froelich, Seyed Pouria Motevalian","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.02.016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.02.016","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a prominent gene therapy vector, offering a strong safety profile and sustained gene expression. Scaling up AAV manufacturing remains challenging due to its complex processes, high development costs, and the need for rigorous quality control. This review examines the most common AAV suspension production platforms, specifically transfection, infection, and stable producer cell lines (PCLs). For each platform, a list of common unit operations and typical ranges for critical operating parameters is provided, along with high-level product quality specifications. This review aims to offer insights into the advantages and challenges of each manufacturing platform, providing a framework for accelerated process development and informed selection of suitable production platform based on intended clinical use and target product profile.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143731653","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Enzyme functional classification using artificial intelligence.","authors":"Ha Rim Kim, Hongkeun Ji, Gi Bae Kim, Sang Yup Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.03.003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.03.003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Enzymes are essential for cellular metabolism, and elucidating their functions is critical for advancing biochemical research. However, experimental methods are often time consuming and resource intensive. To address this, significant efforts have been directed toward applying artificial intelligence (AI) to enzyme function prediction, enabling high-throughput and scalable approaches. In this review, we discuss advances in AI-driven enzyme functional annotation, transitioning from traditional machine learning (ML) methods to state-of-the-art deep learning approaches. We highlight how deep learning enables models to automatically extract features from raw data without manual intervention, leading to enhanced performance. Finally, we discuss the discovery of novel enzyme functions and generation of de novo enzymes through the integration of generative AIs and bio big data as future research directions.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143744054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Edem Gavor, Yeu Khai Choong, Aditya H Gada, J Sivaraman
{"title":"Challenges and design of nanobodies against arboviruses.","authors":"Edem Gavor, Yeu Khai Choong, Aditya H Gada, J Sivaraman","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.03.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.03.002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nanobodies (Nbs) show promise in combating arboviruses. Their small size and stability enable blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration, cryptic epitope binding, and reduced antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE). This forum highlights Nb advantages, challenges, and innovative delivery methods, emphasizing their transformative potential in arbovirus therapeutics and diagnostics.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143744052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhanhua Zhang, Peixiong Hong, Zebin Li, Baitao Li, Tai Chen, Yue Shen, Xiaofeng Yang, Yanrui Ye, Yun Wang, Zhanglin Lin
{"title":"Expediting genome synthesis of Corynebacterium glutamicum with an artificial chromosome vector.","authors":"Zhanhua Zhang, Peixiong Hong, Zebin Li, Baitao Li, Tai Chen, Yue Shen, Xiaofeng Yang, Yanrui Ye, Yun Wang, Zhanglin Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.02.019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.02.019","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Recent advances in genome synthesis have relied on scalable DNA assembly and delivery, and efficient recombination techniques. While these methods have enabled rapid progress for Escherichia coli and yeast, they are often inadequate for other microorganisms. Here, we devised a Corynebacterium glutamicum artificial chromosome (CAC), which combines a replicating system from a closely related strain with an innate partitioning system. This CAC vector can efficiently deliver DNA fragments up to 56 kb and maintain stability in C. glutamicum. Leveraging the CAC vector, we developed CAC Excision Enhanced Recombination (CACEXER), a streamlined strategy for iterative genome replacements in C. glutamicum. Using this approach, we integrated 361 kb (11%) of synthetic DNA into the genome, creating semi-synCG-A. This strain paves the way to establish C. glutamicum as the third industrial microorganism, alongside E. coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to undergo large-scale genome synthesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143744064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Academic entrepreneurship: promise and perils.","authors":"William N Hait, Michal Preminger","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.02.017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.02.017","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As academic institutions strive to meet financial demands, a tantalizing opportunity posits that faculty have untapped treasures emanating from laboratories or astute clinical observations awaiting commercialization. 'If only this alchemy could be turned into gold', administrators muse. Understanding the complexities of academic entrepreneurship should provide words of caution and encouragement.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143721611","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lucía Ageitos, Andreia Boaro, Angela Cesaro, Marcelo D T Torres, Esther Broset, Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez
{"title":"Frog-derived synthetic peptides display anti-infective activity against Gram-negative pathogens.","authors":"Lucía Ageitos, Andreia Boaro, Angela Cesaro, Marcelo D T Torres, Esther Broset, Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez","doi":"10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.02.007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.02.007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Novel antibiotics are urgently needed since bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to existing antimicrobial drugs. Furthermore, available antibiotics are broad spectrum, often causing off-target effects on host cells and the beneficial microbiome. To overcome these limitations, we used structure-guided design to generate synthetic peptides derived from Andersonin-D1, an antimicrobial peptide (AMP) produced by the odorous frog Odorrana andersonii. We found that both hydrophobicity and net charge were critical for its bioactivity, enabling the design of novel, optimized synthetic peptides. These peptides selectively targeted Gram-negative pathogens in single cultures and complex microbial consortia, showed no off-target effects on human cells or beneficial gut microbes, and did not select for bacterial resistance. Notably, they also exhibited in vivo activity in two preclinical murine models. Overall, we present synthetic peptides that selectively target pathogenic infections and offer promising preclinical antibiotic candidates.</p>","PeriodicalId":23324,"journal":{"name":"Trends in biotechnology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143721621","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}