Developing Enzymes To Clean Up Pollution By Explosives Oct 10, 2009
The research is funded by the Centre of Excellence for Biocatalysis, Biotransformations and Biocatalytic Manufacture (CoEBio3), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) of the US Department of Defense ... structure of XplA-heme, an unusual cytochrome-P450 heme domain that catalyses reductive biotransformation of royal demolition explosive (RDX). (Science Daily)
Biotransformed Blueberry Juice Fights Fat And Diabetes Sep 3, 2009
Biotransformation of the blueberry juice was achieved with a new strain of bacteria isolated from the blueberry flora, specifically called Serratia vaccinii, which increases the fruit's antioxidant effects. "The identification of the active compounds in biotransformed blueberry juice may result in the discovery of promising new antiobesity and antidiabetic molecules," says Dr. Haddad. (Science Daily)
Cytochrome P-450 Polymorphisms and Response to Clopidogrel May 21, 2009
However, no direct evidence of the causal involvement of the cytochrome P-450 enzyme CYP2C19 in the biotransformation of clopidogrel to its active metabolite is presented. To test the hypothesis of Mega et al., we incubated clopidogrel, the inactive metabolic intermediate 2-oxo-clopidogrel,2 and the known CYP2C19 substrate omeprazole3. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Desert woodrats switch one dietary poison for another Apr 8, 2009
The scientists then scanned the rodents' genetic blueprints to look for active genes known as "biotransformation genes" because they produce liver enzymes to detoxify the poisons in creosote and the less-toxic juniper. "We found 24 genes in woodrats from the Mojave Desert that could be key in allowing them to consume leaves from creosote bushes," Dearing says. (EurekAlert!)
Poison: It's what's for dinner Apr 6, 2009
The scientists then scanned the rodents' genetic blueprints to look for active genes known as "biotransformation genes" because they produce liver enzymes to detoxify the poisons in creosote and the less-toxic juniper ... The microarrays, with pieces of 40,000 lab rat genes, included 224 biotransformation or detoxification genes already identified in lab rats. (EurekAlert!)
