Unravelling the molecular network structure of biohybrid hydrogels.

Glycosaminoglycan-based biohybrid hydrogels represent a powerful class of cell-instructive materials with proven potential in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Their biomedical functionality relies on a nanoscale polymer network that standard microscopy techniques cannot resolve. Here, we introduce an advanced analytical approach that integrates transmission electron microscopy, X-ray scattering, and computer simulations to directly and quantitatively characterize the nanoscale molecular network structure of these hydrogels.

Supramolecular engineering of high-efficiency nanozymes via chain-length-directed crystallization of cellulose oligomers.

Nanozymes are nanomaterials designed to mimic the catalytic functions of natural enzymes, offering advantages such as enhanced stability, tunability, and scalability. Although precise control over the spatial arrangement of catalytic centers is essential for maximizing nanozyme activity, it remains a fundamental challenge in nanozyme design. Here, we present a supramolecular strategy to achieve molecular-level engineering of catalytic centers by grafting hemin onto monodisperse cellulose oligomers (MCOs).

Molecular Dynamics of the Intrinsically Disordered Protein COR15A─A Force Field Validation on Structure and Dynamics.

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) pose a challenge for structural characterization, as experimental methods lack the subnanometer/subnanosecond resolution to capture their dynamic conformational ensembles. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations can, in principle, provide this information, but for the simulation of IDPs, dedicated protein and water force fields are needed, as traditional MD models for folded proteins prove inadequate for IDPs. Substantial effort was invested to develop IDP-specific force fields, but their performance in describing IDPs that undergo conformational changes─such as those induced by molecular partner binding or changes in solution environment─remains underexplored.

Structural colour in red seaweeds is more common and diverse than has been presumed.

The brightest colorations observed in nature are the result of structural colour, a physical phenomenon relying not on pigments but on the interactions of light with nanostructured materials. Research on structural colour in seaweeds has been growing and hints that the phenomenon is considerably more widespread in these organisms than previously understood. In this review, we combine information from published literature, herbarium specimens and our own observations to clearly outline and reframe the current state of knowledge on the phenomenon in red seaweeds (Rhodophyta).

hitchhikes on gliding colonies of .

Interspecies interactions shape microbial communities; this is central for microbial ecology. PlyA2 is a marine flavobacterium, which glides over surfaces and forms ordered, structurally coloured colonies, which display angle-dependent reflection of light. SW is an apparently nonmotile, nonstructurally coloured marine bacterium.

Current practices in the study of biomolecular condensates: a community comment.

The realization that the cell is abundantly compartmentalized into biomolecular condensates has opened new opportunities for understanding the physics and chemistry underlying many cellular processes, fundamentally changing the study of biology. The term biomolecular condensate refers to non-stoichiometric assemblies that are composed of multiple types of macromolecules in cells, occur through phase transitions, and can be investigated by using concepts from soft matter physics. As such, they are intimately related to aqueous two-phase systems and water-in-water emulsions.

Modulating fiber morphology to achieve tunable optical and mechanical properties in bamboo cellulose film.

Transparent cellulose films exhibit tremendous potential for optoelectronic applications due to their exceptional optical/mechanical properties and environmental sustainability. However, the intricate relationship between fiber morphology and film performance remains insufficiently understood, which hampers the precise engineering of film performance for targeted applications. In this study, we present a novel strategy to fabricate transparent cellulose films with tunable optical/mechanical properties by precise morphological manipulation of bamboo fibers.

The mineralization of osteonal cement line depends on where the osteon is formed.

The cement line (CL) is a thin layer, 1-3 μm in width, separating secondary osteons from interstitial bone and other osteons. Despite the possible role for bone quality, the CL is still one of the least understood features of bone. This study aims to investigate how the mineral content of the CL varies not only with osteon age but also with the surrounding environment.

Surface Reforming of Hard Carbon During Battery Rest for Enhanced Sodium Storage.

The surface characteristics of hard carbon markedly affect its electrochemical performance. Here, a distinct surface modification of hard carbon (HC), which is achieved by electrolyte additives during cell aging, is reported. Di-sec-Butoxyaluminoxytriethoxysilane (DSB) is selected from a series of alkyl oxides of heteroatoms based on Wiberg bond order of X─O (X = Si, P, S, and B) and the change in Gibbs free energy of hydrolysis reaction.

Complex remodeling of biomembranes and vesicles by condensate droplets.

Condensate droplets are formed by liquid-liquid phase separation in aqueous solutions of macromolecules such as polymers and proteins. Here, we look at the interactions of such droplets with biomembranes, integrating the results of recent experimental studies and computer simulations into the theoretical framework of fluid elasticity. The droplets can be formed segregative or associative phase separation.

Uncoupling growth and division in colonies: consistent cell cycle regulation under confinement.

A planar cell microcolony served as a model system to study the impact of inter-cellular crowding and cell-matrix interactions upon the cell cycle. We studied the development over several days of microcolonies, grown from single cells, using a bespoke experimental setup allowing timelapse fluorescence microscopy. Through precise cell segmentation and lineage tracking of a large systematic dataset, characterising individual cell growth and divisions, we uncovered how the external matrix influenced cell cycle and morphology.

Chemistries Moonshot: An Entirely Recyclable Car.

Automobiles depend on fossil resources - both to create the device and to power it. The automotive industry has decreased this dependency on fossil fuels by developing more fuel-efficient combustion engines, lightweight designs, and biofuels. The rise of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) offers the chance to reduce the fossil footprint by avoiding fuel combustion and exhaust emission.

Elastic Energy Storage in Biological Materials: Internal Stresses and Their Functionality.

In the biological world, materials are often heterogeneous and anisotropic, comprising components with very different elastic properties. The resulting structures are exposed to force generation by chemo-mechanical energy conversion-such as water absorption, phase separation, or crystallization. Such phenomena may result in strain misfits that generate internal stresses that store elastic energies, which turn out to be extremely useful for enabling functions such as shape change, locomotion, or predation.

Mapping the sialic acid-binding sites of LuIII and H-1 parvovirus.

Unlabelled: Oncolytic protoparvoviruses, including LuIII, H-1 parvovirus (H-1PV), and the prototypic strain of minute virus of mice (MVMp), can target and destroy cancer cells. Host cell targeting is based largely on the identification and interaction of the virus with the primary receptor. Previously, it has been shown that MVMp and H-1PV bind to sialic acid (SIA), which is the primary glycan receptor.

Heparanase-Inhibiting Polymeric Heparan Sulfate Mimetic Attenuates Myeloma Tumor Growth and Bone Metastasis.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematologic malignancy, heavily relying on the bone marrow microenvironment for its growth, leading to severe clinical complications. A critical factor of MM progression is the aberrant expression of heparanase (HPSE), an enzyme responsible for degrading heparan sulfate (HS) chains in the extracellular matrix (ECM) and cell surface. This degradation fosters tumor cell proliferation, migration, and resistance to chemotherapy.

Automated Glycan Assembly of Lipopolysaccharide Epitopes for Vaccine Design.

() is the major cause of chronic periodontitis and is associated with systemic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. A better understanding of the interplay of the human immune system and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) may result in novel treatment and prevention strategies. Twelve LPS fragments of were synthesized using automated glycan assembly, with the help of remote benzoyl ester participation to introduce 1,2--glycosidic linkages.

Arylsulfamates inhibit colonic Bacteroidota growth through a sulfatase-independent mechanism.

Excessive degradation of the colonic mucin layer by within the human gut microbiota drives inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in mice. Bacterial carbohydrate sulfatases are key enzymes in gut colonization, and they are elevated in human IBD and correlate with disease severity. Selective inhibitors of carbohydrate sulfatases could function as sulfatase-selective drugs, allowing precise control of sulfatase activity while preserving these otherwise beneficial bacteria.

Tailoring the Morphology of Cellulose Nanocrystals via Controlled Aggregation.

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are elongated nanoparticles derived from natural cellulose, with potential applications ranging from rheological modifiers and emulsion stabilizers to photonic pigments and sensors. For most applications, precise control over CNC morphology and surface chemistry is essential, but the relationship between process parameters, CNC characteristics, and their resulting behavior is poorly understood. Here, we investigate the impact of centrifugation and ionic strength on CNC morphology after dialysis using transmission electron microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, and scanning electron diffraction.

Reversible Phase Transitions of Anionic and Cationic Surfactant Mixtures Drive Shape Morphing Droplets.

Converting chemical signals into mechanical responses is fundamental to biological systems, driving processes such as cellular motility and tissue morphogenesis. Yet, harnessing chemo-mechanical signal conversions in synthetic systems remains a key challenge in energy-dissipative materials design. While droplets can move and interact with their environment reminiscent of active biological matter, chemo-mechanical interactions are limited by the translation of chemical changes into extensive force variations required on small timescales.

A Two-Protein Chemoreceptor Complex Regulates Oxygen Thresholds in Bacterial Magneto-Aerotaxis.

Bacteria in changing environments rely on motility and sensory mechanisms to locate optimal conditions. This process depends on specialized chemoreceptors to sense environmental stimuli. Exceptionally high numbers of chemoreceptor genes are present in magnetotactic bacteria (MTB), which combine magnetic alignment via intracellular magnetic nanoparticles (magnetosomes) and oxygen sensing for a unique navigation strategy toward low-oxygen zones, called magneto-aerotaxis.

Detection of antibodies against the African parasite Trypanosoma brucei using synthetic glycosylphosphatidylinositol oligosaccharide fragments.

Unlabelled: () parasites cause two major infectious diseases in Africa: African trypanosomiasis in humans (HAT) and Nagana in animals. Despite the enormous economic and social impact, vaccines and reliable diagnostic measures are still lacking for these diseases. The main obstacle to developing accurate diagnostic methods and an active vaccine is the parasite’s ability for antigenic variation, impairment of B cell maturation, and loss of B cell memory which collectively prevent the development of a long-lasting, effective immune response.

Straightforward, scalable, solution-phase synthesis of peptide bonds in flow.

Unlabelled: We report the development of simple solution-phase flow conditions for the scalable synthesis of peptides using in-situ activation as mixed anhydrides, contributing to the synthetic toolbox of available solution-phase flow reactions. This approach has been used for the preparation of a series of diverse dipeptides in plug flow, and then continuous flow conditions (< 10 mmol) were developed and applied to the gram scale synthesis of the hexapeptide linear precursor for the bioactive cyclic peptide segetalin A as further proof of the utility of this approach.

Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.

Triple-channel electron transfer of oxygen vacancy-engineered Z-scheme FeCoO/defective BiOBr-Ag plasmonic catalysts: A full-day catalyst for light/dark dual-mode environmental remediation.

The integration of photo-Fenton catalysis couple oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has shown significant advantages in industrial water-pollution treatment. In this work, a ternary heterojunction catalyst (Ag@FeCoO/Defective-BiOBr, AFB) with rich oxygen vacancies (OVs) was developed by integrating defect engineering, Z-scheme heterojunction, and Ag surface plasmon for light/dark dual-mode pollutants degradation. A unique "three-channel" electron transfer mechanism was designed for the first time, enabling the enhanced electron migration dynamics.

Microscale Tattooing of Hydrogels and Cells: Benzoxaborole-Driven Microcontact Printing (µCP) on Glycosylated Surfaces.

Microcontact printing (µCP) is a widely used technique for microscale surface patterning. In this study, we present a polymer-supported µCP method for the patterning of (bioactive) glycosylated surfaces under hydrated conditions. Patterning is achieved by direct contact with a grooved polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamp, whose surface was grafted with a dopamine-containing polymer.