Heat controlled microbe. Free Technical Library News

NEWS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NOVELTY IN ELECTRONICS
Free technical library / timeline

Heat controlled microbe

25.04.2012

Scientists at the University of Georgia have created a temperature-controlled microbe. The new microorganism could be an efficient means of producing complex chemicals from simple starting materials.

Initially, scientists took the microbe Pyrococcus furiosus, which lives in hot marine sediments and actively reproduces at temperatures around 100 degrees Celsius. This microorganism is an archaea, a single-celled prokaryote that is similar to a bacterium, but has significant differences at the molecular level and is able to perform processes that bacteria cannot.

Nowadays, many manufacturing processes depend on microorganisms. However, the production activity of bacteria is very difficult to control, especially to switch them from one activity to another.

American scientists have found a way to control heat-loving microbes using a temperature switch. Simply put, at high temperatures, the microbe produces one product, and at low temperatures, another or not at all. This greatly simplifies the use of microorganisms as miniature plants for the production of useful substances such as biofuels. Also, for the first time, scientists have managed to make changes to the genome of a hyperthermophilic bacterium, which opens up new opportunities in the creation of genetically modified microorganisms with unique functions.

Like other hyperthermophilic bacteria, Pyrococcus furiosus can function at high temperatures, which is very useful in many industrial processes in the chemical industry. However, not all substances can be produced under such conditions - some enzymes can only work at low temperatures.

To solve this problem, scientists took a specific gene from the bacterium Caldicellulosiruptor bescii, which lives in cooler conditions (72 degrees Celsius), and placed it in the genome of Pyrococcus furiosus. As a result, at high temperatures, Pyrococcus furiosus functions as usual, and when the temperature drops, it begins to produce another, unusual product, lactate dehydrogenase.

<< Back: life under the hood 26.04.2012

>> Forward: HTC is ditching QWERTY keyboards and big batteries 25.04.2012

Latest news of science and technology, new electronics:

The existence of an entropy rule for quantum entanglement has been proven 09.05.2024

Quantum mechanics continues to amaze us with its mysterious phenomena and unexpected discoveries. Recently, Bartosz Regula from the RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing and Ludovico Lamy from the University of Amsterdam presented a new discovery that concerns quantum entanglement and its relation to entropy. Quantum entanglement plays an important role in modern quantum information science and technology. However, the complexity of its structure makes understanding and managing it challenging. Regulus and Lamy's discovery shows that quantum entanglement follows an entropy rule similar to that for classical systems. This discovery opens new perspectives in the field of quantum information science and technology, deepening our understanding of quantum entanglement and its connection to thermodynamics. The results of the study indicate the possibility of reversibility of entanglement transformations, which could greatly simplify their use in various quantum technologies. Opening a new rule ... >>

Mini air conditioner Sony Reon Pocket 5 09.05.2024

Summer is a time for relaxation and travel, but often the heat can turn this time into an unbearable torment. Meet a new product from Sony - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-air conditioner, which promises to make summer more comfortable for its users. Sony has introduced a unique device - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-conditioner, which provides body cooling on hot days. With it, users can enjoy coolness anytime, anywhere by simply wearing it around their neck. This mini air conditioner is equipped with automatic adjustment of operating modes, as well as temperature and humidity sensors. Thanks to innovative technologies, Reon Pocket 5 adjusts its operation depending on the user's activity and environmental conditions. Users can easily adjust the temperature using a dedicated mobile app connected via Bluetooth. Additionally, specially designed T-shirts and shorts are available for convenience, to which a mini air conditioner can be attached. The device can oh ... >>

Energy from space for Starship 08.05.2024

Producing solar energy in space is becoming more feasible with the advent of new technologies and the development of space programs. The head of the startup Virtus Solis shared his vision of using SpaceX's Starship to create orbital power plants capable of powering the Earth. Startup Virtus Solis has unveiled an ambitious project to create orbital power plants using SpaceX's Starship. This idea could significantly change the field of solar energy production, making it more accessible and cheaper. The core of the startup's plan is to reduce the cost of launching satellites into space using Starship. This technological breakthrough is expected to make solar energy production in space more competitive with traditional energy sources. Virtual Solis plans to build large photovoltaic panels in orbit, using Starship to deliver the necessary equipment. However, one of the key challenges ... >>

New method for creating powerful batteries 08.05.2024

With the development of technology and the expanding use of electronics, the issue of creating efficient and safe energy sources is becoming increasingly urgent. Researchers at the University of Queensland have unveiled a new approach to creating high-power zinc-based batteries that could change the landscape of the energy industry. One of the main problems with traditional water-based rechargeable batteries was their low voltage, which limited their use in modern devices. But thanks to a new method developed by scientists, this drawback has been successfully overcome. As part of their research, scientists turned to a special organic compound - catechol. It turned out to be an important component that can improve battery stability and increase its efficiency. This approach has led to a significant increase in the voltage of zinc-ion batteries, making them more competitive. According to scientists, such batteries have several advantages. They have b ... >>

Alcohol content of warm beer 07.05.2024

Beer, as one of the most common alcoholic drinks, has its own unique taste, which can change depending on the temperature of consumption. A new study by an international team of scientists has found that beer temperature has a significant impact on the perception of alcoholic taste. The study, led by materials scientist Lei Jiang, found that at different temperatures, ethanol and water molecules form different types of clusters, which affects the perception of alcoholic taste. At low temperatures, more pyramid-like clusters form, which reduces the pungency of the "ethanol" taste and makes the drink taste less alcoholic. On the contrary, as the temperature increases, the clusters become more chain-like, resulting in a more pronounced alcoholic taste. This explains why the taste of some alcoholic drinks, such as baijiu, can change depending on temperature. The data obtained opens up new prospects for beverage manufacturers, ... >>

Random news from the Archive

SAMSUNG High Performance High Capacity Chip Cards 27.04.2004

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS Corporation has developed a technology for the production of high-performance high-capacity chip cards (capacity of non-volatile memory 256 KB)

The S3CC9EF chip card ICs enable the use of chip cards for a wide range of applications: user identification modules, GSM mobile phone modules, multimedia products, e-passports, etc.

The corporation began mass production of hard drives with increased resistance to external factors. The new hard drive uses tin-silver solder instead of standard solder. Special anti-shock mounts are also used. Next year, the corporation is going to equip 65% of its PCs with new hard drives.

See full Archive of science and technology news, new electronics

All languages of this page

Home page | Library | Articles | Website map | Site Reviews