Chem & Bio Engineering最新文献

Biosensors exploit the capabilities of biological systems to acquire a huge variety of chemical or physical information and convert molecular signals into actionable data. Here we took a bottom-up synthetic biology approach to combine the versatility and programmability of whole-cell bacterial biosensors with the sensitivity of electrochemical sensing devices. We built genetic modules to produce different phenazines and wired these to various sensing and information processing modules. A whole-cell bioelectronic sensor with a T7 RNAP-based signal amplifier was first constructed that detected mercury contaminants below the level of WHO safe limit for drinking water. We demonstrated the modularity and programmability of the sensor design by incorporating Boolean logic computation into a dual-input sensor. We subsequently engineered a sensor strain that can produce two phenazine types, giving a two-channel electrochemical output signal based on the detection of differentiated midpoint potentials. Our modular bioelectronic sensor therefore can be readily adapted for different applications and forms the basis for development of low-cost, field-deployable sensing devices.

The separation of light hydrocarbons with similar molecular structures, such as ethane and propane, remains a critical challenge in natural gas purification since propane interacts over strongly with the polar sites of adsorbents, which in turn suppresses ethane adsorption and reduces the yield of high-purity methane consequently. Here, we report the rational design of two isoreticular Zn-based metal-organic frameworks (Zn-fum-DAT and Zn-mes-DAT) with tunable pore environments achieved through molecular handle engineering. Utilizing fumaric and mesaconic acids as pillars, respectively, these MOFs feature distinct aliphatic pore architectures stabilized by hydrogen-bonding networks between carboxylate pillars and the diamino-triazole (DAT) ligand. The methyl handles in Zn-mes-DAT can be selectively pushed by the bulkiest propane molecules, triggering a structural transformation that enhances the propane adsorption on Zn-mes-DAT. In contrast, Zn-fum-DAT without the methyl handle exhibits a higher affinity to ethane, while the competitive propane adsorption is significantly reduced. This molecular handle engineering results in a high-purity methane yield of 9.0 mmol/cm³ on Zn-fum-DAT, representing an 80% improvement over the isoreticular material with higher propane affinity. This work provides a design blueprint for tailoring the pore chemistry in MOFs to address industrially relevant separation challenges.

Recent advancements in human-machine interaction technologies have driven significant interest in tactile sensors for health monitoring, movement detection, and the progression of intelligent robotics. However, most existing sensors rely on isotropic materials or structures, limiting their ability to detect stimuli from multiple directions simultaneously, which can be efficiently mitigated by incorporating anisotropic architectures. Despite their promising potential, the development of anisotropic tactile sensors remains nascent and necessitates more comprehensive synthesis and generalization of the current state. This review offers a thorough analysis of anisotropic tactile sensors, delving into their sensing mechanisms, performance metrics, materials, and structural designs. It also explores their applications in intelligent systems and critically evaluates the current developmental status and outlines the challenges to be addressed, providing essential insights and innovative solutions to propel advancements in this emerging research area.

The development of biomaterials capable of capturing nondestructively capturing tumor cells is critical for advancing cancer diagnostics and personalized therapies. However, designing specific capture materials for maintaining the structure of captured cells is still a challenge due to the undesirable nonspecific adhesion. Recent evidence showed that neutrophils possess the tumor cell targeting property via the binding of β-integrin on neutrophil membranes to VCAM-1 expressed on tumor cells and natural antiadhesion properties due to the phosphorylcholine on the cell membrane. Herein, we present a neutrophil-inspired nanofibrous film for the nondestructive capture of tumor cells. The polyurethane and polyacrylonitrile (PU–PAN) blend film was fabricated by electrospinning as a matrix. A tailored zwitterionic polymer of poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate-co-glycidyl methacrylate) (PScG), mimicking the phosphorylcholine on the cell membrane, was synthesized to graft onto the PU chain for preparing the PScG/PU–PAN film. Then, amino-modified aptamer (NH₂-AS1411) targeting tumor cells, mimicking the β-integrin on neutrophil membranes, was further grafted onto hydrolyzed PAN surface to obtain the AS/PScG/PU–PAN film. The resulting AS/PScG/PU–PAN film demonstrates excellent specific capture ability of tumor cells, while maintaining the morphology of tumor cells, providing a promising solution for cancer therapy.