Science Highlights
Predictive model a step toward using bacteria as a renewable fuel source
Green isoprene
Released: September 17, 2013
A new transcriptomics-based model predicts how much isoprene B. subtilis will produce when stressed or nourished—this insight into isoprene regulation is helping advance synthetic biology approaches to engineer microbes to produce isoprene and other high-value metabolites.
Biofilms move electrons long distances across two distinct layers, even under starving conditions
Long distance
Released: May 23, 2013
Bacteria can move electrons at least half a millimeter across a scaffolding made by themselves, of themselves, even under starving conditions—this new finding by EMSL staff and users challenges conventional wisdom.
EMSL tools reveal morphology, growth mechanisms of precipitates from scCO2 storage
Rods and rosettes
Released: April 16, 2013
A study that revealed new details about the geochemistry of scCO2 underground storage, made possible with EMSL’s helium ion microscope, is featured on the April 2013 cover of Microscopy and Microanalysis.
Biochemical studies provide insight into an RNA silencing pathway
The great repression
Released: January 29, 2013
New studies using Arabidopsis thaliana and mass spectrometry tools at EMSL are offering insight about genetic and biochemical processes that govern gene regulation and development in plants—an understanding relevant to biomass-to-biofuel production.
Protein signaling between soybean root hairs, bacteria reveals core cellular processes
Orchestrating change
Released: December 12, 2012
Proteomics tools at EMSL helped characterize soybean root hairs and their responses to symbiotic rhizobial colonization and infection. These studies could help scientists redesign plants and improve crop yields, benefitting both food and biofuel production.
Using an integrated ‘omics approach to study macrophages
Activating macrophages
Released: September 04, 2012
Proteomics research at EMSL contributed to a computational model of macrophage metabolic pathways. This novel work may lead to new therapy options and immunotherapeutic drugs designed to mimic the activation or inhibition of specific macrophage metabolic pathways.
Proteogenomic strategies help refine annotations of three Yersinia strains
Annotating plague
Released: April 11, 2012
Strains of bacteria from the genus Yersinia are pathogenic with a wide virulence range. To better understand and potentially design ways to mitigate the effects of Yersinia on human health, EMSL users leveraged proteome and transcriptome data to refine the genome maps of three Yersinia strains.
Finding key structural insights into the pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's proteins
Released: September 26, 2011
A team of researchers from University of Illinois and EMSL apply a new approach for discovering therapeutic targets for Parkinson's Disease.
