A team led by researchers from the University of Osaka has revealed the first structure of an umami taste receptor. They found that the pufferfish receptor can sense many more amino acids than the human receptor, including some linked to flavors humans detect as sweet. This helps the fish to detect more types of savory chemicals in their food. The research also shows how the receptor’s structure makes this flexibility possible. The findings could help develop new umami flavors.

A new 3D-structure of a cancer-linked protein — BRD4 — bound to its cellular partner reveals details of how the protein binds to chromosomes and could offer insights for future disease treatments.

In a study of parakeets, researchers with the University of Cincinnati and Duke University found that sex doesn't decide who initiates fights, who is targeted or who rises in the dominance hierarchy.

Published in the International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, researchers improved the balance of strength and ductility by using laser powder bed fusion to create alternating coarse- and fine-grained regions in a zinc–copper alloy.

Very small biological samples and even individual biomolecules can now be examined under near-physiological conditions with high confidence at the BESSY II infrared beamline with a newly validated and improved technique: The nanoscale infrared spectroscopy (s-SNOM) with ultra-thin silicon-based membranes. An international team demonstrated after an initial proof of concept, that high-resolution (a few tens of nanometres) nano-IR measurements reliably match expected far-field IR spectra in an aqueous environment. This methodological advance provides a solid foundation for studying biomaterials or observing catalytic processes in a liquid environment.

Fungi represent a cornerstone of industrial biotechnology, serving as indispensable platforms for the production of enzymes, organic acids, and high-value pharmaceuticals. In the era of synthetic biology and green manufacturing, the engineering of fungal cell factories offers unparalleled opportunities to address global challenges in sustainability, human health, and the circular bioeconomy. This article collection aims to capture the cutting-edge advances in fungal biomanufacturing, ranging from foundational metabolic engineering to the development of robust industrial strains.

Filamentous fungi and yeasts are powerful platforms for sustainable chemical production. As industries shift away from petrochemical-based processes, engineered fungal cell factories offer a renewable route to high-value compounds—from therapeutic alkaloids to biodegradable polymers. By integrating cutting-edge tools like CRISPR-Cas9, biosensors, and dynamic pathway regulation, we can overcome long-standing bottlenecks in titer, rate, and yield. Furthermore, linking fungal biomanufacturing with medicinal plant biomass valorization directly supports the circular bioeconomy, reduces agricultural waste, and enables the sustainable production of bioactive natural products that are otherwise difficult to source.

This collection will serve as a platform for presenting innovative strategies that bridge the gap between laboratory-scale design and industrial-scale application, emphasizing the critical role of fungi in shaping a sustainable manufacturing future. We invite contributions that explore the full spectrum of fungal biotechnology, with a focus on leveraging the unique metabolic versatility of yeast and filamentous fungi. Topics of interest include the design and optimization of fungal cell factories for the sustainable production of biofuels, biopolymers, and high-value natural products. We particularly welcome studies that integrate systems biology, CRISPR-based genome editing, and process engineering to overcome current bottlenecks in titers, yields, and rate of products. Additionally, given the growing significance of traditional medicine and functional foods, this issue will highlight the role of fungal systems in the herb bioprocessing to produce bioactive compounds.

Topics of Interest in details:

Development and optimization of Saccharomyces, Yarrowia, and non-conventional yeasts for industrial applications.

Pathway construction, flux optimization, and dynamic regulation in fungal hosts.

Development of genetic parts, CRISPR-Cas9/12 tools, and biosensors for fungal systems.

Heterologous biosynthesis of terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, polyketides, and fungal secondary metabolites.

Biotransformation, valorization, and sustainable production of bioactive compounds from medicinal plant biomass.

Morphology engineering and harnessing Aspergillus, Trichoderma, and Basidiomycetes for enzyme and chemical production.

Bioprocess design, scaling-up strategies, and techno-economic analysis for fungal-based manufacturing.

 keywords:

Yeast cell factories

Metabolic engineering

Synthetic biology

Natural products

Herb bioprocessing

Filamentous fungi

CRISPR-Cas9

Sustainable bioprocesses

Adoptive T cell therapy works well in some blood cancers but remain less effective against solid tumors. Researchers developed T-FOLactis, a probiotic–T cell chimera that links engineered bacteria directly to T cells. In colorectal cancer models, the platform improved tumor localization, strengthened local immune coordination, and produced greater antitumor activity than conventional T cell therapy.

Neurons express many extra-long genes exceeding 100 kb, but how they are accurately read remains unclear. We found that the RNA-binding protein SFPQ uses long RNAs as scaffolds to form meshwork-like nuclear condensates—membraneless assemblies of molecules. These condensates gather factors needed to read genes and process RNA, allowing them to work together. When this system is disrupted, extra-long gene expression decreases, with potential implications for neurological disorders.