The bacterial membrane enzyme styrene oxide isomerase can convert toxic compounds into valuable materials. Selvapravin Kumaran, a doctoral student in Professor Dirk Tischler's Microbial Biotechnology working group at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, has discovered exactly how it does this. These findings could help in the future to use the multifunctional enzyme in other reactions involving the production of industrially attractive compounds from inexpensive precursors. “Enzymes are a powerful tool that can make our lives more environmentally friendly,” says Dirk Tischler. The researchers report their findings in the journal ACS Catalysis on September 29, 2025.

Aging brain shows deterioration of blood-brain barrier (BBB), but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Guo et al, from Massachusetts General Hospital, reported that the effects of astrocytes on endothelial cell permeability depend on the “age” of astrocytes, and increased angiotensinogen expression in senescent astrocytes may be one of the mediators. These data suggest the importance of cell-cell interaction in neurovascular unit, and point towards a potential therapeutic approach to rescue BBB in aging brain.

Immune cells called double negative T cells are abundant in the intestine but have been poorly understood till date. In a recent study, researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo report that these cells actually have an indispensable role in suppressing intestinal inflammation. Through cutting-edge microscopy that allows live imaging, the movement and functioning of these cells were visualized for the first time, providing insights into conditions such as Crohn’s disease.

Phospholipids, essential components of cell membranes, are increasingly recognized for their active roles in regulating innate immunity and inflammation. A new review is published to outline how phospholipid metabolism shapes immune cell behavior, influences the outcome of host defense and tissue homeostasis. The authors also discuss how dysregulation of phospholipid metabolism contributes to inflammatory diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases and cancers, and highlight the potential strategies of restoring phospholipid homeostasis for disease treatment.

Climate change poses a major threat to the organisms such as plankton that form the base of the marine food web. A team of scientists from MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences at the University of Bremen have used the fossil record to show that only a relatively minor amount of climatic change is needed to affect plankton communities. They have published their findings in Communications Earth & Environment.