This article highlights a new synthetic biology platform developed by researchers at South China Agricultural University. The platform, known as FerTiG, is designed to degrade tetracycline residues in various aquatic environments. By integrating multiple functional modules into a single enzyme assembly, FerTiG offers enhanced stability and efficiency for antibiotic removal. The study demonstrates its effectiveness in different water matrices and confirms its biosafety through ecological and in vivo tests. This work presents a potential solution for addressing antibiotic pollution in water sources.

A study published in National Science Review shows that alkali metal cations (AM⁺) in electrolytes can effectively steer the product selectivity of oxygen reduction catalyzed on Co-N₄ sites. As the cation size increases from Li⁺ to Cs⁺, the ORR pathway transits from the generation of hydrogen peroxide via the 2e^- process to the generation of water via a combined 2e^- + 2e^- process. In situ electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (EC-STM) provides direct evidence that larger cations stabilize reaction intermediates (HO₂^-) and promote its further reduction. This work demonstrates an effective and practical strategy to modulate the ORR selectivity by adjusting the electrolyte composition rather than replacing the catalyst.