Polymer synthesis at microbial surfaces

A redox system operating in bacteria produces copper species which can catalyse an ATRP-type polymerization at the bacterial surface, researchers have shown.  The resulting macromolecules selectively bound to the microbial strain which templated them.  The approach was also used to label polymer side chains in-situ.  Potential applications include diagnostics.

Bacteria-instructed synthesis of polymers for self-selective microbial binding and labelling; E.P. Magennis et al, Nature Materials AOP; DOI: 10.1038/NMAT3949

http://www.nature.com/nmat/journal/vaop/ncurrent/pdf/nmat3949.pdf

Non-invasive monitoring of fetal development

Researchers probed the temporal dynamics of gene transcription in the cell-free RNA of pregnant women’s blood plasma.  Microarray techniques and next-generation sequencing data identified and quantified transcripts from specific fetal tissues and placenta.  Findings suggest a route to diagnosing pregnancy complications and fetal abnormalities.  Methods might also identify neurodegenerative disorders.

Noninvasive in vivo monitoring of tissue-specific global gene expression in humans; W. Koh et al; PNAS; doi: 10.1073/pnas.1405528111

http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2014/05/02/1405528111.abstract