Humans have been using enzymes to create new products for thousands of years. Now, using the Advanced Photon Source, an international team shows how HACL/S enzymes work on an atomic level. Their findings can serve as the basis for increasing the enzymes’ yield and versatility while drawing down as precursors atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane.

Metallic glasses are alloys that possess exceptional features which have led to the incorporation of MGs into many applications. Unfortunately, the disordered structure of MGs inevitably leads to their atoms migrating over time, which can seriously degrade their superior properties. Researchers used APS X-ray beams to measure atomic-level movements in a metallic glass over the unprecedented time span of nearly 3½ days.

Transfer RNAs are are known to have regulatory roles in translation, transcription, stress response, and even immunity, via specific interactions with a wide array of cellular molecules. Recent research has provided new, previously unrecognized, insights into how one protein recognizes the 3’ tail of tRNA molecules and how these interactions impact the function of tRNAs.

Eutectic materials, naturally occurring composites of two or more crystals, are used in engine blocks, solder and 3D printing. A team of researchers has learned how the microstructure of these materials evolves upon heating, which may allow them to change the synthesis of eutectics to improve those mechanical properties.

Our bodies need neurotransmitters and hormones to stay healthy, but too much or too little can cause conditions such as breast cancer or Parkinson’s disease. A team of scientists has discovered a new class of enzymes from bacteria in our guts that can alter levels of serotonin and estradiol, among other compounds.