Integro to build new headquarters, add 12 jobs in Salisbury

rendering courtesy RISDEN MCELROY

Integro's new building in downtown Salisbury will be named Salisbury Business Center.

Integro Technologies Corp. will develop a $4 million building in downtown Salisbury as it adds 12 high-paying jobs.

The average salary for the new jobs is $72,500 per year.

Integro, which designs systems to ensure quality on production lines, expects to grow to 30 employees by the end of 2014 as it relocates from another downtown building, says Shawn Campion, vice president.

?We have a lot of orders to fill, so we need space,? he says.

For now, Integro will occupy about 25,000 square feet in the 41,800-square-foot building, which is being called Salisbury Business Center. The rest of the space will be leased, Campion says.

He hopes to be in the building, planned for the corner of South Main and East Bank streets, in late 2013. The structure is being designed by Stoutstudio Architecture of Salisbury.

Ken Elkins covers manufacturing, international business and economic development for the Charlotte Business Journal.

Source: http://feeds.bizjournals.com/~r/bizj_charlotte/~3/gV9aVlPoCwY/integro-to-build-new-headquarters-add.html

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NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to lead U.S. science team for dark energy mission

Feb. 12, 2013 ? The European Space Agency (ESA) has selected three NASA-nominated science teams to participate in their planned Euclid mission, including one team led by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

NASA is a partner in the Euclid mission, a space telescope designed to probe the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter. Euclid is currently scheduled to launch in 2020.

JPL will provide 16 advanced infrared detectors and four spare detectors for one of two instruments planned for the mission. In addition, JPL will contribute to science planning and data analysis with the help of its 43-member science team, the largest of the three U.S. teams. This team, led by JPL scientist Jason Rhodes, is composed of 29 scientists recently nominated by NASA, and 14 U.S. scientists who are already part of Euclid.

The other two U.S. science teams are led by Ranga-Ram Chary of the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena; and Alexander Kashlinsky of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.; with three and seven members, respectively.

Rhodes also was appointed by NASA to be a member of ESA's principal 12-member Euclid Science Team and the U.S. representative for the Euclid Consortium's governing body. The Euclid Consortium is an international body of 1,000 members, including the U.S. science team members, and will build the instruments and analyze the science data jointly.

"Understanding the hidden contents of the universe and the nature of the dark energy will require the collaboration of astronomers and engineers around the world," said Rhodes.

Euclid will observe up to two billion galaxies occupying more than one-third of the sky with the goal of better understanding the contents of our universe. Everyday matter that we see around us, for example in tables and chairs, people and even stars, makes up only a few percent of everything in our cosmos. If you could fill a bucket with the mass and energy contents of our universe, this everyday matter would fill only a small fraction. A larger amount, about 24 percent, would consist of dark matter, an invisible substance that does not reflect or emit any light, but exerts a gravitational tug on other matter.

The majority of our universal bucket, about 73 percent, is thought to be filled with dark energy, something even more mysterious than dark matter. Whereas dark matter pulls through its gravity, dark energy is thought to be a repulsive force pushing matter apart. Scientists think dark energy may be responsible for stretching our universe apart at ever-increasing speeds, an observation that earned the Nobel Prize in 2011.

Euclid scientists will use two methods to make the most precise measurements yet of our "dark" universe. The first method, called weak lensing, involves analyzing the shapes of billions of galaxies across more than half the age of the universe. When dark matter lies in front of galaxies, it can't be seen, but its gravity distorts the light from the galaxies behind it. More dark matter will lead to slightly larger distortions. By measuring these minute distortions, scientists can understand the amount and distribution of the dark matter between these galaxies and us.

Changes in these dark matter structures over time are governed by interplay between the attractive force of gravity and the repulsive dark energy. Thus, studying galaxy shapes reveals information about both dark matter and dark energy.

The second method, called galaxy clustering or baryon acoustic oscillations, will serve as an independent measurement of dark energy. Early in the universe, galaxies were imprinted with a standard distance between them. This distance -- referred to as a standard ruler -- expands as the universe itself expands. By making precise measurements of the distances between tens of millions of galaxies, the scientists will be able to chart this expansion and learn more about the dark energy driving it. Observations of how the galaxies are clustered will also further probe dark matter.

The JPL-led U.S. science team will employ both of these methods and work together with the rest of the Euclid scientists to shine light on the darkest riddles of our cosmos. Of the 43 team members, six are based at JPL. They are: Olivier Dor?, Peter Eisenhardt, Alina Kiessling, Leonidas Moustakas, Jason Rhodes and Daniel Stern. Two additional team members, Peter Capak and Harry Teplitz, are based at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center.

Mike Seiffert is the U.S. project scientist for Euclid at JPL, and Ulf Israelsson is the U.S. project manager at JPL.

Euclid is a European Space Agency mission with science instruments and data analysis provided by the Euclid consortium with important participation from NASA. NASA's Euclid Project Office is based at JPL. JPL will contribute the infrared flight detectors for one of Euclid's two science instruments. NASA Goddard will assist with infrared detector characterization and will perform detailed testing on flight detectors prior to delivery. Three U.S. science teams, led by JPL, Goddard and the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at Caltech, will contribute to science planning and data analysis. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.

More information is online at http://www.nasa.gov/euclid and http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=102 .

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/space_time/astronomy/~3/P0WP4nKYl3s/130212140107.htm

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New genes for short-sightedness: 24 new genes that cause refractive errors and myopia identified

Feb. 10, 2013 ? An international team of scientists led by King's College London has discovered 24 new genes that cause refractive errors and myopia (short-sightedness).

Myopia is a major cause of blindness and visual impairment worldwide, and currently there is no cure. These findings, published February 10 in the journal Nature Genetics, reveal genetic causes of the trait, which could lead to finding better treatments or ways of preventing the condition in the future.

Thirty per cent of Western populations and up to 80 per cent of Asian people suffer from myopia. During visual development in childhood and adolescence the eye grows in length, but in myopes it grows too long, and light entering the eye is then focused in front of the retina rather than on it. This results in a blurred image. This refractive error can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses or surgery. However, the eye remains longer, the retina is thinner, and this may lead to retinal detachment, glaucoma or macular degeneration, especially with higher degrees of myopia. Myopia is highly heritable, although up to now, little was known about the genetic background.

To find the genes responsible, researchers from Europe, Asia, Australia and the United States collaborated as the Consortium for Refraction and Myopia (CREAM). They analysed genetic and refractive error data of over 45,000 people from 32 different studies, and found 24 new genes for this trait, and confirmed two previously reported genes. Interestingly, the genes did not show significant differences between the European and Asian groups, despite the higher prevelance among Asian people. The new genes include those which function in brain and eye tissue signalling, the structure of the eye, and eye development. The genes lead to a high risk of myopia and carriers of the high-risk genes had a tenfold increased risk.

It was already known that environmental factors, such as reading, lack of outdoor exposure, and a higher level of education can increase the risk of myopia. The condition is more common in people living in urban areas. An unfavourable combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors appears to be particularly risky for development of myopia. How these environmental factors affect the newly identified genes and cause myopia remains intriguing, and will be further investigated by the consortium.

Professor Chris Hammond from the Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology at King's College London, and lead author of the paper, said: 'We already knew that myopia -- or short-sightedness -- tends to run in families, but until now we knew little about the genetic causes. This study reveals for the first time a group of new genes that are associated with myopia and that carriers of some of these genes have a 10-fold increased risk of developing the condition.

'Currently myopia is corrected with glasses or contact lenses, but now we understand more about the genetic triggers for the condition we can begin to explore other ways to correct it or prevent progression. It is an extremely exciting step forward which could potentially lead to better treatments or prevention in the future for millions around the world.'

Currently, possibilities to reduce progression of myopia are very limited. While one drug, called atropine, may reduce progression, it dilates the pupil and causes problems with light sensitivity and difficulty with reading. New options are necessary. Chances are good that the insights gained from this study will provide openings for development of new strategies.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/A79LABKE1F0/130210143252.htm

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Colorful Tet parade leaves gays on sidelines

WESTMINSTER ? Where there were dark clouds there were also rainbows, lots of them, in the hands of members of a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender group and their supporters.

They waved tiny flags and large flags and held up large metal hearts each a bright red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple on the sidelines of the annual Tet parade held Sunday morning in Westminster's Little Saigon neighborhood to celebrate the Vietnamese new year.

Miniature lion dancer Nicholas Vu, 4, delights the crowd with his cuteness during the 2013 Tet parade in Westminster Sunday.

MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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A thank you

Despite the exclusion of the Partnership of Viet Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Organizations from Sunday's Tet parade, the group delivered typed thank-you notes in embellished red envelopes to parade-goers.

"We respect your feelings, and also we thank you for respecting our differences," according to the note, translated by the group's Phuc Van, 36.

The letter wished the reader a prosperous new year, thanked community organizations for supporting the group's inclusion in parade and noted that members of the group are the community's children, sisters, brothers, fathers, etc.

The letter also said that violence against the LGBT community has led to suicide in some cases, including 14-year-old David Phan, a Utah teen who was reportedly bullied.

The group gathered as spectators since the parade's organizer had barred the Partnership of Viet Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Organizations from walking in the event as it had for the past three years. A court ruling recently upheld the organizer's decision.

Click here to watch a video of the colorful Tet Parade.

Parade-goers lining the route stretching from Magnolia to Bushard streets along Bolsa Avenue waving to men and women dressed in military fatigues, elected officials riding in the back of convertibles, rows of martial artists and even mariachis riding on Midway City's entry for its Sanitary District.

Luis Grajeda, of Garden Grove, helped his daughter Vanessa, 5, place a dollar bill in the mouth of one of the costume dragons dancing along the route. He's been bringing his family to the Tet parade for three years and numerous other parades to introduce his daughters to new cultures.

He said he wouldn't have a problem with the LGBT group participating in the parade.

"I think all the people have the same rights," he said. "Why not?"

Thuy Vo Dang, a professor and director of the Vietnamese American Oral History Project at UC Irvine, had been to the parade before, but this year brought her children ? 2-year-old Austen and 6-year-old Allyse ? to support the LGBT group.

"I didn't want to miss the opportunity to teach my children about social justice," she said. "There's no one way to be a Vietnamese American."

She said the decision to bar the group was disheartening and regressive since it had successfully fought to be included a few years ago. The decision also didn't reflect the community's diversity, she said.

Assemblyman Tom Daly, D-Anaheim, and Jose Solorio, vice president of the Rancho Santiago Community College District board of trustees, each got out of their parade convertibles to greet the LGBT group.

Solorio ultimately let his convertible continue without him after he joined the group on the sidelines.

"I thought it was important for me to convey a message of inclusiveness and equality," he said afterward. Before the parade, he said every one should be able to ring in the new year, regardless of whether the organizers of the event are a public agency or, in this case, a private group.

"Looks pretty public to me," he said of the parade as he walked toward the staging area.

The city of Westminster had funded and organized the parade until this year, when city officials said their budget couldn't handle it. A private group of community members ? coordinated as the Vietnamese Federation of Southern California ? took it on.

When the LGBT group submitted its application to participate in the parade as it had the three years prior, the new organizers said no.

Organizers believed the LGBT group's purpose and theme strayed from that of the Tet parade, to a lawyer representing the Vietnamese Federation of Southern California said in a court brief.

The Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California, which sponsors the popular Tet Festival, had invited some of the LGBT group's members to march alongside them.

But that act of solidarity didn't occur quite as planned.

Natalie Newton, leader of the LGBT group, said the parade's organizers pressured the students Saturday night to ditch the invitation or risk boycotts of their festival.

The student sponsored Tet Festival is unaffiliated with the parade.

"This kind of bullying, this is not community leadership," Newton said. "We insist that we belong here."

Calls seeking comment from a festival organizer and the student group weren't returned.

Newton said the student group usually has 50 or so people marching with it in the parade, but by the time the student group made its appearance on Sunday, there were just a handful.

"I truly believe they were making a statement," Newton said of the small number of marching students. As the students walked by, the LGBT group released clusters of pink balloons with rainbow flags attached.

With the parade over, Newton said the group would gather all the evidence of support it garnered from the city and elected leaders and take it to Westminster's mayor and city attorney to argue for inclusion in next year's event.

• Tet Parade brings out thousands with gays on sidelines

Related:

Source: http://www.ocregister.com/news/group-495399-parade-lgbt.html

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Your Genetic Genealogist: Visiting Family Tree DNA's State-of-the ...

I have been a bit behind in my postings, but I didn't want to miss the chance to write about the incredible lab tour of Family Tree DNA's awesome facility, which was definitely one of the highlights of the 2012 FTDNA Administrator's Conference for me. I don't know if you all realize it, but Family Tree DNA is the ONLY company in the field that has their very own lab. They process everything from start to finish in their state-of-the-art facility in Houston for the thousands of different DNA tests that they offer. Some people might find it comforting to know that when ordering a test through FTDNA, this very trustworthy company is the sole handler of their DNA sample.?
This lab is even capable of processing exome and whole genome sequences. (These are available through Family Tree DNA's sister division DNA DTC, both a part of Gene by Gene). Max Blankfeld proudly told me that almost immediately after the announcement, they were already receiving orders for both tests. This is really exciting if you think about it. The first company to offer genetic genealogy testing is, according to The Genomics Law Report, also the only company currently offering these advanced tests-of-the-future in a "truly direct-to-consumer manner".? ("Gene By Gene probably does represent, however, the only commercial company currently offering a whole genome sequence in a truly direct-to-consumer (DTC) manner." DNA DTC: The Return of Direct to Consumer Whole Genome Sequencing, Dan Vorhaus, November 29, 2012)

Okay, on to the lab tour! Tim Janzen has kindly shared both his notes and his photos with my readers. I have added to Tim's notes just a bit, but most of what you see below was written by him. (I lost my notes and, although I did use some of them, the photos from my cell phone aren't as nice as Tim's photos from a "real" camera!)
On November 12, 2012, Family Tree DNA graciously allowed approximately 30 attendees from the FTDNA conference to take one-hour tours of their laboratory facilities in Houston, Texas. Bennett Greenspan, the president of FTDNA, primarily led the tours and Max Blankfeld led some supplemental tours (for those of us who showed up late!). The tour participants all donned lab jackets for the tour, making us feel very official (I got to be Thomas Krahn). Bennett explained the functions of a number of very important pieces of DNA equipment as he took us through the lab.??
One of the first pieces of equipment we viewed is used to extract the DNA from samples that are sent to FTDNA. The DNA is extracted through an automated process. Ninety-six samples can be processed at a time. FTDNA can complete 600 extractions per day and has a 98.8% success rate of extracting DNA on the first try.??

Another piece of equipment held primers that are used to test for specific short tandem repeat (STR) tests and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) tests. Liquid containing the DNA is drawn up through pipettes from small wells in a plate that holds DNA samples.? This process is also entirely robotized so that multiple tests can be run at a time. The lab must repeatedly change the plastic covers on the pipettes to ensure that DNA from two different samples is never mixed as part of the testing.

Bennett Greenspan proudly showed off the robotic DNA storage freezer that the company purchased in Autumn of 2011. It was designed and manufactured by the engineering company Matrical Bioscience in Spokane, Washington. This piece of equipment took many months to design and build. After it had been built, it was disassembled and shipped to Houston. The installation process in the FTDNA lab took approximately 6 weeks. This chamber stores multiple small trays that hold 96 DNA samples each. The samples are held in small vials about 3/4 inch in height and about 3/8 inch in diameter.? The trays holding the samples are about 4 inches by 7 inches in size. There are thousands of trays stacked on top of each other in a -20 degrees Celsius chamber approximately 5 feet by 8 feet in size. A robot inside this chamber retrieves DNA samples from the approximately 175,000 samples that are stored there in a very strictly regimented and automated fashion. This robot is wired to a computer station outside the room. At the computer terminal a lab technician can enter a series of kit numbers for DNA samples for which additional testing has been ordered. The technician can then leave the area to do other things while the robot automatically retrieves the samples that were chosen. Ninety-six samples can be retrieved at a time and the retrieval process takes approximately 30 minutes. When the retrieval process has been completed the technician then returns to the storage unit, picks up the tray of samples and takes it to another piece of equipment for the additional testing that the customer has ordered, such as upgraded STR panels or individual SNP tests.?
The functions of other pieces of equipment in the lab were also explained by Bennett. One machine is used for mitochondrial DNA sequencing. There is also another piece of equipment that is used to lyse the cells in each of the DNA samples and prepare them for extraction of the DNA. Additionally, Bennett showed us a room that contains thousands of DNA samples that have not yet been processed. These samples are held in long-term storage at room temperature for eventual use by customers who wish to order additional testing.?

Bennett also took us to a different room where the Geno 2.0 SNP chip tests are being processed. Approximately 154,000 SNPs are tested on a single chip for the Geno 2.0 test. Considering this, the chips are relatively small at approximately 1 inch by 4 inches in size. The actual scanning area is only 5mm by 5mm per assay. At the time we were there, thousands of chips were being processed.??

Bennett showed us the new sequencing machines that were recently purchased so that the company can do large-scale complete genome sequencing.?The two new Illumina HiSeq 2000 machines can sequence 10 times as much as the Applied Biosystems DNA Analyzers are capable of using 454 sequencing and can sequence a complete genome in three runs. These machines are approximately 2000 times as efficient as using the primers used in Walk Through the Y testing and are 100 times as efficient as the Applied Biosystems 454 sequencer. FTDNA has two new Illumina MiSeq DNA sequencers as well. The lab now has the capability to sequence six whole genomes in two weeks and 64 exomes at 80x coverage in one week.



The FTDNA lab tour was an exciting experience. It was very interesting to see all of the technicians at work running the various DNA tests that we as FTDNA customers have ordered. I was incredibly impressed by their vast array of state-of-the-art equipment. Hopefully, Bennett and the rest of his lab staff will continue to allow these tours for attendees at future FTDNA conferences. If you haven't seen it yet, it is well worth your time and I highly recommend it.

The following may be overkill for some of you. If so, I will just say goodbye to you here. However, if you are like me and you just can't get enough or want to gain a better understanding of how this all works from the inside, here is a series of photos from the lab tour.









































Thanks to Tim and Rachel Janzen for sharing their photos, Tim for helping to write this and to FTDNA for the spectacular tour.

Source: http://www.yourgeneticgenealogist.com/2013/02/visiting-family-tree-dnas-state-of-art.html

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PFT: Ravens won't restructure deals to keep core

AP

Catching up with former Bills CB Marlon Kerner.

Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill didn?t go to medical school, but he is an honorary physician at a Miami hospital.

Mark Mangino coached Patriots CB Aqib Talib in college and says the player has the proper work ethic.

Gary Myers of the New York Daily News won?t be shedding any tears over LB Bart Scott?s departure from the Jets.

The Ravens are optimistic that LB Jameel McClain will make a full recovery from a spinal injury.

Expect attention to be paid to the running game by the Bengals this offseason.

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam wants to improve the quality of cell phone service at Browns Stadium.

Steelers DE Brett Keisel shaved his beard for charity a second time.

Texans owner Bob McNair wants to see everyone on the team step up next season.

Making the playoffs didn?t make the Colts? schedule all that hard in 2013.

Some praise for new Jaguars offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch?s grasp of the game.

A call for Titans assistant Gregg Williams to lose the bounties while keeping his edge.

The Broncos are cooking up their offseason strategies.

A look at the drafting history of the Chiefs brain trust.

The Raiders tell you everything you need to know about the scouting combine.

Mock drafts are pointing the Chargers toward an offensive lineman in the first round.

Missouri DT Sheldon Richardson could fit what the Cowboys are looking for in the draft.

The Giants are expected to make a bid to re-sign TE Martellus Bennett.

Phil Sheridan of the Philadelphia Inquirer calls new Eagles defensive coordinator Billy Davis a roll of the dice.

More on the price hike on Redskins tickets in the coming season.

Rusty Jones was an innovator during his long career as the Bears? strength and conditioning coach.

C Dominic Raiola?s spot on the Lions roster isn?t looking too secure.

Former Packers G Jerry Kramer has made his peace with not getting into the Hall of Fame.

The Vikings are getting closer to finding a construction manager for their new stadium.

Bill Polian thinks highly of Falcons CB Brent Grimes and S William Moore.

The Panthers have become part of WR Brandon LaFell?s child support case.

NFL.com calls Saints QB Drew Brees? touchdown to break the record for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass was one of the year?s most memorable moments.

Buccaneers T Donald Penn doesn?t like the criticism of QB Josh Freeman.

Said Cardinals coach Bruce Arians, ?I?m not a statistics guy, where a defense is ranked, where an offense is ranked. I only care about wins and losses. Yes we want the number one defense in the league. But is that yards? No. We want the best third-down defense, the best red-zone defense, the best two-minute defense. I don?t really care about yards. I think that?s a bogus stat.?

New Rams linebackers coach Frank Bush liked what he saw of Jo-Lonn Dunbar on tape.

Expectations are that WR Mario Manningham will miss a good chunk of 49ers training camp as he recovers from a torn ACL.

John Clayton of ESPN thinks the Seahawks would be a logical landing spot for DE Dwight Freeney.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/07/ravens-wont-restructure-contracts-to-keep-team-together/related/

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Scientists turn toxic by-product into biofuel booster

Feb. 4, 2013 ? Scientists studying an enzyme that naturally produces alkanes -- long carbon-chain molecules that could be a direct replacement for the hydrocarbons in gasoline -- have figured out why the natural reaction typically stops after three to five cycles. Armed with that knowledge, they've devised a strategy to keep the reaction going. The biochemical details -- worked out at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and described in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the week of February 4, 2013 -- renew interest in using the enzyme in bacteria, algae, or plants to produce biofuels that need no further processing.

"Alkanes are very similar to the carbon-chain molecules in gasoline. They represent a potential renewable alternative to replace the petrochemical component of gasoline," said Brookhaven biochemist John Shanklin, who led the research, which was conducted in large part by former Brookhaven postdoc Carl Andre, now working at BASF Plant Science in North Carolina, and Xiaohong Yu of Brookhaven's Biosciences Department. "Unlike the process of breaking down plant biomass to sugars and fermenting them to ethanol," Shanklin said, "biologically produced alkanes could be extracted and used directly as fuel."

Recent discovery of an enzyme known as aldehyde-deformylating oxygenase (ADO), which naturally makes alkanes from precursors in certain bacteria, stimulated interest in harnessing this enzyme's action to make liquid biofuels. But early attempts to install ADO in laboratory-based alkane "factories" produced disappointing results.

Likewise, the Brookhaven team's experiments in test tubes -- using substrates synthesized with the help of Sunny Kim in Brookhaven's Radiotracer and Biological Imaging group -- yielded the same result others had observed: The enzyme mysteriously stopped working after three to five "turnovers" and alkane production would cease.

Biochemical curiosity and ADO's remarkable resemblance to a group of enzymes the Brookhaven scientists were familiar with drew them deeper into the mystery of why the enzyme stopped working.

"We set to work to try to understand the biochemistry of ADO because it is so similar to the desaturase enzymes that we study, but performs a very different and interesting reaction," Shanklin said.

The key discovery -- that the alkane-producing system creates a by-product that's toxic to the ADO enzyme -- was unexpected. It was also the key to solving the turnover problem.

To simplify the analysis of ADO, the scientists tested whether they could substitute hydrogen peroxide for the electron transfer proteins and oxygen normally required for the alkane-producing reaction -- an approach that had worked for a related enzyme. But instead of stimulating alkane production, no alkane at all was produced, and in control experiments containing all the components plus hydrogen peroxide, alkane production was also blocked.

"It turns out one of the electron transport proteins was interacting with oxygen to produce hydrogen peroxide, and the buildup of hydrogen peroxide was 'poisoning' the ADO enzyme, completely inhibiting its activity," Shanklin said.

To confirm that hydrogen peroxide buildup was the problem and to simultaneously test whether its depletion might enhance alkane production, Shanklin and his team tried adding another enzyme, catalase, which metabolizes hydrogen peroxide to oxygen and water.

"When we added both enzymes, instead of the reaction turning over three times before stopping, it ran for more than 225 cycles," Shanklin said.

So the scientists decided to make a "bi-functional" enzyme by linking the two together.

"We reasoned that with the ADO and catalase enzymes linked, as the hydrogen peroxide concentration near the enzyme increases, the catalase could convert it to oxygen, mitigating the inhibition and thereby keeping the reaction going," he said.

Living cells often contain levels of hydrogen peroxide sufficient to cause ADO inhibition. So there was a question about whether the dual enzyme would increase alkane production under these natural conditions.

Results to date have been encouraging: In experiments in test tubes and pilot studies in bacteria, the bi-functional enzyme resulted in at least a five-fold increase in alkane production compared with ADO alone. And, in addition to removing hydrogen peroxide as an inhibitor of ADO, the combo enzyme actually helps drive the alkane-producing reaction by producing oxygen, one of the key components required for activity.

"This bi-functional enzyme simultaneously decreases the concentration of the inhibitor and increases the concentration of a needed reaction component by converting an inhibitor into a substrate," Shanklin said.

Now the scientists are working to install the combo enzyme in algae or green plants.

"While ADO-containing bacteria convert sugar that we feed to them into alkanes, it would be much more efficient to produce alkanes in photosynthetic organisms using carbon dioxide and sunlight," Shanklin said.

The scientists also suggest that the general approach of strategically designing fusion enzymes to break down small molecule inhibitors could be used to improve the efficiency of a wide range of reactions. Defeating natural inhibition, a process they describe as "protection via inhibitor metabolism" (PIM), would allow such bifunctional enzymes to function more efficiently than their natural counterparts.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/F9tQb89hEvM/130204153859.htm

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