Bioinspired Load-Bearing Hydrogel Based on Engineered Sea Anemone Skin-Derived Collagen-Like Protein

Mechanical Properties of Protein-Based Hydrogels Derived from Binary Protein Mixtures-A Feasibility Study

Hydrogels based on natural polymers such as proteins are considered biocompatible and, therefore, represent an interesting class of materials for application in the field of biomedicine and high-performance materials. However, there is a lack of understanding of the proteins which are able to form hydrogel networks by photoinduced dityrosine crosslinking as well as a profound knowledge of the formed network itself and the mechanisms which are responsible for the resulting mechanical properties of such protein-based hydrogels. In this study, casein, bovine serum albumin, α-amylase, and a hydrophobic elastin-like protein were used to prepare binary protein mixtures with defined concentration ratios. After polymerization, the mechanical properties of the resulting homopolymeric and copolymeric hydrogels were determined using rheological methods depending on the protein shares used. In additional uniaxial compression tests, the fracture strain was shown to be independent of the protein shares, while hydrogel toughness and compressive strength were increased for protein-based hydrogels containing casein.

Wear Behavior of Different Generations of Zirconia: Present Literature

Objective. The wear behavior of the novel zirconia generation is less well understood and may be affected by compositional modifications compared to the conventional zirconia. Materials and Methods. Combinations of keywords such as “zirconia,” “high translucent,” and “wear” were searched in PubMed and Google Scholar databases up to May 2021. The total of 23 relevant articles was selected according to inclusion criteria. Results. Reports show comparable wear resistance of translucent zirconia to the conventional zirconia despite an increased cubic phase content and lower mean flexural strength. A meticulously polished surface creates the lowest surface roughness, producing favorable zirconia wear resistance and antagonist wear compared to a glazed surface. In comparison to other ceramic materials, zirconia produces the least wear on an enamel antagonist and almost undetectable wear when opposed by zirconia. Wear when paired against resin materials yields a favorable outcome, whereas wear behavior against a metal antagonist varies with the surface hardness of the metal. Conclusions. All zirconia generations are considered wear-friendly to all types of antagonists. Nonetheless, comparative studies on antagonist wear opposing zirconia of different compositions are still limited and further investigation is required.

Application of Corynebacterium glutamicum engineering display system in three generations of biorefinery

The fermentation production of platform chemicals in biorefineries is a sustainable alternative to the current petroleum refining process. The natural advantages of Corynebacterium glutamicum in carbon metabolism have led to C. glutamicum being used as a microbial cell factory that can use various biomass to produce value-added platform chemicals and polymers. In this review, we discussed the use of C. glutamicum surface display engineering bacteria in the three generations of biorefinery resources, and analyzed the C. glutamicum engineering display system in degradation, transport, and metabolic network reconstruction models. These engineering modifications show that the C. glutamicum engineering display system has great potential to become a cell refining factory based on sustainable biomass, and further optimizes the inherent properties of C. glutamicum as a whole-cell biocatalyst. This review will also provide a reference for the direction of future engineering transformation.