A systematic review of robotic efficacy in coral reef monitoring techniques

Coral reefs are home to a variety of species, and their preservation is a popular study area; however, monitoring them is a significant challenge, for which the use of robots offers a promising answer. The purpose of this study is to analyze the current techniques and tools employed in coral reef monitoring, with a focus on the role of robotics and its potential in transforming this sector. Using a systematic review methodology examining peer-reviewed literature across engineering and earth sciences from the Scopus database focusing on "robotics" and "coral reef" keywords, the article is divided into three sections: coral reef monitoring, robots in coral reef monitoring, and case studies. The initial findings indicated a variety of monitoring strategies, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Case studies have also highlighted the global application of robotics in monitoring, emphasizing the challenges and opportunities unique to each context. Robotic interventions driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning have led to a new era in coral reef monitoring. Such developments not only improve monitoring but also support the conservation and restoration of these vulnerable ecosystems. Further research is required, particularly on robotic systems for monitoring coral nurseries and maximizing coral health in both indoor and open-sea settings.

Fusing Peptide Epitopes for Advanced Multiplex Serological Testing for SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Detection

The tragic COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen a total of 655 million cases worldwide and a death toll of over 6.6 million seems finally tailing off. Even so, new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continue to arise, the severity of which cannot be predicted in advance. This is concerning for the maintenance and stability of public health, since immune evasion and increased transmissibility may arise. Therefore, it is crucial to continue monitoring antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in the general population. As a complement to polymerase chain reaction tests, multiplex immunoassays are elegant tools that use individual protein or peptide antigens simultaneously to provide a high level of sensitivity and specificity. To further improve these aspects of SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection, as well as accuracy, we have developed an advanced serological peptide-based multiplex assay using antigen-fused peptide epitopes derived from both the spike and the nucleocapsid proteins. The significance of the epitopes selected for antibody detection has been verified by in silico molecular docking simulations between the peptide epitopes and reported SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Peptides can be more easily and quickly modified and synthesized than full length proteins and can, therefore, be used in a more cost-effective manner. Three different fusion-epitope peptides (FEPs) were synthesized and tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A total of 145 blood serum samples were used, compromising 110 COVID-19 serum samples from COVID-19 patients and 35 negative control serum samples taken from COVID-19-free individuals before the outbreak. Interestingly, our data demonstrate that the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the results for the FEP antigens are higher than for single peptide epitopes or mixtures of single peptide epitopes. Our FEP concept can be applied to different multiplex immunoassays testing not only for SARS-CoV-2 but also for various other pathogens. A significantly improved peptide-based serological assay may support the development of commercial point-of-care tests, such as lateral-flow-assays.

Peptide Gel Electrolytes for Stabilized Zn Metal Anodes

The rechargeable aqueous Zn ion battery (AZIB) is considered a promising candidate for future energy storage applications due to its intrinsic safety features and low cost. However, Zn dendrites and side reactions (e.g., corrosion, hydrogen evolution reaction, and inactive side product (Zn hydroxide sulfate) formation) at the Zn metal anode have been serious obstacles to realizing a satisfactory AZIB performance. The application of gel electrolytes is a common strategy for suppressing these problems, but the normally used highly cross-linked polymer matrix (e.g., polyacrylamide (PAM)) brings additional difficulties for battery assembly and recycling. Herein, we have developed a gel electrolyte for Zn metal anode stabilization, where a peptide matrix, a highly biocompatible material, is used for gel construction. Various experiments and simulations elucidate the sulfate anion-assisted self-assembly gel formation and its effect in stabilizing Zn metal anodes. Unlike polymer gel electrolytes, the peptide gel electrolyte can reversibly transform between gel and liquid states, thus facilitating the gel-involved battery assembly and recycling. Furthermore, the peptide gel electrolyte provides fast Zn ion diffusion (comparable to conventional liquid electrolyte) while suppressing side reactions and dendrite growth, thus achieving highly stable Zn metal anodes as validated in various cell configurations. We believe that our concept of gel electrolyte design will inspire more future directions for Zn metal anode protection based on gel electrolyte design.

Evaluation of Potential Peptide-Based Inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 and Variants of Concern

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has greatly affected all aspect of life. Although several vaccines and pharmaceuticals have been developed against SARS-CoV-2, the emergence of mutated variants has raised several concerns. The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2) receptor cell entry mechanism of this virus has not changed despite the vast mutation in emerging variants. Inhibiting the spike protein by which the virus identifies the host ACE2 receptor is a promising therapeutic countermeasure to keep pace with rapidly emerging variants. Here, we synthesized two ACE2-derived peptides, P1 and P25, to target and potentially inhibit SARS-CoV-2 cell entry. These peptides were evaluated in vitro using pseudoviruses that contained the SARS-CoV-2 original spike protein, the Delta-mutated spike protein, or the Omicron spike protein. An in silico investigation was also done for these peptides to evaluate the interaction of the synthesized peptides and the SARS-CoV-2 variants. The P25 peptide showed a promising inhibition potency against the tested pseudoviruses and an even higher inhibition against the Omicron variant. The IC50 of the Omicron variant was 60.8 μM, while the IC50s of the SARS-CoV-2 original strain and the Delta variant were 455.2 μM and 546.4 μM, respectively. The in silico experiments also showed that the amino acid composition design and structure of P25 boosted the interaction with the spike protein. These findings suggest that ACE2-derived peptides, such as P25, have the potential to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 cell entry in vitro. However, further in vivo studies are needed to confirm their therapeutic efficacy against emerging variants.

Microbial Biocontainment Systems for Clinical, Agricultural, and Industrial Applications

Many applications of synthetic biology require biological systems in engineered microbes to be delivered into diverse environments, such as for in situ bioremediation, biosensing, and applications in medicine and agriculture. To avoid harming the target system (whether that is a farm field or the human gut), such applications require microbial biocontainment systems (MBSs) that inhibit the proliferation of engineered microbes. In the past decade, diverse molecular strategies have been implemented to develop MBSs that tightly control the proliferation of engineered microbes; this has enabled medical, industrial, and agricultural applications in which biological processes can be executed in situ. The customization of MBSs also facilitate the integration of sensing modules for which different compounds can be produced and delivered upon changes in environmental conditions. These achievements have accelerated the generation of novel microbial systems capable of responding to external stimuli with limited interference from the environment. In this review, we provide an overview of the current approaches used for MBSs, with a specific focus on applications that have an immediate impact on multiple fields.

Ecologically Friendly Biofunctional Ink for Reconstruction of Rigid Living Systems Under Wet Conditions

The development of three-dimensional (3D)-printable inks is essential for several applications, from industrial manufacturing to novel applications for biomedical engineering. Remarkably, biomaterials for tissue engineering applications can be expanded to other new horizons; for instance, restoration of rigid living systems as coral reefs is an emergent need derived from recent issues from climate change. The coral reefs have been endangered, which can be observed in the increasing bleaching around the world. Very few studies report eco-friendly inks for matter since most conventional approaches require synthetic polymer, which at some point could be a pollutant depending on the material. Therefore, there is an unmet need for cost-effective formulations from eco-friendly materials for 3D manufacturing to develop carbonate-based inks for coral reef restoration. Our value proposition derives from technologies developed for regenerative medicine, commonly applied for human tissues like bone and cartilage. In our case, we created a novel biomaterial formulation from biopolymers such as gelatin methacrylate, poly (ethylene glycol diacrylate), alginate, and gelatin as scaffold and binder for the calcium carbonate and hydroxyapatite bioceramics needed to mimic the structure of rigid structures. This project presents evidence from 2D/3D manufacturing, chemical, mechanical, and biological characterization, which supports the hypothesis of its utility to aid in the fight to counteract the coral bleaching that affects all the marine ecosystem, primarily when this is supported by solid research in biomaterials science used for living systems, it can extend tissue engineering into new approaches in different domains such as environmental or marine sciences.