Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Andreas Schwentner, Heiko Neugebauer, Serin Weinmann, Helena Santos, Bernhard J. Eikmanns
Summary: The compatible solute mannosylglycerate (MG) has exceptional properties in protein stabilization and protection, making it ideal for clinical and biotechnological applications. By introducing the bifunctional MG synthase from Dehalococcoides mccartyi into Corynebacterium glutamicum and overexpressing the manA gene, efficient production of MG was achieved with glucose and mannose as carbon sources, and extraction was enabled using a cold water shock technique.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Zhengxin Dong, Tao Sun, Weiwen Zhang, Lei Chen
Summary: This article demonstrates the significant improvement of salt tolerance in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 (Syn7942) by expressing the ectoine biosynthetic pathway. The engineered strain showed increased growth under high salt concentrations and could even survive under lethal levels of salt. Transcriptomic analysis revealed differences in the regulation of salt adaptation between the engineered strain and the wild-type, providing valuable insights for salt tolerance engineering in cyanobacteria.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yifan Zhang, Giovanni Gonzalez-Gutierrez, Katherine A. Legg, Brenna J. C. Walsh, Cristian M. Pis Diez, Katherine A. Edmonds, David P. Giedroc
Summary: A protein encoded by the EgtU gene in Streptococcus pneumoniae has been found to specifically absorb ergothioneine, which is highly conserved in Firmicutes. This discovery provides important clues for studying the antioxidant mechanisms of human pathogens.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chaofeng Li, Ruoyu Wang, Jiawei Wang, Liangxu Liu, Hengrun Li, Haotian Zheng, Jun Ni
Summary: Researchers have developed a highly compatible photosynthetic community that can convert carbon dioxide into valuable chemicals, achieving carbon-negative emissions. This achievement holds promise for future implementation in circular economies.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Eunice A. Ferreira, Catarina C. Pacheco, Joao S. Rodrigues, Filipe Pinto, Pedro Lamosa, David Fuente, Javier Urchueguia, Paula Tamagnini
Summary: This study successfully produced glycine betaine using the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 as a chassis, through the construction of synthetic devices in mutant strains.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Johannes F. Imhoff, Tanja Rahn, Sven Kunzel, Alexander Keller, Sven C. Neulinger
Summary: Osmotic adaptation and accumulation of compatible solutes are crucial processes for survival at high osmotic pressure and elevated salt concentrations. Glycine betaine and ectoine are the most important solutes that protect cell structures and metabolic processes at high salt concentrations, commonly found in marine and halophilic phototrophic bacteria with successful toleration of extreme salt concentrations. Transport systems for osmolytes are present in the studied bacteria.
Article
Plant Sciences
Wen He, Rui Xie, Yan Wang, Qing Chen, Hao Wang, Shaofeng Yang, Ya Luo, Yong Zhang, Haoru Tang, Frederick G. Gmitter, Xiaorong Wang
Summary: This study investigates the morphological, physiological, and anatomical differences between compatible and incompatible grafts, and explores the mechanisms underlying graft incompatibility. It reveals that hormonal balance and ABA biosynthesis genes play important roles in regulating graft incompatibility, and IAA and ABA are likely to be the inducers of stress-related gene expression. Excessive starch accumulation in leaves is observed in incompatible grafts. These findings provide new insights into citrus rootstock-scion interactions.
HORTICULTURE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Leonard P. Heinz, Helmut Grubmuller
Summary: This paper resolves a misconception regarding Ben-Naim's theorem and explains the different contributions of solvent-solvent interactions and many-body solvent correlations to solvation free energy.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL THEORY AND COMPUTATION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Baber Ali, Xiukang Wang, Muhammad Hamzah Saleem, Aqsa Sumaira, Aqsa Hafeez, Muhammad Siddique Afridi, Shahid Khan, Antonio Teixeira do Zaib-Un-Nisa, Izhar Ullah, Antonio Teixeira do Amaral Junior, Aishah Alatawi, Shafaqat Ali
Summary: This study demonstrates that Enterobacter cloacae PM23 exhibits multi-stress tolerance and promotes plant growth under salinity stress. It mitigates salt stress by upregulating stress-related genes and producing beneficial substances. Inoculation with E. cloacae PM23 enhances plant adaptation to salinity stress, improving plant growth and antioxidant capacity.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Runting Ding, Na Yang, Jianguo Liu
Summary: This study reports the osmoadaptive mechanism of an extremely halophilic archaea, H. kocurii 2020YC7, isolated from a high salt environment. The strain utilizes various strategies including K+ uptake and output, trehalose production, and glycine betaine uptake to adapt to high salt conditions. Glycine betaine acts as the primary osmotic solute at high salt concentrations, while trehalose functions as an osmotic solute at lower salt concentrations.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Pedro Ferreira, Pedro A. Fernandes, Maria J. Ramos
Summary: Extremophile microorganisms synthesize compatible solutes to protect intracellular proteins, with MG being a common solute that not only protects proteins but also prevents certain diseases. The study investigates the catalytic mechanism of MG synthesis by MGS enzyme from Rhodothermus marinus using computational methods.
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
(2021)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Amra Saric, Spencer A. Freeman
Summary: Controlled deformation of membranes is necessary for membrane dynamics, especially in intracellular traffic. Luminal fluid composition and solute fluxes have a significant impact on the dynamic properties of endomembranes by modulating their tension, which in turn affects the function of the endo-lysosomal system. Spencer Freeman emphasizes the role of ion fluxes and vesicular solute composition in regulating the dynamics of endomembranes.
NATURE REVIEWS MOLECULAR CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Furkan Orhan, Ertugrul Ceyran
Summary: This study quantitatively analyzed the presence of four compatible solutes in forty-five halophilic/halotolerant bacterial isolates, and identified several bacterial isolates producing ectoine and hydroxyectoine. The findings of this study provide a basis for the large-scale production of ectoine and hydroxyectoine in the future.
INTERNATIONAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Aleksei Kabedev, Vladimir Lobaskin
Summary: The endothelial glycocalyx plays various roles in the vascular system, including regulating vascular permeability and influencing drug delivery and defense against solutes such as viruses and nanoparticles. Through computational modeling, this study demonstrates that the glycan fiber network forms an effective mechanical barrier against the penetration of nanoscale solutes. The results obtained provide insights into glycocalyx dysfunction and can aid in the design of drug nanocarriers and other nanoparticle-based medical applications.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Weiwei Han, Wei Xiang, Qingyun Li, Hanwei Zhang, Yabi Yang, Jun Shi, Yue Ji, Sichang Wang, Xiaofan Ji, Niveen M. Khashab, Jonathan L. Sessler
Summary: This review summarizes the chemistry of water compatible supramolecular polymers (WCSPs) from 2016 to mid-2021, dividing them into five categories based on core supramolecular approaches. The discussion includes synthesis, polymer structure, design expectations, and potential applications, aiming to deepen understanding of strategies for preparing, properties, and uses of WCSPs.
CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Michelle Mouritzen, Marija Petkovic, Katrine Qvist, Steen S. Poulsen, Susana Alarico, Ermelindo C. Leal, Louise T. Dalgaard, Nuno Empadinhas, Eugenia Carvalho, Havard Jenssen
Summary: LFcinB treatment has shown significant positive effects on diabetic wound healing, including increased keratinocyte migration, reduced bacterial diversity, enhanced angiogenesis, and improved collagen deposition.
MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Mario F. Munoz-Pinto, Nuno Empadinhas, Sandra M. Cardoso
Summary: Parkinson's disease is a multifactorial disease with a close connection to microbes, and the imbalance of microbiota may impact the progression of the disease. Studies have found that microorganisms and mitochondria play important roles in the pathogenesis, facilitation, and aggravation of Parkinson's disease.
AGEING RESEARCH REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
A. Raquel Esteves, Mario F. Munoz-Pinto, Daniela Nunes-Costa, Emanuel Candeias, Diana F. Silva, Joao D. Magalhaes, A. Raquel Pereira-Santos, I. Luisa Ferreira, Susana Alarico, Igor Tiago, Nuno Empadinhas, Sandra Morais Cardoso
Summary: This study aims to demonstrate that the effects of microbial toxin BMAA in the gut may trigger some cases of PD, and it can spread from the gut to the brain, leading to the development of PD. This finding is crucial for understanding the pathological progression of PD.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Cristiana S. A. Bento, Susana Alarico, Nuno Empadinhas, Herminio C. de Sousa, Mara E. M. Braga
Summary: The study demonstrates that supercritical CO2 drying and sterilization can effectively sterilize alginate-gelatine aerogels without causing degradation, maintaining their physical properties while eliminating natural contaminant microorganisms. This innovative method has great potential for applications in regenerative medicine.
JOURNAL OF SUPERCRITICAL FLUIDS
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Sara Goncalves, Daniela Nunes-Costa, Sandra Morais Cardoso, Nuno Empadinhas, John David Marugg
Summary: Serotonin is a vital compound found in animals, plants, and bacteria. It plays critical roles in regulating body functions and its depletion is associated with neurological disorders in humans. Investigating the biosynthetic pathways of serotonin in bacteria, which may serve as a potential source of serotonin, could lead to important discoveries and the development of new therapeutic strategies.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Helena Nunes Costa, Ana Raquel Esteves, Nuno Empadinhas, Sandra Morais Cardoso
Summary: The perception of sporadic Parkinson's disease has significantly changed in recent decades. It is now recognized as a multiorgan and multisystemic pathology that arises from the interaction of susceptible genetic factors with a challenging environment during aging-related decline.
NEUROSCIENCE BULLETIN
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Diana Filipa Silva, Nuno Empadinhas, Sandra Morais Cardoso, Ana Raquel Esteves
Summary: Inflammation and oxidative stress play significant roles in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Dysregulation of the immune system, mitochondrial dysfunction, and disrupted gut microbiota composition can lead to chronic systemic inflammation, impair blood-brain barrier function, and promote neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration.
Article
Biology
Ana Maranha, Mafalda Costa, Jorge Ripoll-Rozada, Jose A. Manso, Vanessa Miranda, Vera M. Mendes, Bruno Manadas, Sandra Macedo-Ribeiro, M. Rita Ventura, Pedro Jose Barbosa Pereira, Nuno Empadinhas
Summary: The mechanism of MMP biogenesis in NTM, involving MmpH and ManT, has been characterized. The structures of MmpH and ManT are presented. The increasing number of NTM infections highlights the importance of understanding their unique physiology as a health priority.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joao D. Magalhaes, Emanuel Candeias, Ines Melo-Marques, Diana F. Silva, A. Raquel Esteves, Nuno Empadinhas, Sandra Morais Cardoso
Summary: Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons. It has been found that autonomic symptoms and a-synuclein pathology in peripheral tissues are related in the early stage. By infecting the gut with Listeria monocytogenes, we observed oligomerization of a-synuclein in the ileum, along with a pro-inflammatory response and neuronal mitochondria dysfunction.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joao D. Magalhaes, Ana Raquel Esteves, Emanuel Candeias, Diana F. F. Silva, Nuno Empadinhas, Sandra Morais Cardoso
Summary: Mitochondria, which evolved from an endosymbiotic association, play a crucial role in regulating host metabolism, immunity, and cellular homeostasis. They share certain features with bacteria, known as mitochondrial-derived damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), and their activities can be modulated by extracellular bacteria. In this study, it was found that mesencephalic neurons exposed to an environmental alphaproteobacterium activate innate immunity and show increased expression and aggregation of alpha-synuclein, which interacts with mitochondria, leading to dysfunction. These findings provide insights into the interaction between bacteria and neuronal mitochondria in triggering neuronal damage and neuroinflammation, and the role of bacterial-derived pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) in Parkinson's disease.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Patricia Coimbra, Susana Alarico, Nuno Empadinhas, Mara E. M. Braga, Marisa C. Gaspar
Summary: Edible films composed of starch-based materials enriched with agrifood residues were studied for the incorporation of the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus and the addition of inulin as a prebiotic. The films showed varying mechanical properties depending on the composition, but all had water vapor permeabilities within the typical range. Viability of the probiotic during film production was influenced by the pH of the film-forming solutions. Films with agrifood residues had slower loss of probiotic viability during storage, possibly due to the presence of antioxidant compounds. The films were also shown to be free from foodborne pathogens, making them a promising material for probiotic delivery and food packaging.
INNOVATIVE FOOD SCIENCE & EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Cristiana S. A. Bento, Henrique Carrelo, Susana Alarico, Nuno Empadinhas, Herminio C. de Sousa, Maria Teresa Cidade, Mara E. M. Braga
Summary: Biopolymers are suitable for wound dressing solutions due to their ideal properties. PEC-based cryogels can be formed by mixing two oppositely charged macromolecules. ScCO2 has shown promise as an alternative method for decontamination, as it does not compromise the physicochemical properties of cryogels.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Medicine, General & Internal
S. M. Cardoso, N. Empadinhas
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
J. A. Manso, D. Nunes-Costa, S. Macedo-Ribeiro, N. Empadinhas, P. J. B. Pereira
ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA A-FOUNDATION AND ADVANCES
(2021)
Meeting Abstract
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jorge Ripoll-Rozada, Mafalda Costa, Jose A. Manso, Ana Maranha, Vanessa Miranda, Andre Sequeira, M. Rita Ventura, Sandra Macedo-Ribeiro, Nuno Empadinhas, Pedro Jose Barbosa Pereira
ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA A-FOUNDATION AND ADVANCES
(2021)