Research Lab

Microbial Genetics

group
29678

Lab Members

Lab leader

Isabel de Sá-Nogueira

PhD students

Inês Gonçalves
Research Interests

Control gene expression of carbohydrate metabolism in bacteria. Analysis of the mechanisms through which the cell senses nutrient availability and transmits that information to the level of gene expression. The research also involves looking at the transcription and translation control, which govern the expression of genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism in the model organism Bacillus subtilis.


Current subjects of interest include the use of B. subtilis as model for the study of multitask ATPases from ABC-type I sugar importers in pathogenic bacteria and the study of the antimicrobial activity of natural and new compounds/materials.

Research Highlights
How transcriptional and translational gene regulatory networks interact with the metabolic system?

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) type I importers are widespread in bacteria and play a crucial role in its survival and pathogenesis. We have shown for the first time that a group of nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs), which are able to serve as the cellular motor for multiple sugar importers, are functionally exchangeable between species among the Firmicutes.

 

Our results provide evidences that multitask ATPases are present in other bacteria phyla and may be widespread in bacteria.

 

highlight 2020

Representative Projects

  • “One4All: Bacterial ABC-type Multitask Energizers: one ATPase fits all?”, FCT-MCTES, Total and Unit funding:€239,918, Isabel Sá-Nogueira (PI)
  • “iSkin2: improving skin regeneration through an improved Skin2 biosynthetic skin substitute”, FCT-MCTES, Total and Unit funding:€237,427, Isabel Sá-Nogueira (Collaborator)
  • “Dental Blast: Development of antibacterial new coatings for applications in dental implants”, FEDER-P2020, Total funding: €559,901, Unit funding: €241,193, Isabel SáNogueira (Collaborator)

Selected Publications

Melgosa, R; Marques, M; Paiva, A; Bernardo, A; Fernandez, N; Sa-Nogueira, I; Simoes, P. 2021. Subcritical Water Extraction and Hydrolysis of Cod (Gadus morhua) Frames to Produce Bioactive Protein Extracts. CEREAL FOODS WORLD, 10, DOI: 10.3390/foods10061222
Francisco Leisico, Lia M. Godinho, Inês C. Gonçalves, Sara P. Silva, Bruno Carneiro, Maria J. Romão, Teresa Santos‑Silva & Isabel de Sá‑Nogueira. 2020. Multitask ATPases (NBDs) of bacterial ABC importers type I and their interspecies exchangeability.. Scientific Reports, 10(19564), DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76444-0
Pedras, BM; Regalin, G; Sa-Nogueira, I; Simoes, P; Paiva, A; Barreiros, S. 2020. Fractionation of red wine grape pomace by subcritical water extraction/hydrolysis. JOURNAL OF SUPERCRITICAL FLUIDS, 160, DOI: 10.1016/j.supflu.2020.104793
Gavinho, SR; Prezas, PR; Ramos, DJ; Sa-Nogueira, I; Borges, JP; Lanca, MC; Silva, JC; Henriques, CMR; Pires, E; Kumar, JS; Graca, MPF. 2019. Nontoxic glasses: Preparation, structural, electrical and biological properties. International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology, 16, DOI: 10.1111/ijac.13243
Joana MSilva; Carolina VPereira; Francisca Mano; Eduardo Silva; Vânia IBCastro; Isabel Sá-Nogueira; Rui LReis; Alexandre Paiva; Ana AMatias; Ana Rita CDuarte. 2019. Therapeutic Role of Deep Eutectic Solvents Based on Menthol and Saturated Fatty Acids on Wound Healing. ACS Applied Bio Materials, 2(10), DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.9b00598
Pedras, BM; Nascimento, M; Sa-Nogueira, I; Simoes, P; Paiva, A; Barreiros, S. 2019. Semi-continuous extraction/hydrolysis of spent coffee grounds with subcritical water. JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY, 72, DOI: 10.1016/j.jiec.2019.01.001
Website
https://sites.fct.unl.pt/microbial-genetics