:: BSAM :: Biological Sciences and Applied Microbiology thrust area

 

Biological Sciences and Applied Microbiology (BSAM) thrust area at Universidade do Minho is a research unit in engineering and life sciences at the Centre for Biological Engineering (CEB). On the whole, the motivation of BSAM group is to contribute for a better understanding of the mechanisms that occur at the molecular and cellular levels, in order to foster new bio-applications in different sectors. In short, as its mission statement, BSAM group aims at excellence in research and advanced education in biotechnology and life sciences.  

CBE activities within the Associated Laboratory IBB are focused on the thematic areas of

• Industrial Biotechnology
• Agro-Food Biotechnology
• Environmental Biotechnology and Chemistry
• Health Biotechnology

 

In the Industrial Biotechnology area, relevant achievements were obtained the design of new strains with industrial interest, namely for ethanol fermentation was successfully accomplished; new biosurfactants obtained from acid lactic showed high potential for antiseptics in healthcare products formulations, S. plymuthica by-products also revealed great antibacterial activity; two Tricoderma reesei cellulases were expressed extracellularly in Ashbya gossypii;

 

 

The activities in Agro-Food Biotechnology aimed at the development PNA-FISH probes for the detection of patoghens, specifically for Cronobacter, Listeria, Salmonella and Helicobacter species and PCR based methods were also developed for the detection of pathgens in food, like Yersinia enterocolitica as well as an enzymatic method for the detection of E. coli and coliforms in drinking water; the major filamentous fungi in corn and different types of nuts was performed were isolated and identified; Campylobacter and Salmonella phages were isolated and fully characterized, proving to be effective in living poultry and carcasses;  phage formulation to control E. coli in poultry was developed and is being licensed; several types of food contacting surfaces were analysed in terms of their microbial colonization ability.

 

For the Environmental Biotechnology and Chemistry area, important achievements were obtained: microbial communities involved in the production of biohydrogen were characterized by DGGE and cloning and sequencing approaches; microbial communities involved in the nitrification process were characterized by fluorescence in situ hybridization with a set of rRNA targeted oligonucleotide probes; Complete genome sequencing of Synthrophomonas zehnderi previously isolated is ongoing, funded by the US DoE; the initial characterization of activated sludge communities, including the filamentous bacteria, protozoa and small metazoa of 42 WWTP in Portugal was performed; single and dual-species biofilms formed by heterothrophic bacteria from drinking water were characterized; Acinetobacter calcoaceticus was found to promote intergeneric coaggregation of drinking water bacteria; humic acids influenced bacterial diversity in the biofilms studied by molecular tools.

 

For the Health Biotechnology: The successful expression in E. coli of antimicrobial peptides fused to carbohydrate binding modules as well as adhesion peptides fused to CBMs has been achieved and the functionality of the recombinant produced proteins were tested;  the hormone adiponectin was successfully expressed in E. coli and baculovirus/insect cells system; recombinant yeast frutalin specifically bound to Me-a- galactose was able to differentiate malign from benign prostate diseases in immunohistochemical studies; similarly, ASPM; osteopontin was also found to be a strong candidate to diagnose breast cancer; lactoferrin showed a strong potential as chemotherapeutic agent in cancer therapy; new insights were obtained on Candida species virulence factors; Candida fusel alcohols and bacteriphages were tested as new antibacterial agents; adhesion and invasion of oral epithelium by Candida species was investigated, using a reconstituted human oral epithelium (RHOE) as model.    

 

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