• back

Microbiology and Biotechnology

Leader:

Paolo De Marco

Major interests

In our group we employ molecular tools to study microbial physiology and biotechnological applications from microorganisms.

The main topics are:
1. methylotrophic bacteria (mechanism of methanol oxidation in methylotrophic Pseudomonas species; molecular ecology of marine MSA oxidisers);
2. non-classical protein targeting in yeast;
3. identification and characterization of genes with potential biotechnological interest involved in organic acids utilization and production, both in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and non-conventional yeasts;
4. discovery of relevant antigens of gastrointestinal protozoan parasites Cryptosporidium and Giardia for antibody production.

Research Team

Researcher	Qualifications	Position	Email contact
Alexandra Viana da Costa	Ph.D.	Assistant Professor	alexandra.costa@iscsn.cespu.pt
Odília Queirós	Ph.D.	Assistant Professor	odilia.queiros.costa@iscsn.cespu.pt
Paolo De Marco	Ph.D.	Assistant Professor	paolo.marco@iscsn.cespu.pt
Roxana Moreira	Ph.D.	Assistant Professor	roxana.moreira@iscsn.cespu.pt
Maria José Gonçalves	B.Sc.	Technician	mjosegoncalves@cespu.pt
António Pacheco	B.Sc.	M. Sc. Student	---
Carla Gouveia	B.Sc.	M. Sc. Student	---
Daniela Bessa	B.Sc.	M. Sc. Student	---
Vera Sousa	B.Sc.	M. Sc. Student	---
Andrea Cunha	---	B.Sc Student	---
Paula Silva	---	B.Sc Student	---
Rita Lopes	---	B.Sc Student	---
Tânia Mandes	---	B.Sc Student	---

 

Relevant Publications

Pires C, Carvalho MF, De Marco P, Magan N and Castro PML (2010). Chryseobacterium palustre sp. nov. and Chryseobacterium humi sp. nov., isolated from industrially contaminated sediments. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 60:402-407
 
Almeida A, Moreira MJ, Soares S, Delgado ML, Figueiredo J, Silva E, Castro A, Viana da Costa A, Correia da Costa JM (2010). Biological and genetic characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis isolates from 5 hydrographical basins in northern Portugal. Korean Journal of Parasitology, in press
 
Leitão E, Moradas-Ferreira P and De Marco P (2009). Evidence of methanesulfonate utilizers in the Sargasso Sea metagenome. J Basic Microbiology 49.S1:S24-S30
 
Fernandes VC, Albergaria JT, Oliva-Teles T, Delerue-Matos C and De Marco P (2009).   Dual augmentation for aerobic bioremediation of MTBE and TCE pollution in heavy metal-contaminated soil. Biodegradation 20:375-382
 
Borges M-T, Sousa A, De Marco P, Matos A, Hönigová P and Castro PML (2008).   Aerobic and Anoxic Growth and Nitrate Removal Capacity of a Marine Denitrifying Bacterium Isolated from a Recirculation Aquaculture System. Microbial Ecology 55:107-118.
 
Carvalho MF?, De Marco P?, Duque AF, Pacheco CC, Janssen DB and Castro PML (2008). Labrys portucalensis sp. nov., a fluorobenzene-degrading bacterium isolated from an industrial contaminated sediment in northern Portugal. Int J Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 58:692-698 [? equal contribution].
 
Pacheco CC, Passos JF, Castro AR, Moradas-Ferreira P and De Marco P (2008). Role of respiration and glutathione in cadmium-induced oxidative stress in Escherichia coli K-12. Archives of Microbiology 189:271-278.
 
Casal M, Paiva S, Queirós O and Silva IS. Transport of carboxylic acids in yeasts (2008). FEMS Microbiol Reviews. 32:974-994.
 
Queirós O, Pereira L, Paiva S, Moradas-Ferreira P e Casal M (2007). Functional analysis of Kluyveromyces lactis carboxylic acids permeases: Heterologous expression of KLJEN1 and KLJEN2 genes. Current Genetics 51: 161-169.
 
Jamshad M, De Marco P, Pacheco CC, Hanczar T and Murrell JC (2006). Identification, mutagenesis and transcriptional analysis of the methanesulfonate transport operon of Methylosulfonomonas methylovora strain M2 Applied Environmental Microbiology 72:276-283.
 
Kalyuzhnaya MG?, De Marco P?, Bowerman S, Pacheco CC, Lara JC, Lidstrom ME and Chistoserdova L (2006). Methyloversatilis universalis, gen. nov., sp. nov., a new taxon within the Betaproteobacteria represented by three methylotrophic isolates Int J [? equal contribution].
 
Queirós O, Pereira L, Paiva S, Moradas-Ferreira P e Casal M (2006). Functional analysis of Kluyveromyces lactis carboxylic acids permeases: Heterologous expression of KLJEN1 and KLJEN2 genes. Current Genetics 51: 161-169.
 
De Marco P (2004). Methylotrophy versus heterotrophy: a misconception Comment to Microbiology-UK 150:1606-1607.
 
De Marco P, Pacheco CC, Figueiredo AR and Moradas-Ferreira P (2004). Novel pollutant-resistant methylotrophic bacteria for use in bioremediation FEMS Microbiology Letters 234:75-80.

Projects

Project title: New approaches for the research of target antigens of Cryptosporidium and Giardia.
Funding: Cespu, crl
Project identification: CESPU 07‐GBMC‐CICS‐10
Period covered: from 01-01-2010 to 31-12-2011
PI: Alexandra da Costa
 
Project title: New approaches for inactivation, treatment and immunoprophylaxy of cryptosporidiosis.
Funding: FCT
Project identification: FCT PTDC/CVT/103081/2008
Period covered: from 01-01-2010 to 31-12-2011
Responsible Researcher in CICS: Alexandra da Costa
 
Project title: Study of genetic variations present in Portuguese population and regarding MDR1transporter
Funding: -
Project identification: -
Period covered: from -
PI: Roxana Moreira.
 
Project title: Lactate production from an engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain with improved ability to use glycerol
Funding: Cespu, crl
Project identification: CESPU 03-GBMC-CICS-09
Period covered: from 01-01-2009 to 31-12-2010
PI: Odília Queirós.
 
Project title: Non-classical targeting and regulation of expression of GAPDH1 from K. marxianus
Funding: Cespu, crl
Project identification: CESPU 01-GBMC-CICS-09
Period covered: from 01-01-2009 to 31-12-2010
PI: Roxana Moreira.
 
Project title: Molecular study of the methylotrophic metabolism of two strains of fluorescent Pseudomonas
Funding: Cespu, crl
Project identification: CESPU 06-GBMC-CICS-10
Period covered: from 01-01-2010 to 31-12-2011
PI: Paolo De Marco