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Engineering functional thermostable proteins using ancestral sequence reconstruction
(Elsevier BV, 2022-10)
Raine E.S. Thomson
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Saskya E. Carrera-Pacheco
;
Elizabeth M.J. Gillam
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Evaluation of Biological Activity of Natural Compounds: Current Trends and Methods
(MDPI AG, 2022-07-13)
Carlos Barba-Ostria
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Saskya E. Carrera-Pacheco
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GONZALEZ PASTOR, REBECA EUGENIA
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Cristina Rodríguez-Pólit
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HEREDIA MOYA, JORGE HUMBERTO
<jats:p>Natural compounds have diverse structures and are present in different forms of life. Metabolites such as tannins, anthocyanins, and alkaloids, among others, serve as a defense mechanism in live organisms and are undoubtedly compounds of interest for the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. Plants, bacteria, and insects represent sources of biomolecules with diverse activities, which are in many cases poorly studied. To use these molecules for different applications, it is essential to know their structure, concentrations, and biological activity potential. In vitro techniques that evaluate the biological activity of the molecules of interest have been developed since the 1950s. Currently, different methodologies have emerged to overcome some of the limitations of these traditional techniques, mainly via reductions in time and costs. These emerging technologies continue to appear due to the urgent need to expand the analysis capacity of a growing number of reported biomolecules. This review presents an updated summary of the conventional and relevant methods to evaluate the natural compounds’ biological activity in vitro.</jats:p>
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Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction of a Cytochrome P450 Family Involved in Chemical Defense Reveals the Functional Evolution of a Promiscuous, Xenobiotic-Metabolizing Enzyme in Vertebrates
(Oxford University Press (OUP), 2022-05-26)
Kurt L. Harris
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Raine E.S. Thomson
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Yosephine Gumulya
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Gabriel Foley
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Saskya E. Carrera-Pacheco
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>The cytochrome P450 family 1 enzymes (CYP1s) are a diverse family of hemoprotein monooxygenases, which metabolize many xenobiotics including numerous environmental carcinogens. However, their historical function and evolution remain largely unstudied. Here we investigate CYP1 evolution via the reconstruction and characterization of the vertebrate CYP1 ancestors. Younger ancestors and extant forms generally demonstrated higher activity toward typical CYP1 xenobiotic and steroid substrates than older ancestors, suggesting significant diversification away from the original CYP1 function. Caffeine metabolism appears to be a recently evolved trait of the CYP1A subfamily, observed in the mammalian CYP1A lineage, and may parallel the recent evolution of caffeine synthesis in multiple separate plant species. Likewise, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist, 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole (FICZ) was metabolized to a greater extent by certain younger ancestors and extant forms, suggesting that activity toward FICZ increased in specific CYP1 evolutionary branches, a process that may have occurred in parallel to the exploitation of land where UV-exposure was higher than in aquatic environments. As observed with previous reconstructions of P450 enzymes, thermostability correlated with evolutionary age; the oldest ancestor was up to 35 °C more thermostable than the extant forms, with a 10T50 (temperature at which 50% of the hemoprotein remains intact after 10 min) of 71 °C. This robustness may have facilitated evolutionary diversification of the CYP1s by buffering the destabilizing effects of mutations that conferred novel functions, a phenomenon which may also be useful in exploiting the catalytic versatility of these ancestral enzymes for commercial application as biocatalysts.</jats:p>
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Current Landscape of Methods to Evaluate Antimicrobial Activity of Natural Extracts
(MDPI AG, 2023-01-20)
GONZALEZ PASTOR, REBECA EUGENIA
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Saskya E. Carrera-Pacheco
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ZUÑIGA MIRANDA, JOHANA JANINA
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Cristina Rodríguez-Pólit
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MAYORGA RAMOS, ARIANNA CAROLINA
<jats:p>Natural extracts have been and continue to be used to treat a wide range of medical conditions, from infectious diseases to cancer, based on their convenience and therapeutic potential. Natural products derived from microbes, plants, and animals offer a broad variety of molecules and chemical compounds. Natural products are not only one of the most important sources for innovative drug development for animal and human health, but they are also an inspiration for synthetic biology and chemistry scientists towards the discovery of new bioactive compounds and pharmaceuticals. This is particularly relevant in the current context, where antimicrobial resistance has risen as a global health problem. Thus, efforts are being directed toward studying natural compounds’ chemical composition and bioactive potential to generate drugs with better efficacy and lower toxicity than existing molecules. Currently, a wide range of methodologies are used to analyze the in vitro activity of natural extracts to determine their suitability as antimicrobial agents. Despite traditional technologies being the most employed, technological advances have contributed to the implementation of methods able to circumvent issues related to analysis capacity, time, sensitivity, and reproducibility. This review produces an updated analysis of the conventional and current methods to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of natural compounds.</jats:p>
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Environmental and nuclear influences on microalgal chloroplast gene expression
(Elsevier BV, 2023-08)
Saskya E. Carrera-Pacheco
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Ben Hankamer
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Melanie Oey
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Crystal Structure, Hirshfeld Surface Analysis, and Biological Activities of Schiff-Base Derivatives of 4-Aminoantipyrine
(American Chemical Society (ACS), 2023-10-31)
Esteban Aguilar-Llanos
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Saskya E. Carrera-Pacheco
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GONZALEZ PASTOR, REBECA EUGENIA
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Juan Carlos Romero-Benavides
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Carlos Cevallos-Morillo
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Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: Green Synthesis and Their Antimicrobial Activity
(MDPI AG, 2023-11-08)
ZUÑIGA MIRANDA, JOHANA JANINA
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Julio Guerra
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Alexander Mueller
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MAYORGA RAMOS, ARIANNA CAROLINA
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Carlos Barba-Ostria
<jats:p>The rise of antimicrobial resistance caused by inappropriate use of these agents in various settings has become a global health threat. Nanotechnology offers the potential for the synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) with antimicrobial activity, such as iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs). The use of IONPs is a promising way to overcome antimicrobial resistance or pathogenicity because of their ability to interact with several biological molecules and to inhibit microbial growth. In this review, we outline the pivotal findings over the past decade concerning methods for the green synthesis of IONPs using bacteria, fungi, plants, and organic waste. Subsequently, we delve into the primary challenges encountered in green synthesis utilizing diverse organisms and organic materials. Furthermore, we compile the most common methods employed for the characterization of these IONPs. To conclude, we highlight the applications of these IONPs as promising antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, and antiviral agents.</jats:p>
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Chemical Properties and Biological Activity of Bee Pollen
(MDPI AG, 2023-11-25)
Cristina Rodríguez-Pólit
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GONZALEZ PASTOR, REBECA EUGENIA
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Roberto Vallejo-Imbaquingo
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Carlos Barba-Ostria
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HEREDIA MOYA, JORGE HUMBERTO
<jats:p>Pollen, a remarkably versatile natural compound collected by bees for its abundant source of proteins and nutrients, represents a rich reservoir of diverse bioactive compounds with noteworthy chemical and therapeutic potential. Its extensive biological effects have been known and exploited since ancient times. Today, there is an increased interest in finding natural compounds against oxidative stress, a factor that contributes to various diseases. Recent research has unraveled a multitude of biological activities associated with bee pollen, ranging from antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties to potential antiviral and anticancer applications. Comprehending the extensive repertoire of biological properties across various pollen sources remains challenging. By investigating a spectrum of pollen types and their chemical composition, this review produces an updated analysis of the bioactive constituents and the therapeutic prospects they offer. This review emphasizes the necessity for further exploration and standardization of diverse pollen sources and bioactive compounds that could contribute to the development of innovative therapies.</jats:p>

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