iBB

A recent publication in the journal Antibiotics describes the synthesis and analytical and spectroscopical characterization of nine new complexes with camphor imine or camphor sulfonimine ligands were, aiming to identify the key parameters that drive the antibacterial activity of the complexes with metal cores and imine substituents with distinct electronic and steric characteristics. The antimicrobial activity of all complexes was evaluated by determining their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) against the Gram-negative Escherichia coli ATCC25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 477, and Burkholderia contaminans IST408, and the Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus Newman. All the complexes display higher activity towards Gram-negative strains than towards the Gram-positive strain. This work results from the collaborative research between the research groups of Fernanda Carvalho from CQE and Jorge H. Leitão from BSRG-IBB. The paper was selected as “Editor´s Choice”.

Moesziomyces antarcticus is an efficient producer of mannosylerythritol lipids (MEL), a biosurfactant with a wide range of potential applications. The use of lignocellulosic biomass can contribute to sustainable MEL production. While lignocellulosic sugars (e.g. D-glucose and D-xylose) can be converted to MEL, the required pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass releases by products that are potentially inhibitory for yeasts. A recent publication by Marisa Santos, Nuno Faria and Frederico Ferreira from BERG-iBB , in collaboration with César Fonseca from LNEG, describes a design of experiment (DoE) that was performed to evaluate the effect of furfural, acetate and formate on M. antarcticus and its capacity to produce MEL from lignocellulose hydrolysates. The study provides insight into the conditions required by M. antarcticus for MEL production from lignocellulosic hydrolysates and points towards further process and strain development requirements. The work was published in Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology and made it to the cover of the journal.

Image details: JCTB cover,  copyright by Marisa V. Santos, 2018. Acknowledgements: FCT grant CRUISE (PTDC/AAG‐TEC/0696/2014)