iBB

p28 is a 28 amino acids peptide derived from the bacterial protein azurin. It possesses cell-penetrating capabilities showing preferential enter in cancer cells. Moreover it has been subject in US to two phase I clinical trials as a anticancer agent. In a recent paper published in Journal of Controlled Release, a iBB team (Garizo AR, Dias TP, Fernandes F, Bernardes N, Fialho AM) together with a i3S/UP team (Castro F, Martins C, Almeida A, Barrias CC, Sarmento B) were able for the first time to fabricate p28-functionalized PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib. The results obtained indicate that these NPs interact preferentially with lung cancer cells due to their decoration with p28 peptide. In vitro cytotoxicity assays demonstrate biological activity of the NPs against lung cancer cancer cells. Finally, in vivo studies demonstrated a great potential of the p28-NPs in enhancing the therapeutic effects of gefitinib.

The role of the cell wall in yeast response and tolerance to stress is frequently neglected. A BSRG-iBB research paper just published in Scientific Reports, provides, for the first time, a comprehensive view of the alterations occurring at the cell wall in a yeast population adapting to sub-lethal stress induced by acetic acid. The results reveal changes to the cell wall polysaccharide composition and nanomechanical properties, as well as alterations in the transcript levels of key cell wall biosynthetic genes. This paper reinforces the notion that the adaptive yeast response to acetic acid involves coordinated alterations of the cell wall at the biophysical and molecular levels. The gathered knowledge is important for the design of superior industrial strains and for the efficient control of the deleterious activity of spoilage yeasts, particularly in the Food Industry. This research work is first-authored by the PhD student of the PhD programme in Biotechnology and Biosciences Ricardo Ribeiro (FCT_DP AEM fellowship), performed under the supervision of Isabel Sá-Correia. This collaborative study with Fábio Fernandes (BSIRG-iBB) and Mário S. Rodrigues and his team (BioISI, Faculty of Sciences, ULisboa), is also coauthored by Cláudia Godinho (posdoc researcher) and the PhD student Nuno Bourbon-Melo (FCT_DP BIOTECnico) from the BSRG-iBB team.