iBB

Fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy are routine tools in basic and applied biological sciences. An expanding library of organic fluorophores and fluorescent proteins with radically different properties are available, offering great flexibility to the user of fluorescence methods. Still, a considerable fraction of casual users of fluorescence tools do not follow rational considerations when selecting a probe. In a recently published book chapter, Fábio Fernandes (iBB) and Maria Sarmento (IMM) provide an overview of the most important factors to weight when selecting a fluorophore. A list of different fluorophores and a summary of their properties and labeling strategies is presented as a tool to assist in the process of choosing a fluorescent probe.

Microfluidic strategies combined with transduction and electronic integration have the promise of enabling miniaturized, combinatorial assays at higher speeds and lower costs, while at the same time mimicking the local chemical concentrations and force fields of the cellular in vivo environment. In A chapter just published in the book "G Protein-Coupled Receptor Screening Assays: Methods and Protocols", researchers from BERG-iBB and INESC-MN introduce a microfluidic structure with hydrodynamic cell traps and a culture volume in the nanoliter range (50 nL), to quantitatively evaluate the transient calcium response of the endogenous Muscarinic type 1 receptor (M1) in HEK 293 T cells. The microfluidic fabrication protocol is described as well as a methodology to monitor the cell response in real time, after stimulation with M1 agonists (e.g., carbachol) and antagonists (e.g., Pirenzepin).

Knowledge of the function and regulation of the yeast multidrug/multixenobiotic resistance (MDR/MXR) transporters can be explored to guide the design of robust yeast strains for industrial biotechnology and to overcome and control the deleterious activities of spoiling yeasts in the food industry. In a recent book chapter, Cláudia Godinho and Isabel Sá-Correia from BSRG-iBB provide an overview of the toxicity and tolerance to relevant stresses in the model yeast and cell factory Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The publication also explores how yeast models can be used to uncover the function of novel MDR/MXR transporters in the plant model Arabidopsis thaliana, and to develop efficient strategies to improve crop productivity in agricultural biotechnology. The chapter is part of the book “Yeasts in Biotechnology and Human Health - Physiological Genomic Approaches” edited by Prof. Isabel Sá-Correia within the book series “Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology” published by Springer.

Greener, cost-effective methodologies for food processing and production have been actively looked after because of increased demand due to growing population. Enzymes, as green and highly efficient catalysts, have been a mainstay of food technology. However, the advantageous features of enzymes are negatively impacted by their long-term instability, harsh industrial operational conditions and challenges for enzyme recovery and reuse. Immobilized enzyme formulations have been developed to address these limitations. In a recently published book chapter, Filipe Carvalho and Pedro Fernandes (iBB-BERG) present the latest finding and trends on the design and application of immobilized enzyme for food production and processing. The chapter was published in the book Value Addition in Food Products and Processing using Enzyme Technology, published by Academic Press.

Enzymes can be used in vitro as ancillary materials during the downstream processing of biopharmaceuticals. A recent book chapter by Miguel Prazeres from BERG-iBB provides insights into the specific use of enzymes to dissociate and lyse cells, remove impurities or perform structural modifications in target molecules. The chapter was published in the book "Pharmaceutical Biocatalysis" edited by Peter Grunwald (Pan Stanford Publishing).