Browsing by Author "Ferreira, Guilherme"
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- CITED2 cooperates with ISL1 and promotes cardiac differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cellsPublication . Pacheco-Leyva, Ivette; Matias, Ana Catarina; Oliveira, Daniel V.; Santos, João; Nascimento, Rita; Guerreiro, Eduarda; Michell, Anna C.; van De Vrugt, Annebel M.; Machado-Oliveira, Gisela; Ferreira, Guilherme; Domian, Ibrahim; Bragança, JoséThe transcriptional regulator CITED2 is essential for heart development. Here, we investigated the role of CITED2 in the specification of cardiac cell fate from mouse embryonic stem cells (ESC). The overexpression of CITED2 in undifferentiated ESC was sufficient to promote cardiac cell emergence upon differentiation. Conversely, the depletion of Cited2 at the onset of differentiation resulted in a decline of ESC ability to generate cardiac cells. Moreover, loss of Cited2 expression impairs the expression of early mesoderm markers and cardiogenic transcription factors (Isl1, Gata4, Tbx5). The cardiogenic defects in Cited2-depleted cells were rescued by treatment with recombinant CITED2 protein. We showed that Cited2 expression is enriched in cardiac progenitors either derived from ESC or mouse embryonic hearts. Finally, we demonstrated that CITED2 and ISL1 proteins interact physically and cooperate to promote ESC differentiation toward cardiomyocytes. Collectively, our results show that Cited2 plays a pivotal role in cardiac commitment of ESC.
- Editorial: ECAB focus issue: Engineered catalysts, robust, cost-effective and integrated bioprocesses and high-throughput screeningPublication . Aires-Barros, Raquel; Buechs, Jochen; Ferreira, GuilhermeHow can technology and industrial biotechnology contribute to a more bio-based economy? At the 3rd European Congress of Applied Biotechnology (ECAB3) in Nice in 2015, relevant topics and technologies and their contribution to sustainability were presented and discussed. In this issue of Biotechnology Journal, five special articles are selected from this conference, highlighting processes and technologies envisaging the development of engineered catalysts, robust bioprocesses, as well as high-throughput screening methods for process development.
- Editorial: The European Symposium on Biochemical Engineering Sciences, Dublin 2016Publication . Ferreira, Guilherme; Glassey, Jarka
- Electrochemical DNA sensor for detection of single nucleotide polymorphismsPublication . Marques, L. P. J.; Cavaco, Isabel Maria Palma Antunes; Pinheiro, J. P.; Ribeiro, Vera; Ferreira, GuilhermeIn recent years there has been an increased interest in using biosensors for the recognition and monitoring of molecule interactions. DNA sensors and gene chips are particularly relevant for directly applying the information gathered from the genome projects. In this work electrochemical techniques are used to develop methodologies to detect DNA polymorphisms in human genes using cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) as a model gene. CYP3A4*1B oligonucleotides were immobilized on the surface of a gold electrode and hybridized with fully complementary oligonucleotide sequences as well as with mismatched sequences corresponding to the CYP3A4*1A reference sequence. The methodology developed is based on double-stranded DNA’s ability to transport charge along nucleotide stacking. The perturbation of the double helix pi-stack introduced by a mismatched nucleotide reduces electron flow and can be detected by measuring the attenuation of the charge transfer. The methodology developed could identify CYP3A4*1A homozygotes by the 5 μC charge attenuation observed when compared with DNA samples containing at least one CYP3A4*1B allele.
- European's biochemical engineering to face the megatrends and associated challenges beyond 2020Publication . Ferreira, Guilherme