Repository logo
 
Loading...
Project Logo
Research Project

Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences

Authors

Publications

Vibriosis outbreaks in aquaculture: addressing environmental and public health concerns and preventive therapies using gilthead seabream farming as a model system
Publication . Sanches-Fernandes, Gracinda M. M.; Sá-Correia, Isabel; Da Silva Costa, Rodrigo
Bacterial and viral diseases in aquaculture result in severe production and economic losses. Among pathogenic bacteria, species belonging to the Vibrio genus are one of the most common and widespread disease-causing agents. Vibrio infections play a leading role in constraining the sustainable growth of the aquaculture sector worldwide and, consequently, are the target of manifold disease prevention strategies. During the early, larval stages of development, Vibrio species are a common cause of high mortality rates in reared fish and shellfish, circumstances under which the host organisms might be highly susceptible to disease preventive or treatment strategies such as vaccines and antibiotics use, respectively. Regardless of host developmental stage, Vibrio infections may occur suddenly and can lead to the loss of the entire population reared in a given aquaculture system. Furthermore, the frequency of Vibrio-associated diseases in humans is increasing globally and has been linked to anthropic activities, in particular human-driven climate change and intensive livestock production. In this context, here we cover the current knowledge of Vibrio infections in fish aquaculture, with a focus on the model species gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), a highly valuable reared fish in the mediterranean climatic zone. Molecular methods currently used for fast detection and identification of Vibrio pathogens and their antibiotic resistance profiles are addressed. Targeted therapeutic approaches are critically examined. They include vaccination, phage therapy and probiotics supplementation, which bear promise in supressing vibriosis in land-based fish rearing and in mitigating possible threats to human health and the environment. This literature review suggests that antibiotic resistance is increasing among Vibrio species, with the use of probiotics constituting a promising, sustainable approach to prevent Vibrio infections in aquaculture.
Exploration of the types of rarity in the Arctic Ocean from the perspective of multiple methodologies
Publication . Pascoal, Francisco; Costa, Rodrigo; Assmy, Philipp; Duarte, Pedro; Magalhães, Catarina
The Arctic Ocean is facing rapid environmental changes with cascading effects on the entire Arctic marine ecosystem. However, we have a limited understanding of the consequences such changes have on bacteria and archaea (prokaryotes) at the base of the marine food web. In this study, we show how the prokaryotic rare biosphere behaves over a range of highly heterogeneous environmental conditions using 16S rRNA gene reads from amplicon and metagenome sequencing data from seawater samples collected during the Norwegian young sea ICE expedition between late winter and early summer. The prokaryotic rare biosphere was analyzed using different approaches: amplicon sequence variants and operational taxonomic units from the 16S rRNA gene amplicons and operational taxonomic units from the 16S rRNA genes of the metagenomes. We found that prokaryotic rare biosphere communities are specific to certain water masses, and that the majority of the rare taxa identified were always rare and disappeared in at least one sample under changing conditions, suggesting their high sensitivity to environmental heterogeneity. In addition, our methodological comparison revealed a good performance of 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing in describing rare biosphere patterns, while the metagenome-derived data were better to capture a significant diversity of so-far uncultivated rare taxa. Our analysis on the dynamics of the rare prokaryotic biosphere, by combining different methodological approaches, improves the description of the types of rarity predicted from Community Assembly theory in the Arctic Ocean.
Solid lipid nanoparticles vs. nanostructured lipid carriers: a comparative review
Publication . Viegas, Cláudia; Patrício, Ana B.; Prata, João M.; Nadhman, Akhtar; Chintamaneni, Pavan Kumar; Fonte, Pedro
Solid–lipid nanoparticles and nanostructured lipid carriers are delivery systems for the delivery of drugs and other bioactives used in diagnosis, therapy, and treatment procedures. These nanocarriers may enhance the solubility and permeability of drugs, increase their bioavailability, and extend the residence time in the body, combining low toxicity with a targeted delivery. Nanostructured lipid carriers are the second generation of lipid nanoparticles differing from solid lipid nanoparticles in their composition matrix. The use of a liquid lipid together with a solid lipid in nanostructured lipid carrier allows it to load a higher amount of drug, enhance drug release properties, and increase its stability. Therefore, a direct comparison between solid lipid nanoparticles and nanostructured lipid carriers is needed. This review aims to describe solid lipid nanoparticles and nanostructured lipid carriers as drug delivery systems, comparing both, while systematically elucidating their production methodologies, physicochemical characterization, and in vitro and in vivo performance. In addition, the toxicity concerns of these systems are focused on.
Metagenomics-resolved genomics provides novel insights into chitin turnover, metabolic specialization, and niche partitioning in the octocoral microbiome
Publication . Keller-Costa, Tina; Kozma, Lydia; Silva, Sandra G.; Toscan, Rodolfo; Gonçalves, Jorge Manuel Santos; Lago-Lestón, Asunción; Kyrpides, Nikos C.; Nunes da Rocha, Ulisses; Costa, Rodrigo
The role of bacterial symbionts that populate octocorals (Cnidaria, Octocorallia) is still poorly understood. To shed light on their metabolic capacities, we examined 66 high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) spanning 30 prokaryotic species, retrieved from microbial metagenomes of three octocoral species and seawater. Results Symbionts of healthy octocorals were affiliated with the taxa Endozoicomonadaceae, Candidatus Thioglobaceae, Metamycoplasmataceae, unclassified Pseudomonadales, Rhodobacteraceae, unclassified Alphaproteobacteria and Ca. Rhabdochlamydiaceae. Phylogenomics inference revealed that the Endozoicomonadaceae symbionts uncovered here represent two species of a novel genus unique to temperate octocorals, here denoted Ca. Gorgonimonas eunicellae and Ca. Gorgonimonas leptogorgiae. Their genomes revealed metabolic capacities to thrive under suboxic conditions and high gene copy numbers of serine-threonine protein kinases, type 3-secretion system, type-4 pili, and ankyrin-repeat proteins, suggesting excellent capabilities to colonize, aggregate, and persist inside their host. Contrarily, MAGs obtained from seawater frequently lacked symbiosis-related genes. All Endozoicomonadaceae symbionts harbored endo-chitinase and chitin-binging protein-encoding genes, indicating that they can hydrolyze the most abundant polysaccharide in the oceans. Other symbionts, including Metamycoplasmataceae and Ca. Thioglobaceae, may assimilate the smaller chitin oligosaccharides resulting from chitin breakdown and engage in chitin deacetylation, respectively, suggesting possibilities for substrate cross-feeding and a role for the coral microbiome in overall chitin turnover. We also observed sharp differences in secondary metabolite production potential between symbiotic lineages. Specific Proteobacteria taxa may specialize in chemical defense and guard other symbionts, including Endozoicomonadaceae, which lack such capacity. Conclusion This is the first study to recover MAGs from dominant symbionts of octocorals, including those of so-far unculturable Endozoicomonadaceae, Ca. Thioglobaceae and Metamycoplasmataceae symbionts. We identify a thus-far unanticipated, global role for Endozoicomonadaceae symbionts of corals in the processing of chitin, the most abundant natural polysaccharide in the oceans and major component of the natural zoo- and phytoplankton feed of octocorals. We conclude that niche partitioning, metabolic specialization, and adaptation to low oxygen conditions among prokaryotic symbionts likely contribute to the plasticity and adaptability of the octocoral holobiont in changing marine environments. These findings bear implications not only for our understanding of symbiotic relationships in the marine realm but also for the functioning of benthic ecosystems at large.
Nanocarriers in Tuberculosis treatment: Challenges and delivery strategies
Publication . Kumar, Mahesh; Virmani, Tarun; Kumar, Girish; Deshmukh, Rohitas; Sharma, Ashwani; Duarte, Sofia; Brandão, Pedro; Fonte, Pedro
The World Health Organization identifies tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, as a leading infectious killer. Although conventional treatments for TB exist, they come with challenges such as a heavy pill regimen, prolonged treatment duration, and a strict schedule, leading to multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains. The rise of MDR strains endangers future TB control. Despite these concerns, the hunt for an efficient treatment continues. One breakthrough has been the use of nanotechnology in medicines, presenting a novel approach for TB treatment. Nanocarriers, such as lipid nanoparticles, nanosuspensions, liposomes, and polymeric micelles, facilitate targeted delivery of anti-TB drugs. The benefits of nanocarriers include reduced drug doses, fewer side effects, improved drug solubility, better bioavailability, and improved patient compliance, speeding up recovery. Additionally, nanocarriers can be made even more targeted by linking them with ligands such as mannose or hyaluronic acid. This review explores these innovative TB treatments, including studies on nanocarriers containing anti-TB drugs and related patents.

Organizational Units

Description

Keywords

Contributors

Funders

Funding agency

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Funding programme

6817 - DCRRNI ID

Funding Award Number

UIDP/04565/2020

ID