ITQB: IBN - PhD Theses
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- Ironing out ferric siderophore reduction in Gram negative bacteriaPublication . Trindade, Inês B.; Louro, Ricardo; Piccioli, Mario; Moe, Elin"Metals are essential for life, and life as we know it, would not exist without them. Iron is the predominant redox active metal in biological systems and its importance can be recognized from the earliest geological evidence. Iron formations accumulated on the sea floor for over two billion years show that in the ferruginous Archaean oceans, iron likely served as an electron donor in anoxygenic phototrophic metabolism and structural and catalytic element in biological macromolecules. However, after the Great Oxidation Event (GOE) brought about by the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis, the rise in atmospheric oxygen levels caused additional precipitation of soluble Fe(II) into insoluble Fe(III), leading to a dramatic decrease in the bioavailability of this element. Notwithstanding, iron was kept as a crucial nutrient for life."
- Exploring processes to improve electroactivity in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1Publication . Silva, Ana V.; Louro, Ricardo O.Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) are a highly sustainable and versatile platform for electricity production, wastewater treatment, environmental bioremediation, bioelectrosynthesis, and biosensing, emerging as an alternative energy source of low CO2 footprint. The economic, political, and scientific interest in these technologies has been increasing, particularly in the last two decades, when the global population and energy crisis increased, and the need for a circular economy became a concern in the political and social agendas throughout the world and particularly in Europe.
- Unraveling the extracellular electron uptake pathway of Sideroxydans lithotrophicus ES-1Publication . Coelho, Anaísa; Paquete, CatarinaIron is an essential element for Life, being used in a variety of different processes in the metabolism of nearly all organisms. In the 1830s, Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria were among the first groups of microbes to be recognized for performing a fundamental geological process, namely the oxidation of iron. Nowadays, these bacteria are known to play an important role in biogeochemical processes not only on the iron cycle but also on the biogeochemical cycles of other elements, changing the composition of the planet's soils and sediments, and influencing the geochemistry of the Earth's surface.
- LisboaGram positive bacteria do it differently?-Probing the molecular bases for the efficient extracellular electron transfer performed by Thermincolapotens JRPublication . Costa, Nazua Lima Ferreira; Louro, Ricardo; Paquete, Catarina"Microbial Electrochemical Systems (METs) are nowadays in the focus of applied and fundamental research. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are an example of these rapidly emerging biotechnologies that combine both biological and electrochemical processes towards the generation of electricity, hydrogen or other added value products. These devices rely on the electrical interaction between environmentally ubiquitous bacteria and dedicated electrodes. Despite their inherent potential for sustainable energy production and wastewater treatment, MFCs are still poorly applied in industrial processes. This is mainly due to the low electron transfer efficiency between bacteria and electrodes. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the electron transfer at the bacteria-electrode interface is therefore crucial to improve the efficiency of this process and accelerate the practical application of MFCs.(...)"
- Unraveling the Molecular Mechanisms that Orchestrate Electron Transfer in Anaerobic Respiratory Metabolism of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1Publication . Neto, Sónia Estevão; Louro, Ricardo; Paquete, Catarina"Among the portfolio of proposals for sustainable industrial processes, Microbial Electrochemical Technologies (METs) are emerging as a versatile option with multiple potential applications, such as bioremediation of metal contamination, wastewater treatment, and electricity production in microbial fuel cells (MFC). Such systems rely on microorganisms with the ability to transfer or receive electrons from electrodes, enabling the operation of these bioelectrochemical systems.(...)"
- Functional characterization and directed engineering of redox proteins for a rational improvement of Bioelectrochemical systemsPublication . Alves, Alexandra S.; Louro, RicardoIn recent years, new methods of clean and environmentally friendly energy production have been the focus of intense research efforts. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are devices that utilize naturally occurring microorganisms that feed on organic matter, like waste water, while producing electrical energy. The natural habitats of bacteria thriving in microbial fuel cells are usually marine and freshwater sediments. These microorganisms are called dissimilatory metal reducing bacteria (DMRB), but in addition to metals like iron and manganese, they can use organic compounds like DMSO or TMAO, radionuclides and electrodes as terminal electron acceptors in their metabolic pathways.(...)
- Mind the gap: characterization of periplasmic cytochromes from Shewanella oneidensis involved in extracellular electron transferPublication . Fonseca, Bruno Miguel Oliveira Maia da; Louro, RicardoDissimilatory iron reduction (DIR) is an important biogeochemical process with a strong impact not only on the iron cycle but also on the biogeochemical cycles of other elements, changing dramatically the composition of the planet’s sediments and soils.(...)
- Structural and functional characterization of the gene products responsible for phototrophic iron oxidation by purple bacteriaPublication . Saraiva, Ivo H.; Louro, Ricardo O.Iron is an essential element in life. It is used in a variety of different processes in the energetic metabolism of different organisms. Among these bioenergetic processes is photoferrotrophy, characterized by the utilization of Fe(II) as the sole electron source for photosynthesis. The metabolic activity of photoferrotrophs is proposed to have had a relevant role in the formation of ancient geological structures consisting of Fe(III) minerals, such as the Banded Iron Formations.(...)