https://hdl.handle.net/2238/11156 2026-05-20T05:17:37Z 2026-05-20T05:17:37Z Giralt-Zúñiga, María Redondo-Solano, Mauricio Moura, Alexandra Tessaud-Rita, Nathalie Bracq-Dieye, Hélène Vales, Guillaume Thouvenot, Pierre Leclercq, Alexandre Chaves-Ulate, Carolina Núñez-Montero, Kattia Guillén-Watson, Rossy Rivas-Solano, Olga Chanto-Chacón, Grettel Duarte-Martínez, Francisco Soto-Blanco, Vanessa Pizarro-Cerdá, Javier Lecuit, Marc https://hdl.handle.net/2238/16427 2025-11-12T17:54:27Z 2023-12-01T00:00:00Z

Genome-based characterization of Listeria monocytogenes, Costa Rica Giralt-Zúñiga, María; Redondo-Solano, Mauricio; Moura, Alexandra; Tessaud-Rita, Nathalie; Bracq-Dieye, Hélène; Vales, Guillaume; Thouvenot, Pierre; Leclercq, Alexandre; Chaves-Ulate, Carolina; Núñez-Montero, Kattia; Guillén-Watson, Rossy; Rivas-Solano, Olga; Chanto-Chacón, Grettel; Duarte-Martínez, Francisco; Soto-Blanco, Vanessa; Pizarro-Cerdá, Javier; Lecuit, Marc Genomic data on the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes from Central America are scarce. We analyzed 92 isolates collected during 2009–2019 from different regions in Costa Rica, compared those to publicly available genomes, and identified unrecognized outbreaks. Our findings suggest mandatory reporting of listeriosis in Costa Rica would improve pathogen surveillance. Artículo.

2023-12-01T00:00:00Z Zetzmann, Marion Sánchez-Kopper, Andrés Waidmann, Mark Blombach, Bastian Riede, Christian https://hdl.handle.net/2238/9957 2025-09-04T19:48:26Z 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Identification of the agr Peptide of Listeria monocytogenes Zetzmann, Marion; Sánchez-Kopper, Andrés; Waidmann, Mark; Blombach, Bastian; Riede, Christian Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is an important food-borne human pathogen that is able to strive under a wide range of environmental conditions. Its accessory gene regulator (agr) system was shown to impact on biofilm formation and virulence and has been proposed as one of the regulatory mechanisms involved in adaptation to these changing environments. The Lm agr operon is homologous to the Staphylococcus aureus system, which includes an agrD-encoded autoinducing peptide that stimulates expression of the agr genes via the AgrCA two-component system and is required for regulation of target genes. The aim of the present study was to identify the native autoinducing peptide (AIP) of Lm using a luciferase reporter system in wildtype and agrD deficient strains, rational design of synthetic peptides and mass spectrometry. Upon deletion of agrD, luciferase reporter activity driven by the PII promoter of the agr operon was completely abolished and this defect was restored by co-cultivation of the agrD-negative reporter strain with a producer strain. Based on the sequence and structures of known AIPs of other organisms, a set of potential Lm AIPs was designed and tested for PII-activation. This led to the identification of a cyclic pentapeptide that was able to induce PII-driven luciferase reporter activity and restore defective invasion of the agrD deletion mutant into Caco- 2 cells. Analysis of supernatants of a recombinant Escherichia coli strain expressing AgrBD identified a peptide identical in mass and charge to the cyclic pentapeptide. The Lm agr system is specific for this pentapeptide since the AIP of Lactobacillus plantarum, which also is a pentapeptide yet with different amino acid sequence, did not induce PII activity. In summary, the presented results provide further evidence for the hypothesis that the agrD gene of Lm encodes a secreted AIP responsible for autoregulation Artículo científico

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z Chávez, Myra Noemi Ludwig-Schenck, Thilo Hopfner, Ursula Centeno-Cerdas, Carolina Somlai-Schweiger, Ian Schwarz, Christian Machens, Hans-Günther Heikenwalder, Mathias Bono, María Rosa Allende, Miguel Nickelsen, Jörg Egaña, José Tomás https://hdl.handle.net/2238/9849 2025-09-25T16:24:33Z 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Towards autotrophic tissue engineering: photosynthetic gene therapy for regeneration Chávez, Myra Noemi; Ludwig-Schenck, Thilo; Hopfner, Ursula; Centeno-Cerdas, Carolina; Somlai-Schweiger, Ian; Schwarz, Christian; Machens, Hans-Günther; Heikenwalder, Mathias; Bono, María Rosa; Allende, Miguel; Nickelsen, Jörg; Egaña, José Tomás The use of artificial tissues in regenerative medicine is limited due to hypoxia. As a strategy to overcome this drawback, we have shown that photosynthetic biomaterials can produce and provide oxygen independently of blood perfusion by generating chimeric animal-plant tissues during dermal regeneration. In this work, we demonstrate the safety and efficacy of photosynthetic biomaterials in vivo after engraftment in a fully immunocompetent mouse skin defect model. Further, we show that it is also possible to genetically engineer such photosynthetic scaffolds to deliver other key molecules in addition to oxygen. As a proof-of-concept, biomaterials were loaded with gene modified microalgae expressing the angiogenic recombinant protein VEGF. Survival of the algae, growth factor delivery and regenerative potential were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. This work proposes the use of photosynthetic gene therapy in regenerative medicine and provides scientific evidence for the use of engineered microalgae as an alternative to deliver recombinant molecules for gene therapy. Artículo científico

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z Zambrano-Moreno, Diana Avellaneda-Franco, Laura Zambrano, Gregorio Bonilla-Buitrago, Ruth https://hdl.handle.net/2238/9834 2025-09-17T18:11:37Z 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Scientometric analysis of Colombian research on bio-inoculants for agricultural production Zambrano-Moreno, Diana; Avellaneda-Franco, Laura; Zambrano, Gregorio; Bonilla-Buitrago, Ruth The excessive use of synthetic chemical inputs in agricultural production has led to the disruption of biogeochemical cycles. One of the alternatives that arose within the systems of sustainable agriculture was the partial or total replacement of chemicals by biological substances. The analysis of relevant scientific literature has become a tool for assessing the quality of knowledge generation and its impact on the environment. A scientometric analysis was conducted of Colombian research on bio-inoculants from 2009 through 2014 in journals added to the Web of SciencesTM in order to identify the characteristics of the main target crops, the microorganisms used, and the beneficial effects on agriculture. In this work, 34 articles were identified: 24 (71 %) were research on bio-fertilizer development and 10 (29 %) on bio-pesticides. Articles mainly focused on the study of Gram-negative bacilli affecting the area (77 %), while others focused on issues and topics surrounding vegetables (30 %).The analysis of co-occurrence of keywords identified: i. several genera of microorganisms (e.g. Azotobacter sp., Bradyrhizobium sp.) and sustainable agriculture as issues that have a leading role in this scientific field, ii. plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as an emerging issue, iii. biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) as a subject which has risen in a complementary manner and iv. endophytic bacteria and biodiversity as issues in growth. This study showed that research in Colombia could be targeted on issues such as endophytic bacteria, diversity and productivity. Artículo científico

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z