The International Virus Bioinformatics Meeting 2023.

The 2023 International Virus Bioinformatics Meeting was held in Valencia, Spain, from 24-26 May 2023, attracting approximately 180 participants worldwide. The primary objective of the conference was to establish a dynamic scientific environment conducive to discussion, collaboration, and the generation of novel research ideas. As the first in-person event following the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the meeting facilitated highly interactive exchanges among attendees.

Combining Functional Genomics and Whole-Genome Sequencing to Detect Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Bacterial Strains Co-Occurring Simultaneously in a Brazilian Hospital.

(1) Background: The rise of multi-antibiotic resistant bacteria represents an emergent threat to human health. Here, we investigate antibiotic resistance mechanisms in bacteria of several species isolated from an intensive care unit in Brazil. (2) Methods: We used whole-genome analysis to identify antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and plasmids in 34 strains of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, providing the first genomic description of and clinical isolates from South America.

Genetically Engineered Proteins to Improve Biomass Conversion: New Advances and Challenges for Tailoring Biocatalysts.

Protein engineering emerged as a powerful approach to generate more robust and efficient biocatalysts for bio-based economy applications, an alternative to ecologically toxic chemistries that rely on petroleum. On the quest for environmentally friendly technologies, sustainable and low-cost resources such as lignocellulosic plant-derived biomass are being used for the production of biofuels and fine chemicals. Since most of the enzymes used in the biorefinery industry act in suboptimal conditions, modification of their catalytic properties through protein rational design and evolution techniques allows the improvement of enzymatic parameters such as specificity, activity, efficiency, secretability, and stability, leading to better yields in the production lines.

Systems and Synthetic Biology Approaches to Engineer Fungi for Fine Chemical Production.

Since the advent of systems and synthetic biology, many studies have sought to harness microbes as cell factories through genetic and metabolic engineering approaches. Yeast and filamentous fungi have been successfully harnessed to produce fine and high value-added chemical products. In this review, we present some of the most promising advances from recent years in the use of fungi for this purpose, focusing on the manipulation of fungal strains using systems and synthetic biology tools to improve metabolic flow and the flow of secondary metabolites by pathway redesign.

Metagenomic Approaches for Understanding New Concepts in Microbial Science.

Over the past thirty years, since the dawn of metagenomic studies, a completely new (micro) universe was revealed, with the potential to have profound impacts on many aspects of the society. Remarkably, the study of human microbiome provided a new perspective on a myriad of human traits previously regarded as solely (epi-) genetically encoded, such as disease susceptibility, immunological response, and social and nutritional behaviors. In this context, metagenomics has established a powerful framework for understanding the intricate connections between human societies and microbial communities, ultimately allowing for the optimization of both human health and productivity.