Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes: From Regulatory Status to Clinical Translation.

Cardiovascular diseases, considered the deadliest worldwide by the World Health Organization (WHO), lack effective therapies for regenerating cardiomyocytes. With their self-renewal and pluripotency capabilities, stem cell therapies are increasingly used in precision medicine. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are a promising alternative to embryonic stem cells.

Exploring Functionalized Magnetic Hydrogel Polyvinyl Alcohol and Chitosan Electrospun Nanofibers.

Nanofibrous materials present interesting characteristics, such as higher area/mass ratio and reactivity. These properties have been exploited in different applications, such as drug-controlled release and site-specific targeting of biomolecules for several disease treatments, including cancer. The main goal of this study was to develop magnetized nanofiber systems of lysozyme (Lys) for biological applications.

Sustainable trehalose lipid production by Rhodotorula sp.: a promising bio-based alternative.

Global environmental concerns drive research toward the development of new eco-friendly compounds to replace pollutant chemicals. This study focuses on optimizing the production of trehalose lipids (TLs), which are glycolipid biosurfactants (BS) with various applications like antimicrobial or surface tension reduction. New microorganism sources, growth conditions, medium composition, purification conditions, and physicochemical properties of TLs are studied.

Triacylglycerols accumulation and glycolipids secretion by the oleaginous yeast Rhodotorula babjevae Y-SL7: Structural identification and biotechnological applications.

The newly isolated oleaginous yeast, Rhodotorula babjevae Y-SL7, was shown to accumulate high intracellular content of microbial oil (mainly triacylglycerols) and to secret, under the same culture conditions, an atypical glycolipid. This unusual behavior was induced when the strain was subjected to nitrogen limitation and high amount of carbon. A series of analytical methods was adopted in order to structurally characterize the secreted glycolipid.

Exploring magnetic and imprinted cross-linked enzyme aggregates of rhamnopyranosidase in microbioreactors.

The goal of this work was the development of magnetic cross link enzyme aggregates (mCLEAs) of rhamnopyranosidase (Rhmnase), prepared by chemical cross-linking with functionalized magnetite nanoparticles for glycompounds biosynthesis in microbioreactors (specially design 24-well microplate and mini-packed bed). Rhamnopyranosidase (EC number 3.2.

Selective recovery of acidic and lactonic sophorolipids from culture broths towards the improvement of their therapeutic potential.

Sophorolipids (SLs) were produced by Starmerella bombicola. The separation and purification of SLs are a complex process, since they are produced as a mixture of compounds with few structural differences. Solvent extraction is commonly used in downstream processing.

Improved thermostable polyvinyl alcohol electrospun nanofibers with entangled naringinase used in a novel mini-packed bed reactor.

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) electrospun nanofibers were produced using an electrospinning technique. Key parameters (e.g.

Development of novel sophorolipids with improved cytotoxic activity toward MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells.

Sophorolipids (SLs) are glycolipid biosurfactants, produced as a mixture of several compounds by some nonpathogenic yeast. In the current study, separation of individual SLs from mixtures with further evaluation of their surface properties and biologic activity on MDA-MB-321 breast cancer cell line were investigated. SLs were biosynthesized by Starmerella bombicola in a culture media supplemented with borage oil.

Operational stability of naringinase PVA lens-shaped microparticles in batch stirred reactors and mini packed bed reactors-one step closer to industry.

The immobilization of naringinase in PVA lens-shaped particles, a cheap and biocompatible hydrogel was shown to provide an effective biocatalyst for naringin hydrolysis, an appealing reaction in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The present work addresses the operational stability and scale-up of the bioconversion system, in various types of reactors, namely shaken microtiter plates (volume ⩽ 2 mL), batch stirred tank reactors (volume <400 mL) and a packed-bed reactor (PBR, 6.8 mL).

Exploring the Molecular Basis of Qo bc1 Complex Inhibitors Activity to Find Novel Antimalarials Hits.

Cytochrome bc1 complex is a crucial element in the mitochondrial respiratory chain, being indispensable for the survival of several species of Plasmodia that cause malaria and, therefore, it is a promising target for antimalarial drug development. We report a molecular docking study building on the most recently obtained X-ray structure of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae bc1 complex (PDB code: 3CX5) using several reported inhibitors with experimentally determined IC50 values against the Plasmodium falciparum bc1 complex. We produced a molecular docking model that correlated the calculated binding free energy with the experimental inhibitory activity of each compound.

Microtiter plates versus stirred mini-bioreactors in biocatalysis: a scalable approach.

To place the application of miniaturized vessels as microbioreactors on a firm footing, focus has been given to engineering characterization. Studies on this matter have mostly involved carrier-free biological systems, while support-based systems have been overlooked. The present work aims to contribute to fill in such gap.

Design of selective production of sophorolipids by Rhodotorula bogoriensis through nutritional requirements.

Rhodotorula bogoriensis is known as the producer of longer chain acidic sophorolipids (SLs) with a unique hydroxylation position where the sophorose unit is linked to the 13-hydroxydocosanoic acid. The influence of initial inoculum concentration, hydrophilic and hydrophobic carbon, and nitrogen sources on R. bogoriensis growth and SL production was evaluated to obtain a selective SL production.

Hesperidinase encapsulation towards hesperitin production targeting improved bioavailability.

Hesperidin (hesperitin-7-O-rutinoside) and hesperitin (hesperitin-7-O-glucoside) show anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticarcinogenic effects and prevent bone loss. However, hesperidin has a low bioavailability compared to hesperitin due to the rutinoside moiety attached to the flavonoid. The removal of the rhamnose group to yield the corresponding flavonoid glucoside (hesperetin-7-glucoside) improved the bioavailability of the aglycone, hesperetin, in humans.

High-affinity water-soluble system for efficient naringinase immobilization in polyvinyl alcohol-dimethyl sulfoxide lens-shaped particles.

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is a water-soluble, biocompatible and biodegradable synthetic polymer whose application in the immobilization of biological agents for use in biocatalysis has shown promising results. This study aimed to investigate and optimize the immobilization of naringinase from Penicillium decumbens in PVA networks, targeting for the hydrolysis of naringin. Variables such as the most suitable cross-linker, catalyst, inorganic salt, co-solvents and solidification process were identified as key issues for PVA-based methods to form lens-shaped particles, while retaining high enzyme activity and stability.

Sophorolipids: improvement of the selective production by Starmerella bombicola through the design of nutritional requirements.

Microtiter plates were used as minireactors to study Starmerella bombicola growth and sophorolipid (SL) production. Compositional analysis of SL mixtures by liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry showed similar results on SLs produced using the laboratory scale (shake flask) and the microscale (24-well microtiter plates (MTP)) approach. MTP suitability on SL production was proven, being this approach, especially advantageous on SL screening.

Optimization and correlation of HPLC-ELSD and HPLC-MS/MS methods for identification and characterization of sophorolipids.

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD) and HPLC with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) methods were implemented and optimized to separate and identify sophorolipids (SLs) produced by Rhodotorula bogoriensis and Starmerella bombicola. SLs are carbohydrate-based amphiphilic biosurfactants with increased interest in pharmaceutical and environmental areas. Rhodotorula bogoriensis and Starmerella bombicola are mainly producers of respectively C22, and C16 and C18 SLs.

Enzymatic Synthesis of the Flavone Glucosides, Prunin and Isoquercetin, and the Aglycones, Naringenin and Quercetin, with Selective α-L-Rhamnosidase and β-D-Glucosidase Activities of Naringinase.

The production of flavonoid glycosides by removing rhamnose from rutinosides can be accomplished through enzymatic catalysis. Naringinase is an enzyme complex, expressing both α-L-rhamnosidase and β-D-glucosidase activities, with application in glycosides hydrolysis. To produce monoglycosylated flavonoids with naringinase, the expression of β-D-glucosidase activity is not desirable leading to the need of expensive methods for α-L-rhamnosidase purification.

Cross-linked enzyme aggregates of naringinase: novel biocatalysts for naringin hydrolysis.

Cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) have emerged as interesting biocatalyst design for immobilization. These new generation enzyme biocatalysts, CLEAs, in addition to exhibiting good mechanical stability, can be highly active, since they do not include large amounts of foreign particulate nonenzymatic material and may have increased stability. Naringinase (NGase) is an enzyme complex with high potential in pharmaceutical and food industries.

Immobilization of naringinase in PVA-alginate matrix using an innovative technique.

A synthetic polymer, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a cheap and nontoxic synthetic polymer to organism, has been ascribed for biocatalyst immobilization. In this work PVA-alginate beads were developed with thermal, mechanical, and chemical stability to high temperatures (<80 degrees C). The combination of alginate and bead treatment with sodium sulfate not only prevented agglomeration but produced beads of high gel strength and conferred enzyme protection from inactivation by boric acid.

Modelling the adsorption kinetics of erythromycin onto neutral and anionic resins.

In this study the selective adsorption method was chosen to enable the recovery of erythromycin. The following sorbents were tested: neutral resins (XAD-4, XAD-7 and XAD-16) and an anionic resin (IRA-410). A mathematical kinetic model for the adsorption of erythromycin against time, on XAD-4, XAD-7 and XAD-16 resins, is proposed.