Publications by authors named "Pamela Villegas"

The self-sufficient cytochrome P450 RhF and its homologues belonging to the CYP116B subfamily have attracted considerable attention due to the potential for biotechnological applications based in their ability to catalyse an array of challenging oxidative reactions without requiring additional protein partners. In this work, we showed for the first time that a CYP116B self-sufficient cytochrome P450 encoded by the ohpA gene harboured by Cupriavidus pinatubonensis JMP134, a β-proteobacterium model for biodegradative pathways, catalyses the conversion of 2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (2-HPA) into homogentisate. Mutational analysis and HPLC metabolite detection in strain JMP134 showed that 2-HPA is degraded through the well-known homogentisate pathway requiring a 2-HPA 5-hydroxylase activity provided by OhpA, which was additionally supported by heterologous expression and enzyme assays.

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Article Synopsis
  • Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a biocompatible polymer made by bacteria that can vary in properties depending on the carbon source used for its production.
  • A study investigated PHB produced by the bacterium Paraburkholderia xenovorans LB400 using glucose, mannitol, or xylose, finding that each produced PHB with different molecular weights and lower crystallinity compared to commercially available PHB.
  • The electrospun PHB microfibers created from these materials displayed mechanical properties similar to human skin and did not harm fibroblast cell growth, suggesting potential for tailored biomedical applications based on the carbon source used.
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sp. strains ALS1279 and ALS1131 were isolated from wastewater treatment facilities on the basis of their ability to use furfural, a key lignocellulose-derived inhibitor, as their only carbon source. Here, we present the draft genome sequences of both strains, which can shed light on catabolic pathways for furan compounds in pseudomonads.

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Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable bioplastics that are synthesized by diverse bacteria. In this study, the synthesis of PHAs by the model aromatic-degrading strain Burkholderia xenovorans LB400 was analyzed. Twelve pha genes including three copies of phaC and five copies of the phasin-coding phaP genes are distributed among the three LB400 replicons.

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Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are natural polyesters produced by microorganisms under carbon source excess and limiting nutrient conditions. However, these biopolymers possess low mechanical and thermal properties, decreasing their potential applications in the medical field. Electrospinning is a technique that forms fibers from different polymers.

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Nano- and microfibers obtained by electrospinning have attracted great attention due to its versatility and potential for applications in diverse technological fields. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biopolymers synthesized by microorganisms such as the bacterium Burkholderia xenovorans LB400. In particular, LB400 cells are capable to synthesize poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) from glucose.

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Petroleum-based plastics constitute a major environmental problem due to their low biodegradability and accumulation in various environments. Therefore, searching for novel biodegradable plastics is of increasing interest. Microbial polyesters known as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable plastics.

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