Saturday, January 23, 2010

Aislan la proteína que produce la resistencia de las bacterias a los antibióticos

Un trabajo de investigación de la Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología de la Universidad del País Vasco (UPV) ha logrado aislar la proteína 'acopladora TrwB', el canal de intercambio de información usado por las bacterias, lo que permitirá desarrollar estrategias contra la resistencia de las bacterias a los antibióticos.


Según ha informado en una nota de prensa la UPV, la tesis que ha permitido aislar esta proteína ha sido realizada por Ana Julia Vecino en el departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de la citada facultad y en la Unidad de Biofísica, del Centro Mixto CSIC-UPV.



En dicha tesis se ha podido estudiar las características de TrwB en un ambiente similar al natural y obtener información sobre la proteína muy aproximada al funcionamiento de la misma en la bacteria.
"El trabajo aporta información relevante que nos permite estar más cerca de conocer el mecanismo de la conjugación bacteriana y por consiguiente de poder desarrollar estrategias contra la diseminación de la resistencia a antibióticos entre bacterias", ha afirmado Itzi Alkorta, directora de la tesis junto al profesor Fernando de la Cruz.


La conjunción bacteriana es un proceso mediante el cual una bacteria es capaz de transmitir una molécula de DNA (pásmido conjugativo) a otra, mediante un proceso que requiere el contacto físico entre ambas. Este proceso, se explica desde la UPV, permite que las bacterias intercambien información genética útil para hacer frente a su entorno y adaptarse al medio.
Entre la información compartida por las bacterias se encuentra aquella que les permite desarrollar la resistencia a distintos antibióticos y por ello, la conjugación bacteriana es el principal responsable de la diseminación de la resistencia a antibióticos que presentas las bacterias y que en las últimas décadas se ha convertido en uno de los mayores problemas de salud pública.
El trabajo de investigación ha sido subvencionado con una beca predoctoral del Gobierno Vasco y por programas de investigación de la Diputación de Vizcaya y el Ministerio de Educación.
Posted by at

Aislan la proteína que produce la resistencia de las bacterias a los antibióticos

Un trabajo de investigación de la Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología de la Universidad del País Vasco (UPV) ha logrado aislar la proteína 'acopladora TrwB', el canal de intercambio de información usado por las bacterias, lo que permitirá desarrollar estrategias contra la resistencia de las bacterias a los antibióticos.


Según ha informado en una nota de prensa la UPV, la tesis que ha permitido aislar esta proteína ha sido realizada por Ana Julia Vecino en el departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de la citada facultad y en la Unidad de Biofísica, del Centro Mixto CSIC-UPV.
En dicha tesis se ha podido estudiar las características de TrwB en un ambiente similar al natural y obtener información sobre la proteína muy aproximada al funcionamiento de la misma en la bacteria.
'El trabajo aporta información relevante que nos permite estar más cerca de conocer el mecanismo de la conjugación bacteriana y por consiguiente de poder desarrollar estrategias contra la diseminación de la resistencia a antibióticos entre bacterias', ha afirmado Itzi Alkorta, directora de la tesis junto al profesor Fernando de la Cruz.
La conjunción bacteriana es un proceso mediante el cual una bacteria es capaz de transmitir una molécula de DNA (pásmido conjugativo) a otra, mediante un proceso que requiere el contacto físico entre ambas. Este proceso, se explica desde la UPV, permite que las bacterias intercambien información genética útil para hacer frente a su entorno y adaptarse al medio.
Entre la información compartida por las bacterias se encuentra aquella que les permite desarrollar la resistencia a distintos antibióticos y por ello, la conjugación bacteriana es el principal responsable de la diseminación de la resistencia a antibióticos que presentas las bacterias y que en las últimas décadas se ha convertido en uno de los mayores problemas de salud pública.
El trabajo de investigación ha sido subvencionado con una beca predoctoral del Gobierno Vasco y por programas de investigación de la Diputación de Vizcaya y el Ministerio de Educación.


Posted by at

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Conjugative DNA metabolism in Gram-negative bacteria

Fernando De La Cruz, Laura S. Frost, Richard J. Meyer, Ellen L. Zechner
FEMS Microbiology Reviews.Volume 34, Issue 1, pages 18–40, January 2010

Bacterial conjugation in Gram-negative bacteria is triggered by a signal that connects the relaxosome to the coupling protein (T4CP) and transferosome, a type IV secretion system. The relaxosome, a nucleoprotein complex formed at the origin of transfer (oriT), consists of a relaxase, directed to the nic site by auxiliary DNA-binding proteins. The nic site undergoes cleavage and religation during vegetative growth, but this is converted to a cleavage and unwinding reaction when a competent mating pair has formed. Here, we review the biochemistry of relaxosomes and ponder some of the remaining questions about the nature of the signal that begins the process.
Posted by at

Monday, January 18, 2010

Workshop in Biomedicine 2010

Coordinator: Prof. Fernando de la Cruz (delacruz@unican.es)
Dates: January 25 to February 5, 2010
Time: 10h to 13h
Place: Aula 11, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cantabria

Invited speakers:
25 January
“Genetics of complex diseases”
1. The Wnt pathway in skeletal disorders. Dr. José Antonio Riancho (Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander)
2. Regulatory SNPs and the Genetics of lipid disorders. Dr. José Carlos Rodríguez-Rey (UC

26 January“The plasticity of microbial genomes”
1. The organization and dynamics of the Vibrio cholerae genome
2. Integrons as agents of genome plasticity
Dr. Didier Mazel (Institut Pasteur, Paris)

27 January“New strategies for combating bacterial antibiotic resistance”
1. Antibiotic resistance as a critical problem in public health
2. The biological clues of evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance as targets for intervention.
3. Eco-Evo strategies in the control of antibiotic resistance.
Dr. Fernando Baquero (Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid)

28 January
“Cancer”
1. Tyrosine kinase receptors as therapeutic targets in cancer. Dr. Atanasio Pandiella (CIC, CSIC, Salamanca)
2. Desorganization of cellular differentiation by oncogenic transcription factors. Dr. Javier León (UC)

29 January
(Sto Tomás de Aquino) NO class!

1 February
“The dilemma of sexuality and vegetative reproduction: the case of mucoral fungi”
Dr. Enrique Cerdá-Olmedo (Dept. of Genetics, University of Sevilla)

2 February“Molecular and systemic perspectives on the origins of life. Recent advances in support of the compartment-first scenario”
1. Origin and definition of life
2. Prebiotic membranes
Dr. Kepa Ruiz Mirazo (UPV, San Sebastián)

3 February “The physics behind systems biology”
1. Computational modelling of gene regulatory networks
2. The gene regulation function
Dr. Luis Vielva (UC)

4 February“Bacterial conjugation”
1. DNA processing during conjugation. Dr. Gabriel Moncalian (UC)
2. Type IV protein secretion systems. Dr. Iñaki Arechaga (UC)

5 February“Genomics of Complex Diseases”
1. A historic account of the human genome project
2. Methods of high-thorughput sequencing
3. SNPs in human disease
Dr. Jesús Sainz (IBBTEC, CSIC Santander).
Posted by at

Cantabria International Campus (CIC) - Executive Summary

1. CCI Characteristics
Cantabria International Campus (CIC) is internationally unique, viable, participative, strategic and competitive.

Unique.The University of Cantabria (UC) and the Menéndez Pelayo International University (UIMP) present an original consensual model to transform Cantabria into a Region of Knowledge, with a new social and productive structure which is based on value added by knowledge, the university-society relationship and territorial integration.

Viable. CIC is viable because its Vision-Mission can be successfully reached thanks to its scale, which favours interaction of its institutions, teaching and research quality of the University of Cantabria , UIMP internationalization and aggregate agents’ strong commitment.

Participative. CIC promotes UC-UIMP partnership by adding 16 strategic agents. In the scientific and academic field, it has the strong commitment of the Superior Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), the Spanish Oceanography Institute, the State Meteorology Agency, the Marcelino Botín , Comillas or Albeniz Foundations. It has full support from the entrepreneurial fabric in Cantabria and the Santander Bank, which is its international prime example, together with Santander and Torrelavega Town Councils, which are the head offices of its campuses. The Project, which was ratified by the Parliament of Cantabria, has been taken on by the Government of Cantabria, and it has transformed it into the node of its new development model through SODERCAN, the Society for the Development of Cantabria.

Strategic. CIC establishes transversal strategic actions to improve human resources, installations and facilities, knowledge management and organization, and cooperation with the environment, and it strategically concentrates its full potential of excellence by sector in six specializations, whose impact becomes greater through the International Campus of Knowledge Dissemination and Social Development.

Internationally competitive. CIC is the best project for the internationalization of Cantabria, a model for a Campus of competitive excellence in knowledge management in education, research and transfer processes.

2. An Example: International Campus of Water and Energy.CIC capabilities can be seen in the development of the International Campus of Water and Energy, which is unique and in the short term is highly likely to succeed due to its financial viability, its results and international leadership, already consolidated by the Institute of Environmental Hydraulics (IHA). This Campus aims to attain its objectives through strategic actions in:

Improvement in Science and Transfer. It is aimed at attracting talent by generating a critical mass of more than 400 researchers through the aggregation of university groups, institutes, technological centers, OPIS and complementary business research centers. This is specialized in the life cycle of renewable energies in the marine field (water and energy integration), climate change and mitigation, territorial resources and planning, and which is supported by highly unique international research infrastructures, such as 2 unique scientific and technological installations (ICTS), a floating wind weather station and three experimental parks for prototypes (off-shore: tidal and wind, on-shore: wind turbines)

With these resources, the Plan for Renewable Energies is integrated in CIC, bringing together international leading companies such as VESTAS, SIEMENS, ACCIONA, EON, REPOWER and IBERDROLA in the internationally unparalleled Renewable Energy Cluster in the Marine Field, and creating other highly innovative companies such as IDERMAR, (a UC spin-off in floating off-shore wind power).

Improvement in Teaching, with the creation of an international postgraduate degree in marine renewable energies and off-shore engineering within the UC/UIMP/CSIC Post-graduate School. Also with the creation of CITAP (with the State Ports Public Organization), which is a corporate center for professionals in the port sector.

Improvement in Internationalization. The previous plans mean internationalization, such as the connection between the CITAP and the American States Organization, the agreements with the Cornell-Center for a Sustainable Future or the VESTAS and SIEMENS research centers which are linked to important international networks, present in CIC.
Improvement in socio-economic and territorial interaction

This IC is a key element in the economic change in Cantabria, which is based on knowledge, and in its territorial structure. The Institute of Hydraulics, the Great Tank of Maritime Engineering, the Renewable Energy Tower for companies, the Technology Center and the Center for Education and Training in Renewable Energies, as well as research centers of large multinational companies are all located in the Science and Technology Park in the region (PCTCAN). The CITAP head office is on the Magdalena Peninsula and two offshore experimental parks are on the West and East Coast of the region. The IC includes the sea as an essential part in its territory.

3. The Other Five Strategic Areas.CIC focuses on another five areas in which the proposed model is also immediately viable.

The International Campus of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, which is based on a cluster which brings together the capacities of the UC-CSIC aggregation in the Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology (IBBTEC) http://www.unican.es/ibbtec located in the PCTCAN, as well as on clinical research carried out in the internationally-recognised Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital (IFIMAV). This is in the process of becoming an On-line specialist Hospital in collaboration with Harvard University and the MIT.

The cluster brings together more than 500 researchers and technicians, promoting transfer through business partners such as FARMAINDUSTRIA and will set up a center of excellence in Neuro-rehabilitation with the Guttman Institute in Torrelavega.

The International Campus in Banking, Finance and Entrepreneurial Activity has support in the UCEIF Foundation, a result of the University of Cantabria-Santander Bank aggregation (one of the most important banks in the world). From its teaching excellence, with an international network of Master’s Degrees in Banking (The University of Cantabria-Santander Bank, UC-Anahuac University in Mexico, UC-Hassan II University in Casablanca and Sao Paulo Getulio-UC-Vargas Foundation), its educational programmes for doctorates (who are financed by the Government of Mexico as future lecturers in this country), its participation in the CUMex network and the partnership with Wharton , will extend its activity with a Research Institute in Banking.

The development of this International Campus is supported by the construction of a Data Centre by the Santander Bank, one of five which in its international network. This centre and the technological and modeling capacities of Cantabria International Campus (RES-ICTS Altamira Super Computation Node) attract companies such as IBM.

The International Campus of Heritage and Language deals with three important lines:

1) Development of prehistoric research from its comparative advantage: Prehistoric heritage in Cantabria (nine caves are World Heritage), which explains the existence of the International Institute of Prehistoric Research (University of Cantabria-Government of Cantabria and Santander Bank, in coordination with CSIC) and of the Altamira National Museum (Governments of Spain and Cantabria).

2) The improvement in heritage with digitization and diffusion programmes (semantic Web) and its application to enhance it.

3) Teaching of Spanish as a Foreign Languague (ELE), in the field of Comillas Foundation (Governments of Spain and Cantabria, Cervantes Institute, Santander Bank, Telefónica, La Caixa, The University of Cantabria, Menéndez Pelayo International University (UIMP) and Spanish Open University (UNED) and the long tradition of the UIMP University. Guaranteed financing will allow the creation of an ELE Research Institute and the development of training and education programmes for professional sectors in emerging countries (Brazil, China).
 
In addition, Cantabria International Campus incorporates a new campus by restoring the Pontificial Seminary in Comillas.

In addition to these three areas, Cantabria International Campus allows its own objectives of excellence to be carried out and promote the previous ones in another 2 strategic areas:
 
International Campus of Physics and Mathematics. The scientific excellence of more than 200 researchers in the Institute of Physics in Cantabria (IFCA) and the University of Cantabria is projected in collaboration with more than 300 universities or laboratories such as the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Fermilab, ILL or Agencies such as the European Space Agency (ESA) and materializes in unique applications such as the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET). In Mathematics, the scientific solidness of the groups and their interest in sectors which have a great transfer capacity, such as Computation and Computing Science, makes them ideal for managing and developing the Spanish consortium CONSOLIDER i-MATH and consolidating the International Centre for Mathematical Encounters (CIEM).

International Campus of Technology, which brings together more than 500 researchers with great scientific and technological capacity, shown in multiple European projects, CENIT, PROFIT, in areas such as ICTs, Computing Science and Computation, structural integrity and components or Chemical Technology, projects new centres, through aggregating university groups, governmental centres such as CTC (Sodercan) or companies such as INDRA or Solvay, to encourage research and transfer in their own sector or as a technological support for others.

4. Knowledge dissemination, economic and social developmentAll these research capacities , as well as teaching and on-line capacities, are promoted from the International Campus for Knowledge Dissemination and Social Development thanks to the international scope of the Menéndez Pelayo International University (UIMP), whose activity reaches over more than 10,000 students/year, with a great response and social participation.

For this future Project (Cantabria International Campus) there is an estimated cost (period 2009-12) of 192 Million Euros (15M Euros in staff, 156M Euros in infrastructures and equipment and 21M Euros to carry out the project). Financing foreseen by the Government of Cantabria is 45M Euros, other private and public bodies will give 66M Euros and 81M Euros will be requested in the present and future Campus of Excellence official public announcements.

But this mobilization of resources is relevant to the society in which Cantabria International Campus is immersed because it means:
 
Regional, social and solidarity commitment

Cantabria International Campus contributes to essential structure and planning in the region. On its location, CCI is planned and developed with bio-sustainable criteria, in coordination with Santander and Torrelavega Town Councils, and it contributes to regional structuring with the extension of knowledge to local towns in the region (Comillas, Laredo, Suances, Castro Urdiales, Reinosa…..) which make it known to even the furthest municipality.
 
Cantabria International Campus is interaction of the university with society, promoting activities with specific and vulnerable groups, which range from cultural extensions, employability , equality, health, up to cooperation to development.
 
Development in the framework of an advanced and sustainable economy.

An analysis by the Government of Cantabria shows that thanks to sectors which are connected with Cantabria International Campus (R+D+i, renewable energies, advanced entrepreneurial services) there will be an average 2.6% annual increase in Cantabria in the Gross Domestic Product (PIB) until the year 2020. Their own estimates demonstrate that during the first 4 years (2008-12) this rate will be lower than an average 1.5% increase due to the economic recession. As CCI implementation advances, the social, economic and cultural impact will gradually grow, in external variables (productivity index, employment, activity rate) as well as in internal variables (financing obtained through R+D+i, researchers contracts, creation of spin-offs).

An Internationalized Regional Proyect

Cantabria International Campus coordinates knowledge management of two universities, six science institutes, two science-technology parks with numerous technological centres, six foundations, hospitals and a port. Other companies can also be directly linked to the CCI network, such as Vestas, IBM, Siemens or Telefónica and university centres such as Cornell or Wharton.
















































Posted by at

Friday, January 1, 2010

BACTOCOM

The Intergenomics Group is one of the Contributing Partners of the Bactocom Project

Project Background

The main objective of BACTOCOM is to build a simple computer, using bacteria rather than silicon. Microbes may be thought of as biological "micro-machines" that process information about their own state and the world around them. By sensing their environment, certain bacteria are able to move in response to chemical signals, allowing them to seek out food, for example. They can also communicate with other bacteria, by leaving chemical trails, or by directly exchanging genetic information. We focus on this latter mechanism.

Parts of the internal "program" of a bacterial cell (encoded by its genes, and the connections between them) may be "reprogrammed" in order to persuade it to perform human-defined tasks. By introducing artificial "circuits" made up of genetic components, we may add new behaviours or modify existing functionality within the cell. Existing examples of this include a bacterial oscillator, which causes the cells to periodically flash, and cell-based pollution detectors that can spot arsenic in drinking water. The potential for bio-engineering is huge, but the process itself is made difficult by the noisy, "messy" nature of the underlying material. Bacteria are hard to engineer, as they rarely conform to the traditional model of a computer or device, with well-defined components laid out in a fixed design.

We intend to use the inherent randomness of natural processes to our advantage, by harnessing it as a framework for biological engineering. By allowing our system to evolve, we use natural selection to build new functional biological devices. We begin with a large number of simple DNA-based components, taken from a well-understood toolbox, which may be pieced together inside the cell to form new genetic programs. A population of bacteria then absorbs these components, which may (or may not) affect their behaviour. Crucially, the core of our bacterial computer is made up of engineered microbes that can detect how well they are performing, according to some external measure, such as how well they can flash in time with light pulses.

The better bacteria are allowed to release their program components back into the environment in much larger numbers than the other, less impressive cells. As these "good" components are then increasingly taken up by the population of cells, in a continual cycle, we gradually refine the internal program, until the whole population performs well. There are many potential benefits to this work, from both a biological and computing perspective. By evolving new functional structures, we gain insight into biological systems. This, in turn, may suggest new methods for silicon-based computing, in the way that both evolution and the brain have already done. In building these new bio-devices, we offer a new type of programmable, microscopic information processor that will find applications in areas as diverse as environmental sensing and clean-up, medical diagnostics and therapeutics, energy and security.

http://www.docm.mmu.ac.uk/RESEARCH/ncg/bactocom/index.html
Posted by at
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)