Structural and Molecular Biology

Structural and Molecular Biology
SMB Research Labs

Researchers of the SMB Group develop research in structural biology and glycobiology and have a long-standing interest in a variety of topics that are focused in two main areas: health & disease and environmental impact. The topics are addressed from a functional and structural point of view, relying on complementary expertise in protein production and biochemical, structural and functional characterization (NMR, X-ray crystallography, SAXS, EPR, Moessbauer, Glycoarrays, Kinetics, Microcalorimetry). The optimization and development of new techniques in these fields is a fundamental and active topic of research within the group.
 

In 2015 a new line of research in functional glycobiology was established focusing on microbial and endogenous recognition systems for development of cancer therapies and to understand the interaction diversity in the human gut microbiome.


Targets of our research are metalloenzymes and we have contributed to the structural and mechanistic elucidation of several enzymes relevant in human health & disease (Aldehyde Oxidases, Peroxidases, etc) as well as on the environment (Formate Dehydrogenase, N2O Reductase) and the results achieved have granted us international recognition.


Other active areas include molecular mechanisms for iron storage, metal tolerance and detoxification of ROS from pathogenic bacteria; mechanisms of protein aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases; bioelectricity production by electroactive bacteria and Extracellular Electron Transfer to allow converting renewable biomass into electricity.


Recent publications
Antunes, JMA; Silva, MA; Salgueiro, CA; Morgado, L. 2022. Electron Flow From the Inner Membrane Towards the Cell Exterior in Geobacter sulfurreducens: Biochemical Characterization of Cytochrome CbcL. Frontiers in Microbiology, 13, DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.898015
Karamash, M; Stumpe, M; Dengjel, J; Salgueiro, CA; Giese, B; Fromm, KM. 2022. Reduction Kinetic of Water Soluble Metal Salts by Geobacter sulfurreducens: Fe2+/Hemes Stabilize and Regulate Electron Flux Rates. Frontiers in Microbiology, 13, DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.909109
Paquete, CM; Morgado, L; Salgueiro, CA; Louro, RO. 2022. Molecular Mechanisms of Microbial Extracellular Electron Transfer: The Importance of Multiheme Cytochromes. Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark, 27, DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2706174
Oliveira, AR; Mota, C; Klymanska, K; Biaso, F; Romao, MJ; Guigliarelli, B; Pereira, IC. 2022. Spectroscopic and Structural Characterization of Reduced Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough W-FdhAB Reveals Stable Metal Coordination during Catalysis. ACS Chemical Biology, 17, DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00336
Ferreira, MR; Fernandes, TM; Turner, DL; Salgueiro, CA. 2022. Molecular geometries of the heme axial ligands from the triheme cytochrome PpcF from Geobacter metallireducens reveal a conserved heme core architecture. ARCHIVES OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS, 723, DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2022.109220