Revistas UPO (Universidad Pablo de Olivade)
Not a member yet
6006 research outputs found
Sort by
Computational analysis of an integrative and conjugative element in a biodegrader bacterium.
Get PDFIn this study, we explore a shared sequence of an integrative and conjugative element (ICE) in Sphingopyxis granuli strain TFA. ICEs are significant mobile genetic elements, which are integrated into the bacterial chromosome and encode a fully functional conjugation machinery, making them self-transmissible between bacterial cells. ICE cargo genes can confer host selective advantages such as antibiotic resistance and virulence factors (Delavat et al., 2017). S. granuli strain TFA is a member of the Sphingomonadaceae family, has garnered attention for its metabolic capabilities, particularly in the degradation of aromatic compounds such as tetralin. This strain has been characterized through genomic analyses that reveal its potential for environmental adaptability and resistance mechanisms (García-Romero et al., 2020). For these reasons, the presence of ICEs in the S. granuli genome has been identified and confirmed using the ICEfinder tool (Liu et al., 2019). A unique sequence has been selected that does not occur in all other S. granuli strains but in other bacteria in which the conserved sequence is found with more than 99% identity and 80-96% coverage using skani, which is a program for calculating average nucleotide identity (ANI). Each of the genes present in the shared ICE was annotated using BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) from NCBI. In addition, structural annotation of all genomes and shared ICE was performed using Bakta (Schwengers et al., 2021). Raw sequencing data have been used to confirm the integration site of the shared ICE. The ends of the ICE are currently being investigated with an evolutionary approach, a set of genetic elements around the ICE known as genetic archipelago is conserved among bacteri
La sentencia del TS (social) de 16 de julio de 2025 sobre el artículo 24 de la Carta Social Europea revisada: una inadmisible rémora (de la “Constitución programática”) y una pretenciosa supremacía (“Constitucional europea”)
Get PDFImpact of expression of the carbon flow regulation on sucrose production in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.
Get PDFIn response to the increasing demand for sustainable production solutions [1], cyanobacteria have emerged as a promising alternative. Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is a model organism commonly used to study carbon metabolic fluxes. This moderately halotolerant cyanobacterium accumulates sucrose and glucosylglycerol as compatible solutes under salt stress. Adaptation of carbon flux during nitrogen deficiency promotes the accumulation of glycogen as a carbon pool not combinable with nitrogen [2]. In this context, the potential biotechnological interest of modulating carbon flux to redirect it towards sucrose production was explored [3]. Strains overexpressing regulatory proteins involved in carbon flux and carrying a plasmid inducibly expressing sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS) and the heterologous permease CscB were phenotypically characterized. Under salt stress, the expression of these regulators led to a 40% increase in sucrose production compared to non-induced levels, reaching a maximum productivity of 48.16 mg L⁻¹ h⁻¹. Under these conditions, a partial redistribution of fixed carbon toward sucrose production occurred, at the expense of glycogen accumulation and biomass generation. Additionally, an improvement in the photosynthetic activity of these strains was observed due to the presence of this carbon sink. The effect of eliminating glucosylglycerol synthesis on sucrose production was also analyzed. Under high salinity conditions (400 mM NaCl), this mutation contributed to an additional 10% increase in sucrose production, reaching a maximum of 2.72 g/L. These results suggest that modulation of carbon flux can significantly increase sucrose production, making it a valuable exogenous source of carbon or in co-cultures with heterotrophic organisms producing compounds of interest
Identification of defense genes targeted by CRISPR-Cas systems in Acinetobacter baumannii.
No full textMotivation: CRISPR-Cas systems are an acquired immunity system in bacteria and archaea, which allows them to recognise and degrade foreign DNA sequences. They do this thanks to short sequences they store in their genome, called spacers. Understanding which defense genes are recognised by these spacers may be of interest for understanding the phage fighting that often occurs in bacteria [1]. Building on a previous study in which the Acinetobacter baumannii pangenome was constructed and its spacers identified [2], this work aims to analyse the genes of other defense systems, out of the more than one hundred that the bacterium presents, which can be recognised by the CRISPR-Cas system.
Methods: The A. baumannii pangenome was used and analysed with DefenseFinder v1.3.0 [3] to identify its defense genes. Subsequently, a similarity search was performed using the BLAST tool [4], configured to search for short fragments, between the identified genes and the previously obtained spacers. After analysing the results, the most abundant defense gene typologies were identified and a new BLAST analysis [4] focused on these genes was carried out to evaluate their recognition by CRISPR-Cas systems.
Results: . Multiple genes from different defense systems recognized by CRISPR-Cas spacers were identified in A. baumannii.Among them, bacteriophage restriction-modification systems were prominent. Further analysis of these genes revealed a large sequence diversity among genes with the same annotation, not all of which were recognised as defense systems. However, some of these genes, belonging to phage sequences, showed a high level of recognition by spacers, suggesting a selective pressure on them.
Conclusions:The results indicate that A. baumannii CRISPR-Cas systems are in part directed against phage defense genes, including restriction-modification systems. The large variability in the sequences of these genes suggests a continuous evolutionary race between phages and bacteria
Mechanisms Regulating the Morphogenesis and Homeostasis of Epithelia
No full textMotivation: Epithelia are robust tissues that support the structure of embryos and organs. These tissues have evolved diverse cellular architectures, which are acquired through a complex combination of cellular processes, including cell shape changes and cell migration. The control of these processes is fundamental for proper epithelia morphogenesis, and to maintain epithelial integrity in homeostasis and regeneration. Furthermore, disruption of these processes can lead to diseases, such as cancer. Thus, it's imperative to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which precise multicellular structures arise during development and become disrupted during disease. The follicular epithelium (FE) of the Drosophila melanogaster ovary provides us with a monolayered epithelium model, which, as part of its normal development, suffers a big event of morphogenesis, involving coordinated changes in cell shape and collective cell migration, which ultimately leads to elongation of the tissue and egg formation. This process is a potent model to perform functional and dynamic assays of epithelia morphogenesis in vivo. In the search for factors that could participate in this processes, we came across with capicua (cic). Cic is a transcriptional repressor involved in many types of cancer, and has been identified as mediator of EGFR in control of cell proliferation and cell differentiation. In this work, we focused on uncovering the role of cic in regulating cell shape changes and cell migration.
Methods: We analysed morphogenetic events in Drosophila ovary in both wild-type and cic mutant conditions using different genetic approaches, such as Gal4/UAS and FRT/FLP systems. We are using in vivo confocal microscopy and biophisycal tools, such as laser ablation, to characterize the effects of modifying cic expression in cell and tissue shape.
Results and Conclusions: We have shown that cic expression pattern changes during FE development. Functionally, down regulation of cic blocks changes in cell shape and cell migration leading to defects at a tissue level. Furthermore, cic loss of function induces alterations in the expression of two key regulators of cell shape changes, the actin cytoskeleton and the integrin adhesion proteins. These results lead us to propose a model in which cic might regulate the cell shape changes underlying epithelia morphogenesis acting as a repressor to modulate cytoskeletal and adhesion proteins levels. 
Identification and characterization of last-resort antibiotic resistance genes and new antimicrobial compounds in environmental samples.
Get PDFMotivation: The misuse of antibiotics has led to a global health crisis, with antimicrobial resistance projected to surpass cancer-related deaths by 2050 and potentially reaching ten million deaths annually. This resistance originates in environmental bacteria, which transmit resistance genes to pathogens via horizontal gene transfer. Additionally, most antimicrobials are natural products, primarily produced by bacteria. However, studying these mechanisms in environmental bacteria is limited, as fewer than 1% of them can be cultured. To overcome this, functional metagenomics and massive sequencing are key tools for identifying these genes in microbial communities(1). Previously, in our laboratory, metagenomic libraries from Los Alcornocales Natural Park soils were constructed and screened, isolating clones conferring resistance to last-resort antibiotics or producing novel antimicrobials.
Methods: This work has two objectives:
1️.Evaluating MPO223 for NRPS (non-ribosomic peptide synthetase) expression: This new strain produces a PPTase (phosphopantethenil transferase) required for NRP synthesis(2). Its ability to generate NRP compounds is being compared with the control strain MPO554.
Resistance to last-resort antibiotics: On the one hand, the capacity of the fosmids that confer resistance to ciprofloxacin in Pseudomonas to confer resistance in Escherichia coli was evaluated by conjugation and determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). On the other hand, we have checked whether a specific region of the MerA25 fosmid is associated with resistance to meropenem, through its deletion.
Results: Pseudomonas fosmids confer ciprofloxacin resistance in Escherichia coli, suggesting that resistance genes can be transferred between different bacterial genera. MIC analysis with and without inducers revealed that one of the fosmids carries a salicylate-independent promoter, indicating that heterologous expression is not required for resistance gene expression(3). For the MerA25 fosmid, deletion of a specific region resulted in loss of resistance, indicating that this fragment is essential for that function. For the evaluation of strain MPO223, we are currently constructing plasmids with the bpsA reporter gene to measure the PPTase activity
Entre Prazer e Intimidade: Uma Análise Netnográfica das Experiências de Clientes Sexuais Comerciais em Portugal
No full textThis study investigates the experiences of commercial sex clients through a netnographic approach centered on the forum GP-PT.net, given the scarcity of research on this group in Portugal. The analysis aimed to understand how clients represent their interactions with sex workers, the negotiation dynamics involved, and the meanings attributed to sexual experiences. The results show that this group is not homogeneous, and their accounts go beyond the pursuit of immediate physical satisfaction. Many express a desire for emotional involvement, valuing not only physical attributes but also the emotional and relational characteristics of the professionals. Practices such as the Girlfriend Experience illustrate the search for the simulation of romantic intimacy, affection, and attention, challenging simplistic and one-dimensional readings of commercial sex. The analysis also identified the importance of the physical space (hygiene, privacy, comfort) and the communication process (notably via WhatsApp) in shaping the sexual experience. Interactions are assessed based on multiple subjective factors, articulating expectations, pleasure, and control. At the same time, recurring risk behaviors were observed, such as resistance to condom use and alcohol consumption, although no explicit forms of physical violence were reported. It is concluded that the consumption of commercial sex is shaped by a complex web of meanings—relational, symbolic, and normative—that goes beyond mere transaction. The study contributes to giving visibility to this often marginalized group, proposing a denser and more contextualized reading of digitally mediated sexual practices.O presente estudo investiga as experiências de clientes de sexo comercial, a partir de uma abordagem netnográfica centrada no fórum GP-PT.net, dada a escassez de investigações sobre este grupo em Portugal. A análise visou compreender como os clientes representam as suas interações com profissionais do sexo, as dinâmicas negociais envolvidas e os sentidos atribuídos às experiências sexuais. Os resultados mostram que este grupo não é homogéneo e que os seus relatos vão além da busca por satisfação física imediata. Muitos expressam o desejo por envolvimento afetivo, valorizando não apenas atributos físicos, mas também características emocionais e relacionais das profissionais. Práticas como a Girlfriend Experience ilustram a procura por simulação de intimidade romântica, carinho e atenção, desafiando leituras simplistas e unidimensionais do sexo comercial. A análise identificou ainda a importância do espaço físico (higiene, privacidade, conforto) e do processo comunicacional (notavelmente via WhatsApp) na configuração da experiência sexual. As interações são avaliadas com base em múltiplos fatores subjetivos, articulando expectativas, prazer e controlo. Paralelamente, observam-se comportamentos de risco recorrentes, como a resistência ao uso do preservativo e o consumo de álcool, embora não tenham sido relatadas formas explícitas de violência física. Conclui-se que o consumo de sexo comercial é atravessado por uma complexa teia de significados — relacionais, simbólicos e normativos — que ultrapassam a mera transação. O estudo contribui para dar visibilidade a este grupo frequentemente marginalizado, propondo uma leitura mais densa e contextualizada das práticas sexuais mediadas digitalmente
Al fin la Directiva 2024/2831 sobre condiciones de trabajo en plataformas: retos y oportunidades de su trasposición al derecho español
Get PDFLast November 11th, the final text of Directive (EU) 2024/2831 of the European Parliament and the Council of October 23rd, 2024 for the improvement of working conditions in platform work was published in the DOUE (OJEU). The regulation discusses many of the challenges that affect this mode of work, such as employment status, algorithmic management, transparency, compliance and collective negotiation, to “improve working conditions and the protection of personal data in the field of platform work”. However, the Directive forgets to cover issues of great importance, such as working time, although there is a common business practice that only considers working time the time when the service is actually provided and not the full period of connection. This study, in addition to the analysis of the new legal framework, anticipates the Spanish legislator and incorporates some proposals about how some of its most relevant points should be transposed to our labor law.El pasado 11 de noviembre se publicó en el DOUE el texto definitivo de la Directiva (UE) 2024/2831 del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo, de 23 de octubre de 2024, relativa a la mejora de las condiciones laborales en el trabajo en plataformas. La norma aborda muchos de los desafíos que afectan a esta modalidad de trabajo, tales como la situación laboral, gestión algorítmica, transparencia, cumplimiento y negociación colectiva, en aras a “mejorar las condiciones laborales y la protección de los datos personales en el ámbito del trabajo en plataformas”. Sin embargo, la Directiva olvida abordar cuestiones de gran trascendencia, como la relativa a los tiempos de trabajo, a pesar de la extendida práctica empresarial de considerar como tal solo los momentos de prestación efectiva del servicio y no todo el periodo de conexión. El presente estudio, junto con el análisis del nuevo marco jurídico, se adelanta al legislador español e incorpora algunas propuestas acerca de cómo deberían ser traspuestos algunos de sus puntos más relevantes a nuestro ordenamiento laboral
Las claves ocultas de la satisfacción del cliente en el floreciente sector de la cocina en nube de Bangladesh
Get PDFThis study explores the most influential factors of consumer satisfaction in the thriving cloud kitchen business in Bangladesh, considering changing perceptions and advancements in technology. We've looked at how these factors such as price, quality, delivery speed, customer service, and social comparison affect satisfaction in the Bangladeshi market. The objective of this study is to provide in-depth knowledge of the factors significantly affecting consumer satisfaction regarding the food delivery industry. Thus, our research question is: What are the factors affecting consumer satisfaction related to cloud kitchens in Bangladesh? To establish causal relationships among latent variables found, this research used a quantitative approach through a non-experimental design. The respondents, selected by a random sampling procedure, resulted in a total sample of 308 people. Data were collected through survey questionnaire and 5-point Likert scale and were analyzed using SEM procedures. The study indicates criteria such as price, quality, speed of delivery, customer service, and social comparison predominantly affect consumer satisfaction. However, the present study indicated that when quality and service are excellent, cost mostly becomes irrelevant in affecting the overall consumer happiness. The study has looked afresh at the cloud kitchen operation regarding the importance of price, quality, delivery speed, customer service, and social comparison, along with their effect on consumer happiness. It differs from the usual price-based models and charts unexplored territories; it offers new insights into the world of cloud kitchens.Este estudio explora los factores influyentes en la satisfacción del consumidor en el negocio de la cocina en la nube en Bangladesh. Hemos analizado cómo afectan a la satisfacción factores como el precio, la calidad, la velocidad de entrega, el servicio al cliente y la comparación social. El objetivo de este estudio es conocer en profundidad los factores que afectan significativamente a la satisfacción del consumidor en relación con el sector de la entrega de comida a domicilio. Para establecer relaciones, esta investigación utilizó un enfoque cuantitativo mediante un diseño no experimental. Los encuestados, seleccionados, dieron como resultado una muestra total de 308 personas. Los datos se recogieron mediante un cuestionario de encuesta y una escala Likert de 5 puntos, y se analizaron mediante procedimientos SEM. El estudio indica que criterios como el precio, la calidad, la rapidez de entrega, el servicio al cliente y la comparación social afectan predominantemente a la satisfacción del consumidor. Sin embargo, cuando la calidad y el servicio son excelentes, el coste pasa a ser irrelevante. El estudio ha examinado de nuevo el funcionamiento de la cocina en la nube en lo que respecta a la importancia del precio, la calidad, la velocidad de entrega, el servicio al cliente y la comparación social, junto con su efecto en la felicidad del consumidor. Difiere de los modelos habituales basados en el precio y traza territorios inexplorados; ofrece nuevas perspectivas en el mundo de las cocinas en nube
Innovación sostenible en empresas de manufactura
Get PDFThis study analyzes sustainable innovation in manufacturing companies. The study, with a quantitative cross-sectional approach and a non-experimental research design, used a measurement instrument composed of 21 items, and 304 participants were obtained in the data collection. The information has been analyzed in the statistical packages SPSS, SMART - PLS and AMOS, used to perform the reliability, validity and model fit tests through confirmatory factor analysis. To achieve the model fit, three items were eliminated, obtaining two significant variables: sustainable dynamic capability (X2) and sustainable transformational leadership (X4).En el presente estudio se analiza la innovación sostenible en empresas de manufactura. En el estudio, de enfoque cuantitativo de corte transversal con diseño de investigación no experimental, se utilizó un instrumento de medición que está compuesto por 21 ítems, en la recolección de datos se obtuvo 304 participantes. La información ha sido analizada en los paquetes estadísticos SPSS, SMART - PLS y AMOS, herramientas utilizadas para realizar las pruebas de confiabilidad, validez y ajuste del modelo mediante análisis factorial confirmatorio. Para lograr el ajuste del modelo se eliminaron tres ítems obteniendo dos variables significativas: capacidad dinámica sostenible (X2) y liderazgo transformacional sostenible (X4)