Proteomics of Non-Model Organisms

Proteomics of Non-Model Organisms

Biodiversity includes an immensity of species. Few of them have been widely studied, and are now established as model organisms. However, it is evident that many more species handling recognized unique biological processes deserve to be thoroughly investigated. However, not enough tools are available to depict their molecular and cellular processes. At the Proteomics of Non-Model Organisms Laboratory we use integrated omics approches coupled with other methodologies (like, flow cytometry and microscopy) aiming at a) defining new antimicrobials and therapeuthic targets through a deeper understanding of bacteria colonization and infection processes; b) contribute to clarify the mechanisms involved in echinoderms central nervous system regeneration envisaging biomimetic biomedical applications. Additionally, these experimental strategies have been used for the discovery of diagnosis and therapeuthic biomarkers.

The toolbox of omics approaches have been utilized also in collaboration with several national and international research groups for the i) identification of novel targets for therapeutics and infection prevention through the understanding of microbe-host interactions with relevance in veterinary and medical contexts involving non-model bacteria (such as, Ehrlichia ruminantium and Saphylococcus epidermidis) by improving their genome annotation and refining knowledge on their pathogenesis mechanisms and metabolic and biological pathways; ii) clarification of antimicrobial mechanisms of chitosan polymers and their nanoparticle-counterparts; iii) discovery of biomarkers for diagnosis of bacterial infectious disesases, namely for the early diagnosis of tuberculosis; iv) characterization of relevant biological processes of marine organisms, in particular wound healing and regeneration, as well as ellutidating the anti-microbial activity of asteroidea secundary metabolites associated with them.