Lígia O. Martins Lab

	Our research focuses on molecular biotechnology at the intersection of protein science and technology. We select, characterize, and engineer promising enzymes to enhance their structure-function properties for environmental and industrial applications.
	Lígia O. Martins Associate Professor with “Agregação” PhD in Biotechnology, IST-UL Phone (+351) 214469534 | Extension 1534 Email lmartins@itqb.unl.pt | Lab website

Research Interests

Biocatalysis is a key component for developing a sustainable bioeconomy, and enzymes are used as biocatalysts in various industries. Enzymes are sustainable, selective, and efficient, offering multiple benefits, such as cleaner reactions and increased specificity, with lower energy requirements. In recent years, we have successfully established a research program focused on investigating a variety of bacterial oxidoreductases. The target enzymes are laccases and metallo-oxidases from the family of multicopper oxidases, azoreductases, DyP-type peroxidases from a new microbial family of heme peroxidases, isoeugenol monooxygenases that convert a lignin-related phenolic, isoeugenol into vanillin, and more recently carbohydrate oxidases with importance in diagnosis and carbohydrate chemistry. We investigate their mechanistic and structural properties and use protein-engineering methodologies, including directed evolution and computational methods, to improve the enzyme's performance and robustness. Additionally, we explore these enzymes' efficiency in degrading synthetic and natural substrates and synthesizing added-value compounds using multidisciplinary approaches. The final goal is the design of biological systems for new functions, a fundamental tenet of synthetic biology, by exploring the catalytic properties of multiple and improved enzymes to produce industrially relevant compounds, contributing to the intelligent and circular use of natural resources.

Group Members

• Lígia O Martins, Head of the laboratory
• Vânia Brissos, Invited Auxiliar Investigator
• Paulo Durão, Associate Investigator CEEC
• Patrícia T Borges, Junior Investigator CEEC
• Elena K. Potocká, MSCA Post-doc Fellow (co-supervision R Ventura)
• Catarina Coelho, Post-Doc
• André Taborda, Ph.D. student
• Carolina Ferro Rodrigues, Ph.D. student
• Tomás Frazão, Ph.D. student
• Tiago Lopes, Ph.D. student
• Catarina Barbosa, Ph.D. student (co-supervision S Todorovic)
• André Amador, Project Fellow
• Pedro Almeida, Project Fellow
• Zhenjia Chen, Invited Scientist

Recent Publications

1. Taborda, A, Rénio, Ventura, MV, Martins, LO. 2025. A new chemo-enzymatic approach to synthesize rare sugars using an engineered glycoside-3-oxidase. Green Chem 27:1044

2. Brissos, V, Rénio, M, Lejmel, M, Estevinho, R, Robalo, MP, Ventura, MV, Martins, LO. 2025. Unlocking Lignin's Potential: Engineered Bacterial Laccases to Produce Biologically Active Molecules. ChemSusChem, e202401386 (1 of 10)

3. Taborda, A, Frazão, T, Rodrigues, MV, Fernández-Luengo, X, Sancho, F., Frazão, C, Ventura, MR, Masgrau, L, Borges, PT, Martins, LO. 2023. Mechanistic insights into glycoside 3-oxidases involved in C-glycoside metabolism in soil microorganisms. Nat Commun 14: 7289

4. Brissos, V, Borges, PT, Nunez, R, Lucas, MF, Frazão, C, Monza, E, Masgrau, L, Cordeiro, TN, Martins, LO. 2022. Distal mutations shape substrate-binding sites during the evolution of a metallo-oxidase into a laccase ACS Catal 12: 5022-5035

Laboratory's Website

For further information please visit the laboratory's website.

Tecnologia Microbiana e Enzimática (PT)

O nosso laboratório investiga enzimas bacterianas com potencial para aplicações biotecnológicas, tanto em contextos ambientais quanto industriais. Para isso, utilizamos uma abordagem multidisciplinar que integra técnicas de Microbiologia, Biologia Molecular, Bioquímica e Biofísica.

Além de caracterizar estas enzimas, recorremos a técnicas de mutagénese para estudar o impacto da substituição de resíduos de aminoácidos específicos nas suas propriedades e para desenvolver variantes enzimáticas mais eficazes para aplicações biotecnológicas. Atualmente, estamos a otimizar estratégias de Evolução Dirigida, combinando mutagénese aleatória com rastreio enzimático, e também estratégias computacionais, para melhorar características como a estabilidade e a eficiência no uso de substratos não naturais. O objetivo final é desenvolver biocatalisadores mais robustos e otimizados para utilização industrial.

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