BSc in Biology, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon
MSc in Microbiology, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon
PhD in Biotechnology and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
5
Scopus Publications
71
Scholar Citations
5
Scholar h-index
4
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
A Polyclonal Antibody against a Burkholderia cenocepacia OmpA-like Protein Strongly Impairs Pseudomonas aeruginosa and B. multivorans Virulence António M. M. Seixas, Sara C. Gomes, Carolina Silva, Leonilde M. Moreira, Jorge H. Leitão, et al. Vaccines, 2024 Despite advances in therapies, bacterial chronic respiratory infections persist as life-threatening to patients suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF). Pseudomonas aeruginosa and bacteria of the Burkholderia cepacia complex are among the most difficult of these infections to treat, due to factors like their resistance to multiple antibiotics and ability to form biofilms. The lack of effective antimicrobial strategies prompted our search for alternative immunotherapies that can effectively control and reduce those infections among CF patients. Previous work from our group showed that the anti-BCAL2645 goat polyclonal antibody strongly inhibited Burkholderia cenocepacia to adhere and invade cultured epithelial cells. In this work, we showed that the polyclonal antibody anti-BCAL2645 also strongly inhibited the ability of P. aeruginosa to form biofilms, and to adhere and invade the human bronchial epithelial cell line CFBE41o-. The polyclonal antibody also inhibited, to a lesser extent, the ability of B. multivorans to adhere and invade the human bronchial epithelial cell line CFBE41o. We also show that the ability of B. cenocepacia, P. aeruginosa and B. multivorans to kill larvae of the Galleria mellonella model of infection was impaired when bacteria were incubated with the anti-BCAL2645 antibody prior to the infection. Our findings show that an antibody against BCAL2645 possesses a significant potential for the development of new immunotherapies against these three important bacterial species capable of causing devastating and often lethal infections among CF patients.
A polyclonal antibody raised against the burkholderia cenocepacia ompa-like protein BCAL2645 impairs the bacterium adhesion and invasion of human epithelial cells in vitro António M. M. Seixas, Sílvia A. Sousa, Joana R. Feliciano, Sara C. Gomes, Mirela R. Ferreira, et al. Biomedicines, 2021 Respiratory infections by bacteria of the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) remain a life threat to cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, due to the faster lung function decline and the absence of effective eradication strategies. Immunotherapies are regarded as an attractive alternative to control and reduce the damages caused by these infections. In this work, we report the cloning and functional characterization of the OmpA-like BCAL2645 protein, previously identified and found to be immunoreactive against sera from CF patients with a record of Bcc infections. The BCAL2645 protein is shown to play a role in biofilm formation, adherence to mucins and invasion of human lung epithelial cells. The expression of the BCAL2645 protein was found to be increased in culture medium, mimicking the lungs of CF patients and microaerophilic conditions characteristic of the CF lung. Moreover, a polyclonal antibody raised against BCAL2645 was found to inhibit, by about 75 and 85%, the ability of B. cenocepacia K56-2 to bind and invade in vitro CFBE41o- human bronchial epithelial cells. These results highlight the potential of anti-BCAL2645 antibodies for the development of passive immunization therapies to protect CF patients against Bcc infections.
A Histone-like nucleoid structuring protein regulates several virulence traits in burkholderia multivorans Sara C. Gomes, Mirela R. Ferreira, Andreia F. Tavares, Inês N. Silva, Jörg D. Becker, et al. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2021 Members of the histone-like nucleoid structuring (H-NS) family of proteins, present in many bacteria, are important global regulators of gene expression. Many of the regulated genes were acquired horizontally and include pathogenicity islands and prophages, among others.
Molecular and functional characterization of grapevine NIPs through heterologous expression in aqy-null saccharomyces cerevisiae Farzana Sabir, Sara Gomes, Maria C. Loureiro-Dias, Graça Soveral, Catarina Prista International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2020 Plant Nodulin 26-like Intrinsic Proteins (NIPs) are multifunctional membrane channels of the Major Intrinsic Protein (MIP) family. Unlike other homologs, they have low intrinsic water permeability. NIPs possess diverse substrate selectivity, ranging from water to glycerol and to other small solutes, depending on the group-specific amino acid composition at aromatic/Arg (ar/R) constriction. We cloned three NIPs (NIP1;1, NIP5;1, and NIP6;1) from grapevine (cv. Touriga Nacional). Their expression in the membrane of aqy-null Saccharomyces cerevisiae enabled their functional characterization for water and glycerol transport through stopped-flow spectroscopy. VvTnNIP1;1 demonstrated high water as well as glycerol permeability, whereas VvTnNIP6;1 was impermeable to water but presented high glycerol permeability. Their transport activities were declined by cytosolic acidification, implying that internal-pH can regulate NIPs gating. Furthermore, an extension of C-terminal in VvTnNIP6;1M homolog, led to improved channel activity, suggesting that NIPs gating is putatively regulated by C-terminal. Yeast growth assays in the presence of diverse substrates suggest that the transmembrane flux of metalloids (As, B, and Se) and the heavy metal (Cd) are facilitated through grapevine NIPs. This is the first molecular and functional characterization of grapevine NIPs, providing crucial insights into understanding their role for uptake and translocation of small solutes, and extrusion of toxic compounds in grapevine.
A Polyclonal Antibody against a Burkholderia cenocepacia OmpA-like Protein Strongly Impairs Pseudomonas aeruginosa and B. multivorans Virulence AMM Seixas, SC Gomes, C Silva, LM Moreira, JH Leitão, SA Sousa Vaccines 12 (2), 207 , 2024 2024 Citations: 8
Response of avian and mammal seed dispersal networks to human-induced forest edges in a sub-humid tropical forest PP Chaves, S Timóteo, S Gomes, A Rainho Journal of Tropical Ecology 38 (4), 199-209 , 2022 2022 Citations: 16
A Polyclonal Antibody Raised against the Burkholderia cenocepacia OmpA-like Protein BCAL2645 Impairs the Bacterium Adhesion and Invasion of Human … AMM Seixas, SA Sousa, JR Feliciano, SC Gomes, MR Ferreira, ... Biomedicines 9 (12), 1788 , 2021 2021 Citations: 15
A Histone-Like Nucleoid Structuring Protein Regulates Several Virulence Traits in Burkholderia multivorans SC Gomes, MR Ferreira, AF Tavares, IN Silva, JD Becker, LM Moreira Applied and Environmental Microbiology 87 (14), e00369-21 , 2021 2021 Citations: 1
Molecular and Functional Characterization of Grapevine NIPs through Heterologous Expression in aqy- Null Saccharomyces cerevisiae F Sabir, S Gomes, MC Loureiro-Dias, G Soveral, C Prista International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21 (2), 663 , 2020 2020 Citations: 20
Mucoid switch in Burkholderia cepacia complex bacteria: Triggers, molecular mechanisms and implications in pathogenesis MR Ferreira, SC Gomes, LM Moreira Advances in Applied Microbiology 107, 113-140 , 2019 2019 Citations: 11
Genetic and environmental conditions influencing cellular aggregates formation in Burkholderia multivorans SC Gomes 2018
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Molecular and Functional Characterization of Grapevine NIPs through Heterologous Expression in aqy- Null Saccharomyces cerevisiae F Sabir, S Gomes, MC Loureiro-Dias, G Soveral, C Prista International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21 (2), 663 , 2020 2020 Citations: 20
Response of avian and mammal seed dispersal networks to human-induced forest edges in a sub-humid tropical forest PP Chaves, S Timóteo, S Gomes, A Rainho Journal of Tropical Ecology 38 (4), 199-209 , 2022 2022 Citations: 16
A Polyclonal Antibody Raised against the Burkholderia cenocepacia OmpA-like Protein BCAL2645 Impairs the Bacterium Adhesion and Invasion of Human … AMM Seixas, SA Sousa, JR Feliciano, SC Gomes, MR Ferreira, ... Biomedicines 9 (12), 1788 , 2021 2021 Citations: 15
Mucoid switch in Burkholderia cepacia complex bacteria: Triggers, molecular mechanisms and implications in pathogenesis MR Ferreira, SC Gomes, LM Moreira Advances in Applied Microbiology 107, 113-140 , 2019 2019 Citations: 11
A Polyclonal Antibody against a Burkholderia cenocepacia OmpA-like Protein Strongly Impairs Pseudomonas aeruginosa and B. multivorans Virulence AMM Seixas, SC Gomes, C Silva, LM Moreira, JH Leitão, SA Sousa Vaccines 12 (2), 207 , 2024 2024 Citations: 8
A Histone-Like Nucleoid Structuring Protein Regulates Several Virulence Traits in Burkholderia multivorans SC Gomes, MR Ferreira, AF Tavares, IN Silva, JD Becker, LM Moreira Applied and Environmental Microbiology 87 (14), e00369-21 , 2021 2021 Citations: 1
Genetic and environmental conditions influencing cellular aggregates formation in Burkholderia multivorans SC Gomes 2018
Industry, Institute, or Organisation Collaboration
University of Pittsburgh, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
