Marta Campos Justino

@ips.pt

Escola Superior de Tecnologia do Barreiro / Departamento de Engenharia Química e Biológica
Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal

Marta Campos Justino


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https://researchid.co/marta.c.justino

RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS

Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Bioengineering
20

Scopus Publications

Scopus Publications

  • Unveiling Bacterial Diversity in Portuguese Red Wine Effluents Through a Metagenomic Approach
    Ana Gabriela Gomes, Ana Cláudia Sousa, João S. Carreira, Alberto Oliveira, Marta C. Justino, et al.
    Microorganisms, 2025
    The sustainable reuse of agro-industrial effluents requires a detailed understanding of their microbial composition, especially in the context of integrated vineyard–winery ecosystems. This study investigated the bacterial communities present in winery effluents generated during the early stages of red wine production, using samples collected at a winery in the Setúbal Peninsula, Portugal. Metagenomic analysis targeting the 16S rRNA gene was used to characterise microbial diversity and identify taxa with potential relevance for biotechnology and environmental applications. The effluents exhibited a diverse microbiome, including Prevotella paludivivens, species from the Lactobacillus genus, and members of the Clostridiaceae family, the latter representing about 5% of the total community. Functional profiling of lactic acid bacteria revealed the predominance of Oenococcus and Lactobacillus genera, highlighting adaptive traits that may be beneficial under stress conditions. These results suggest that winery effluents, often considered waste, harbour microbial communities with functional potential that extends beyond fermentation, contributing to a broader grape–wine microbial system. The findings emphasise the value of studying winemaking byproducts as reservoirs of microbial diversity and as resources for developing innovative and sustainable applications in biotechnology and environmental management within the wine industry.
  • Advancing Biotechnology Education with Active Learning and Sustainability
    Ana Cláudia de Sousa, Ana Gabriela Gomes, Carla A. Santos, Marta Campos Justino
    2025 6th International Conference of the Portuguese Society for Engineering Education Cispee 2025, 2025
  • A Comprehensive Review of Precious Metals Recovery From Electronic Waste
    M. Lurdes F. Gameiro, João F. Dias, Marta C. Justino, Fátima N. Serralha, Joana L. N. Tudella, et al.
    Resilient and Sustainable Regional Development, 2025
    The growing demand for electronic devices and shorter product lifecycles has led to a surge in electronic waste, especially waste printed circuit boards, rich in valuable metals like gold, silver, and platinum, often in higher concentrations than natural ores. Traditional pyrometallurgical recovery processes are energy-intensive and environmentally damaging, driving a shift toward more sustainable approaches. Hydrometallurgical methods, such as leaching and solvent extraction, offer reduced energy requirements and enhanced selectivity. Recent advancements are exploring eco-friendly leaching agents to improve precious metal recovery, though challenges with reagent stability and environmental impact remain. Cutting-edge techniques like ionic liquid application show high extraction efficiencies, while alternative methods, such as bioleaching and biosorption, are gaining traction due to their low environmental impact. This chapter examines key techniques for precious metal recovery, emphasizing the need for continued research to optimize sustainable and cost-effective processes.
  • Strategies for Increasing the Throughput of Genetic Screening: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic within a University Community
    Fernanda Miguel, A. Raquel Baleizão, A. Gabriela Gomes, Helena Caria, Fátima N. Serralha, et al.
    Biotech, 2024
    Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Polytechnic University of Setúbal (IPS) used its expertise in molecular genetics to establish a COVID-19 laboratory, addressing the demand for community-wide testing. Following standard protocols, the IPS COVID Lab received national accreditation in October 2020 and was registered in February 2021. With the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants and safety concerns for students and staff, the lab was further challenged to develop rapid and sensitive diagnostic technologies. Methodologies such as sample-pooling extraction and multiplex protocols were developed to enhance testing efficiency without compromising accuracy. Through Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis, the effectiveness of sample pooling was validated, proving to be a clear success in COVID-19 screening. Regarding multiplex analysis, the IPS COVID Lab developed an in-house protocol, achieving a sensitivity comparable to that of standard methods while reducing operational time and reagent consumption. This approach, requiring only two wells of a PCR plate (instead of three for samples), presents a more efficient alternative for future testing scenarios, increasing its throughput and testing capacity while upholding accuracy standards. The lessons learned during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic provide added value for future pandemic situations.
  • Molecular dynamics simulations and analysis for bioinformatics undergraduate students
    Gonçalo C. Justino, Catarina P. Nascimento, Marta C. Justino
    Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 2021
    A computational biochemistry laboratory, fitted for bioinformatics students, is presented. The molecular dynamics package GROMACS is used to prepare and simulate a solvated protein. Students analyze the trajectory with different available tools (GROMACS and VMD) to probe the structural stability of the protein during the simulation. Students are also required to make use of Python libraries and write their own code to probe non‐covalent interactions between the amino acid side chains. Based on these results, students characterize the system in a qualitatively approach but also assess the importance of each specific interaction through time. This work mobilizes biochemical concepts and programming skills, fostering critical thinking and group work and developing presenting skills.
  • Immobilization of His-tagged proteins on NiO foams for recyclable enzymatic reactors
    Pedro C. Rosado, Ricardo Meyrelles, Ana M. Macatrão, Marta C. Justino, A. Gabriela Gomes, et al.
    Applied Surface Science, 2021
  • Camphor-based CCR5 blocker lead compounds-a computational and experimental approach
    Gonçalo C. Justino, Pedro F. Pinheiro, Alexandra P. S. Roseiro, Ana S. O. Knittel, João Gonçalves, et al.
    Rsc Advances, 2016
    This study identifies novel camphor-derived compounds that bind the CCR5 receptor and can be used as lead compounds for drug discovery.
  • FrxA is an S-nitrosoglutathione reductase enzyme that contributes to Helicobacter pylori pathogenicity
    Marta C. Justino, Margarida R. Parente, Ivo G. Boneca, Lígia M. Saraiva
    FEBS Journal, 2014
    Helicobacter pylori is a pathogen that infects the gastric mucosa of a large percentage of the human population worldwide, and predisposes to peptic ulceration and gastric cancer. Persistent colonization of humans by H. pylori triggers an inflammatory response that leads to the production of reactive nitrogen species. However, the mechanisms of H. pylori defence against nitrosative stress remain largely unknown. In this study, we show that the NADH‐flavin oxidoreductase FrxA of H. pylori, besides metabolizing nitrofurans and metronidazole, has S‐nitrosoglutathione reductase activity. In agreement with this, inactivation of the FrxA‐encoding gene resulted in a strain that was more sensitive to S‐nitrosoglutathione. FrxA was also shown to contribute to the proliferation of H. pylori in macrophages, which are key phagocytic cells of the mammalian innate immune system. Moreover, FrxA was shown to support the virulence of the pathogen upon mouse infection. Altogether, we provide evidence for a new function of FrxA that contributes to the successful chronic colonization ability that characterizes H. pylori.
  • The bactericidal activity of carbon monoxide-releasing molecules against helicobacter pylori
    Ana F. Tavares, Margarida R. Parente, Marta C. Justino, Mónica Oleastro, Lígia S. Nobre, et al.
    Plos One, 2013
    Helicobacter pylori is a pathogen that establishes long life infections responsible for chronic gastric ulcer diseases and a proved risk factor for gastric carcinoma. The therapeutic properties of carbon-monoxide releasing molecules (CORMs) led us to investigate their effect on H. pylori. We show that H. pylori 26695 is susceptible to two widely used CORMs, namely CORM-2 and CORM-3. Also, several H. pylori clinical isolates were killed by CORM-2, including those resistant to metronidazole. Moreover, sub-lethal doses of CORM-2 combined with metronidazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycin was found to potentiate the effect of the antibiotics. We further demonstrate that the mechanisms underpinning the antimicrobial effect of CORMs involve the inhibition of H. pylori respiration and urease activity. In vivo studies done in key cells of the innate immune system, such as macrophages, showed that CORM-2, either alone or when combined with metronidazole, strongly reduces the ability of H. pylori to infect animal cells. Hence, CORMs have the potential to kill antibiotic resistant strains of H. pylori.
  • Helicobacter pylori has an unprecedented nitric oxide detoxifying system
    Marta C. Justino, Chantal Ecobichon, André F. Fernandes, Ivo G. Boneca, Lígia M. Saraiva
    Antioxidants and Redox Signaling, 2012
    AIMS The ability of pathogens to cope with the damaging effects of nitric oxide (NO), present in certain host niches and produced by phagocytes that support innate immunity, relies on multiple strategies that include the action of detoxifying enzymes. As for many other pathogens, these systems remained unknown for Helicobacter pylori. This work aimed at identifying and functionally characterizing an H. pylori system involved in NO protection. RESULTS In the present work, the hp0013 gene of H. pylori is shown to be related to NO resistance, as its inactivation increases the susceptibility of H. pylori to nitrosative stress, and significantly decreases the NADPH-dependent NO reduction activity of H. pylori cells. The recombinant HP0013 protein is able to complement an NO reductase-deficient Escherichia coli strain and exhibits significant NO reductase activity. Mutation of hp0013 renders H. pylori more vulnerable to nitric oxide synthase-dependent macrophage killing, and decreases the ability of the pathogen to colonize mice stomachs. INNOVATION Phylogenetic studies reveal that HP0013, which shares no significant amino acid sequence similarity to the other so far known microbial NO detoxifiers, belongs to a novel family of proteins with a widespread distribution in the microbial world. CONCLUSION H. pylori HP0013 represents an unprecedented enzymatic NO detoxifying system for the in vivo microbial protection against nitrosative stress.
  • Oxidative stress modulates the nitric oxide defense promoted by Escherichia coli flavorubredoxin
    Joana M. Baptista, Marta C. Justino, Ana M. P. Melo, Miguel Teixeira, Lígia M. Saraiva
    Journal of Bacteriology, 2012
  • Detection by whole genome microarrays of a spontaneous 126-gene deletion during construction of a ytfE mutant: confirmation that a ytfE mutation results in loss of repair of iron-sulfur centres in proteins damaged by oxidative or nitrosative stress
    Claire E. Vine, Marta C. Justino, Lígia M. Saraiva, Jeffrey Cole
    Journal of Microbiological Methods, 2010
  • Di-iron proteins of the Ric family are involved in iron-sulfur cluster repair
    Marta C. Justino, Joana M. Baptista, Lígia M. Saraiva
    Biometals, 2009
  • Iron-sulfur repair YtfE protein from Escherichia coli: Structural characterization of the di-iron center
    Smilja Todorovic, Marta C. Justino, Gerd Wellenreuther, Peter Hildebrandt, Daniel H. Murgida, et al.
    Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry, 2008
  • Widespread distribution in pathogenic bacteria of di-iron proteins that repair oxidative and nitrosative damage to iron-sulfur centers
    Tim W. Overton, Marta C. Justino, Ying Li, Joana M. Baptista, Ana M. P. Melo, et al.
    Journal of Bacteriology, 2008
  • Biochemical, Spectroscopic, and Thermodynamic Properties of Flavodiiron Proteins
    João B. Vicente, Marta C. Justino, Vera L. Gonçalves, Lígia M. Saraiva, Miguel Teixeira
    Methods in Enzymology, 2008
  • Escherichia coli Di-iron YtfE protein is necessary for the repair of stress-damaged iron-sulfur clusters
    Marta C. Justino, Cláudia C. Almeida, Miguel Teixeira, Lígia M. Saraiva
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2007
  • Escherichia coli YtfE is a di-iron protein with an important function in assembly of iron-sulphur clusters
    Marta C. Justino, Cláudia C. Almeida, Vera L. Gonçalves, Miguel Teixeira, Lígia M. Saraiva
    FEMS Microbiology Letters, 2006
  • Binding of NorR to three DNA sites is essential for promoter activation of the flavorubredoxin gene, the nitric oxide reductase of Escherichia coli
    Marta C. Justino, Vera M.M. Gonçalves, Lígia M. Saraiva
    Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2005
  • New genes implicated in the protection of anaerobically grown Escherichia coli against nitric oxide
    Marta C. Justino, João B. Vicente, Miguel Teixeira, Lígia M. Saraiva
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2005