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Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier da Universidade NOVA de Lisboa ITQB NOVA


Journalism Science Alliance awards nearly €1 million to 25 new journalist-scientist projects

The Journalism Science Alliance has selected 25 new projects, receiving nearly €1 million in funding, to promote science-based investigative journalism worldwide. The projects, led by journalists and scientists from 24 countries, will benefit from expert mentoring, training, and networking opportunities.

Throwing tomatoes at bacteria

Researchers at ITQB NOVA extract bactericidal mixtures from tomato peels using a fast, simple, and sustainable process. The extracts show effectiveness against pathogenic bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. This breakthrough has the potential to provide antimicrobial properties to biomaterials.

A new light in rice flowering

The study clarifies the role of photoperiodism in regulating rice flowering time. Phytochrome B makes connection between light and Evening Complex, while active ELF3-1 protein triggers late flowering. Evening Complex plays essential role in inducing flowering, with inactive proteins leading to no flowering.

A boost to sulfur metabolism

A recent study by ITQB NOVA scientists uncovered the crucial role of a small marker protein, DsrD, in increasing metabolic activity for sulfate respiration. The findings suggest that DsrD acts as an allosteric activator of the DsrAB dissimilatory sulfite reductase, enhancing energy efficiency in microbial metabolism.

Unfolding the blindness proteins through fly eyes

Scientists have identified a crucial mechanism for Rhodopsin production in fruit flies, which may lead to a better understanding of retinitis pigmentosa and vision loss. The study reveals that the EMC protein complex is essential for the proper folding and insertion of Xport-A, a key chaperone of Rhodopsin.

A picture of MRSA in the PALOP Countries

A whole genome analysis of a Staphylococcus aureus collection recovered from Cape Verde reveals high genetic variability among isolates. The study identifies three primary genetic clusters associated with lineages ST152, ST15, and ST5, commonly found in S. aureus infections worldwide.

New insight on the reproductive evolution of land plants

A study published in Nature Plants reveals a comprehensive atlas of gene expression data from ten different species of land plants. The analysis identified novel and missing components involved in the formation of sex organs and cells, showing that many groups of genes emerged through the repurpose of existing genetic material. The tea...

Asymptomatic adults may be reservoirs of Streptococcus pneumoniae

A study by ITQB NOVA researchers found that asymptomatic adults in Portugal can carry pneumococci for several months, with a median duration of almost two months. This suggests that some adults may act as reservoirs of the bacterium, potentially impacting herd immunity.

From meat-production to urinary tract infections

A study revealed that Staphylococcus saprophyticus can originate from food, particularly meat production, and is a major cause of urinary tract infections in young women. The bacteria's transmission occurs between persons within the community, emphasizing the importance of hygiene practices to prevent infectious diseases.