Biology of Prokaryotes and Gametes
Research lines:
Environmental Microbiology. Biology and Applications of Halophilic Microorganisms
- Halophilic archaeal proteolytic systems: molecular and functional characterization.
- Regulation of carotenogenesis in haloarchaea.
- Bacterial chemotaxis, basic and applied aspects.
- Biopolymers in marine microorganisms.
- Bioproducts derived from archaea and halophilic bacteria: isolation, characterization and biotechnological applications (carotenoids, metal nanoparticles, enzymes).
Reproductive Biology
- Physiology of sperm. Seminal quality.
- Study of the importance of seminal plasma in mammals.
- Cryopreservation of sperm from species of productive interest.
- Generation of recombinant proteins for the development of freezing/thawing media.
- Production of mouse embryos for quality control and procedures in human embryology laboratories.
Members
Andreina is interested in the study of sperm physiology, in particular those secretory molecules of the male tract that regulate the signaling of events necessary to acquire the fertilizer capacity. Apply knowledge of sperm physiology to the development of cryopreservation protocols suitable for each species. Specifically, it works on the murine model and on animals of productive interest and provides services of seminal quality analysis and embryo production.
Inés studies the Romboides intramembrane protease family in Haloferax volcanii. It has generated mutant strains in genes of these proteases to elucidate their function and potential substrates. It also explores the production of metal nanoparticles in H. volcanii and their bioactive properties.
Karina studies the production of bioplastics (polyhydroxyalkanoates) by moderate and extreme halophilic microorganisms (archaea) especially using waste carbon sources. She is interested in characterizing the production of PHAs in microorganisms that she isolates from sea water in order to analyze their potential as new biotechnological tools. She investigates specific PHAs-associated proteins in Halomonas titanicae (moderate halophilic) and Haloferax mediterranei in order to understand their role in microbial biopolymer metabolism. In addition, she is interested in the study of chemotaxis and bacterial mobility focusing on chemotactic responses of the environmental bacterium Halomonas titanicae KHS3.
Lucía is interested in the development of methods of vitrification of sole sperm for application in aquaculture and in the study of the physiology of these gametes.
Roberto participates in several subjects developed in the laboratory, currently in the proteomics experiments in H. volcanii and the construction of mutant strains suppressing lethal phenotype generated by LonB deficiency.
Micaela has built mutant strains of the archean LonB protease and has characterized them at a phenotypic and proteomic level, currently exploring the role of LonB in the regulation of carotenogenesis. Participates in the characterization of carotenoids of the bacterioruberine type (Bctr).
Ingrid investigates the production of biopolymers of biotechnological interest from marine microorganisms. Specifically, it is studying key aspects of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production in Halomonas titanicae KHS3. It also investigates the production of polymer nanoparticles that serve as a vehicle for different drugs and improve interaction with the biological environment.
Anabella investigates the role of decapacitant proteins on signal transduction leading to training in the mouse model. She generates recombinant proteins for their application in the reproduction of heterologous species of livestock interest.
Sofia studies the regulation of N-glycosylation of proteins and carotenogenesis by membrane-associated proteases in the haloarchaeal model Haloferax volcanii.
Tomás is a PhD student who investigates extracellular vesicles of seminal plasma, their influence on sperm physiology and possible application in sheep production.