MYCOLOGY

In this field of research, we are developing the following studies:

• Environmental-Food Mycology
  
  
• Antifungal Activity: Search of New Compounds with Potential Antifungal Activity; Mechanisms of Action and Resistance
  
  
• Using yeast as a cell model for functional and pharmacological studies of proteins and biological processes involved in human diseases
  
  
  Research Area Coordinator: Eugénia Pinto | Email: epinto@ff.up.pt
  
  
  

  Environmental-Food Mycology

  In last decades much interest has grown for the fungi present in indoor environments. Using methods for the detection, isolation and characterization of fungi from indoor environments we are evaluating the indoor air quality of different areas: Hospitals, Schools, Wastewater treatment plants.
  
  Evaluate the effect of the massive use of fungicides in agricultural treatments on the resistance against drugs used to treat people with life-threatening infections of Aspergillus, namely A. fumigatus.
  
  Developing a photoreactor for the disinfection/detoxification of indoor air containing microorganisms (bacteria , fungi), volatile organic compounds and H2S.
  
  Developing low cost efficient treatment systems to remove the most used antimicrobials from real contaminated waters.
  
  
  
  Relevant publications:
  
  
  • N-modified TiO₂ photocatalytic activity towards diphenhydramine degradation and Escherichia coli inactivation in aqueous solutions
    Monteiro RAR, Miranda SM, Vilar VJP, Pastrana-Martínez LM, Tavares PB, Boaventura RAR, Faria JL, Pinto E, Silva AMT
    Applied Catalysis B-Environmental. 162: 66-74. 2015
    
    
  • Patulin assessment and fungi identification in organic and conventional fruits and derived products
    Cunha SC, Faria MA, Pereira VL, Oliveira TM, Lima AC, Pinto E
    Food Control, 44: 185-190. 2014
    
    
  • Does fungicide application in vineyards induce resistance to medical azoles in Aspergillus species?
    Lago M, Aguiar A, Natário A, Fernandes c, Faria M, Pinto E
    Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 186: 5581-5593. 2014
    
    
  • Assessment of Indoor Airborne Contamination in a Wastewater Treatment Plant
    Teixeira JV, Miranda S, Monteiro RAR, Lopes FVS, Madureira J, Silva GV, Pestana N, Pinto E, Vilar VJP, Boaventura RAR
    Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 185 (1): 59-72. 2013
    
    
  • Indoor air quality in schools and health symptoms among Portuguese teachers
    Madureira J, Alvim-Ferraz MCM, Rodrigues S, Gonçalves C, Azevedo MC, Pinto E, Mayan O
    Human and Ecological Risk Assessment, 15: 159-169. 2009
    
    
  
  
  Projects:
  
  Efeito dos tratamentos antifúngicos da vinha no perfil de susceptibilidade aos azóis em espécies de Aspergillus
  nº 93 do Concurso de Projectos Pluridisciplinares da Universidade do Porto em 2010, IJUP.
  Project Coordinator (Eugénia Pinto).
  
  Quantification of patulin in fruits (organic and conventional) and identification of producing moulds
  nº 101 do Concurso de Projectos Pluridisciplinares da Universidade do Porto em 2010, IJUP.
  Member of the team (Eugénia Pinto).
  
  Airphotoxi-solar indoor aor detoxification: Bioaerosols and VOCs – PTDC/EQU-EQU/100554/2008.
  Member of the team (Nazaré Pestana and Eugénia Pinto).
  
  Elimination of micropollutants with antimicrobial activity from wastewaters – PTDC/AAC-AMB/113091/2009.
  Member of the team (Eugénia Pinto).
  
  
  
  
  

  Antifungal Activity: Search of New Compounds with Potential Antifungal Activity; Mechanisms of Action and Resistance

  Antifungal activity: search of new chemical compounds, of synthetic or natural origin, with potential antifungal activity. Mechanisms of action and resistance involved and studies of alternatives for topical treatment of superficial and mucocutaneous mycoses.
  
  
  
  Relevant publications:
  
  
  • Activity of Thymus caespititius essential oil and α-terpineol against yeasts and filamentous fungi
    Pinto E, Gonçalves MJ, Oliveira P, Coelho J, Cavaleiro C, Salgueiro L
    Industrial Crops and Products, 62: 107-112. 2014
    
    
  • Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of novel 5-amino imidazole-4-carboxamidrazones
    Ribeiro AI, Gabriel C, Cerqueira F, Maia M, Pinto E, Sousa JC, Medeiros R, M. Proença MF, Dias AM
    Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters. 2014
    DOI:10.1016/j.bmcl.2014.08.025.
    
    
  • Antifungal activity of phlorotannins against dermatophytes and yeasts: approaches to the mechanism of action and influence on Candida albicans virulence factor
    Lopes G, Pinto E, Andrade PB, Valentão P
    PLoS ONE, 8 (8), e72203. 2013
    
    
  • Antifungal activity of Ferulago capillaris essential oil against Candida, Cryptococcus, Aspergillus and dermatophyte species
    Pinto E, Hrimpeng K, Lopes G, Vaz S, Gonçalves MJ, Cavaleiro C, Salgueiro L.
    European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, 32 (10): 1311-1320. 2013
    
    
  • Azole resistance by loss of function of the sterol Δ^5,6-desaturase gene (ERG3) in Candida albicans does not necessarily decrease virulence
    Vale-Silva LA, Coste AT, Ischer F, Parker JE, Kelly SL, Pinto E, Sanglard D
    Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 56 (4): 1960-1968. 2012
    
    
  
  
  Projects:
  
  Antifungal activity of essential oils: scientific foundations for its clinical use.
  SAPIENS Proj99, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT). Programa Operacional
  (POCTI) Quadro Comunitário de apoio III (POCTI/ESP/40167/ 2001) (Concluded).
  Principal investigator (Eugénia Pinto)
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Using yeast as a cell model for functional and pharmacological studies of proteins and biological processes involved in human diseases

  The high degree of conservation of basic higher eukaryotic cellular processes in yeast, namely the existence of an ancestral programmed cell death (PCD) machinery, proposes this organism as a powerful cell model for functional and pharmacological studies of proteins and biological processes involved in human diseases.
  
  Based on these evidence, our group have been used the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae for the functional expression of several relevant human proteins, such as different protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms; apoptotic proteins of the Bcl-2 family; p53 protein; the natural inhibitor of the tumour suppressor p53 protein, MDM2; the pro-apoptotic protein caspase-3.
  
  These yeast expression systems have been used as a tool to study the role of human proteins in important cellular processes, such as cell cycle and PCD; to search for pharmacological modulators of relevant human proteins and to study the molecular mechanism of action of several compounds.
  
  
  
  Relevant publications:
  
  
  • Mitochondria dependent apopotsis in yeast.
    Pereira Clara, Silva Rui D., Saraiva Lucília, Johansson Bijorn, Sousa Maria João and Corte-Real Manuela.
    Biochim Biophys Acta. 1783:1286-302, 2008.
    
    
  • Specific modulation of apoptosis and Bcl-xL phosphorylation in yeast by distinct mammalian protein kinase C isoforms.
    Saraiva Lucília, Silva Rui, Pereira Gil, Gonçalves Jorge, Côrte-Real Manuela.
    J. Cell Science 119, 3171-3181, 2006.
    
    
  • Characterization of Phorbol Esters Activity on Individual Mammalian Protein Kinase C Isoforms, Using the Yeast Phenotypic Assay.
    Saraiva Lucília, Fresco Paula, Pinto Eugénia, Gonçalves Jorge
    Eur. J. Pharmacol. 491, 101-110, 2004.
    
    
  • Isoform-Selectivity of PKC Inhibitors Acting at the Regulatory and Catalytic Domain of Mammalian PKC afa, beta I, delta, eta and zeta.
    Saraiva Lucília, Fresco Paula, Pinto Eugénia, Gonçalves Jorge
    J. Enzyme Inhib. Med. Chem. 18, 475-483, 2003.
    
    
  • Inhibition of alfa, beta I, delta, eta and zeta protein kinase C isoforms by xanthonolignoids.
    Saraiva Lucília, Fresco Paula, Pinto Eugénia, Sousa Emília, Pinto Madalena, Gonçalves Jorge
    J. Enzyme Inhib. Med. Chem. 18, 357-370, 2003.
    
    
  
  
  Projects:
  
  Elucidation of ceramide-induced apoptosis: modulation of Protein Kinase C isoforms.
  PTDC/BIA-BCM/69448/2006 (In progress)
  Member of the team (Lucília Saraiva)
  
  Using yeast-based functional assays for the study of p53 signaling pathway, pharmacological screening and molecular characterization of small-molecules targeting p53 function.
  Scientific Research in Pre-graduation from the University of Porto 2006/2007 (Concluded).
  Principal Investigator (Lucília Saraiva)
  
  Evaluation of the biological activity of Bial compounds: modulation of different protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms, effects on the growth and cell death.
  Financial support of Laboratórios BIAL 2006/2007 (Concluded).
  Member of the team (Lucília Saraiva)
  
  Study of the mechanisms of regulation of the tumour suppressor p53 protein by the isoform delta of protein kinase C (PKC): Using yeast as a cell model.
  Scientific Research in Pre-graduation from the University of Porto 2005/2006 (Concluded).
  Principal Investigator (Lucília Saraiva)
  
  Implementation of na in vivo method to study the effects mediated by different protein kinasec C (PKC) isoforms.
  JNICT/PRAXIS XXI/PSAU/C/SAU/71/96 (Concluded).
  Member of the team (Eugénia Pinto).