Microbiology and Biocatalysis (MICROBIO)

Group members

Research Staff

• Adolfo J. Martínez Rodríguez
• Benevides C. Pessela Joao

Postdoctoral Staff

• José Manuel Silván Jiménez

Predoctoral Staff

• Paz García García

Research Summary

The work of the group is focused in two main research lines: 1) food safety and health; 2) enzyme obtainment and characterization to improve the food quality.

The first research line covers the study of both, foodborne pathogens and other gastrointestinal bacteria and his interaction for consumer wellbeing. We are working on the search for alternative strategies to the use of antibiotics and disinfectants for the control of pathogenic microorganisms, using by-products from the food industry and other compounds of natural origin as a source of bioactive extracts. We are also studying the mechanisms of pathogen microorganisms to growth and/or survive in the food chain, virulence markers, and stress resistance attributes.

The second research line addresses the identification of microbial enzymes which is useful to improve food quality and safety. The current work is focused on enzymatic biotransformation of functional ingredients such as prebiotics and lipids. Also we are developing new strategies for enzyme immobilization to use them as biological tools in surface enzyme biotechnology.

Highlighted publications

• Silvan, J.M., Zorraquín-Peña, I., Gonzalez de Llano, D., Moreno-Arribas, M.V., Martinez-Rodriguez, A.J. (2018). Antibacterial activity of glutathione-stabilized silver nanoparticles against Campylobacter multidrug-resistant strains. Frontiers in Microbiology. 9:458. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00458
• Silvan, J.M.; Mingo, E.; Martinez-Rodriguez, A.J. (2017). Grape seed extract (GSE) modulates Campylobacter pro-inflammatory response in human intestinal epithelial cell lines. Food and Agricultural Immunology 28, 739-753.
• Mingo, E., Silvan, J.M., Martinez-Rodriguez, A.J. (2016). Selective antibacterial effect on Campylobacter of a winemaking waste extract (WWE) as a source of active phenolic compounds. LWT- Food Science and Technology 68, 418-424.
• Moreno-Perez, S., Luna, P., Señorans, F.J., Guisan, J.M., Fernandez-Lorente, G. (2015). Enzymatic synthesis of triacylglycerols of docosahexaenoic acid: Transesterification of its ethyl esters with glycerol. Food Chemistry 187, 225-229.
• Pereira, M.G., Facchini, F.D.A., Filó, L.E.C., Polizeli, A.M., Vici, A.C., Jorge, J.A., Fernandez-Lorente, G., Pessela, B.C., Guisan, J.M., Polizeli, M.D.L.T.D.M. (2015). Immobilized lipase from Hypocrea pseudokoningii on hydrophobic and ionic supports: Determination of thermal and organic solvent stabilities for applications in the oleochemical industry. Process Biochemistry 50, 561-570.