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Curriculum vitæ (PDF)

 

Training

Ph.D. 2004 in Biochemistry, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB)
Post-doctoral training at ITQB, Kyoto University, and New University of Madrid (2004-2007)

Research Interests

My main goal is to understand how hyperthermophilic archaea sense the temperature fluctuation of the environment, how this information is transferred to regulatory proteins, ultimately leading to the synthesis of heat stress proteins and compatible solutes. The final purpose is to elucidate the physiological role(s) of these proteins and compatible solutes in thermo-adaptation.

Ongoing research:

  • Characterization of biosynthetic pathways of compatible solutes

  • Understading the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of biosynthetic enzymes of compatible solutes

  • Physiological role(s) of compatible solutes in thermo-adaptation

  • Development of cell factories for the production of compatible solutes

Publications within refereed international journals

  • L.G. Gonçalves, N. Borges, F. Serra, P.L. Fernandes, H. Dopazo, H. Santos (2012) Evolution of the biosynthesis of di-myo-inositol phosphate, a marker of adaptation to hot marine environments. Environ. Microbiol. 14:691–701.
  • S. Gonçalves, A. Esteves, H. Santos, N. Borges, P.M. Matias (2011) The three-dimensional structure of mannosyl-3-phosphoglycerate phosphatase from Thermus thermophilus HB27: a new member of the Haloalkanoid Acid Dehalogenase Superfamily. Biochemistry. 50:9551-67.
  • J.A. Brito, N. Borges, C. Vonrheinb, H. Santos, M. Archer (2011) Crystal structure of Archaeoglobus fulgidus CTP:inositol-1-phosphate cytidyltransferase, a key enzyme for di-myo-inositol-phosphate synthesis in (hyper)thermophiles. J. Bacteriol. 193:2177-85.
  • S. Gonçalves, A. Esteves, N. Borges, H. Santos, P.M. Matias (2011) Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of mannosyl-3-phosphoglycerate phosphatase from Thermus thermophilus HB27. Acta Crystallogr. Sect. F Struct. Biol. Cryst. Commun. 67:390-6.
  • J.A. Brito, N. Borges, H. Santos, M. Archer (2010) Production, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of CTP:inositol-1-phosphate cytidyltransferase from Archaeoglobus fulgidus. Acta Crystallogr. Sect. F Struct. Biol. Cryst. Commun. 66:1463–5.
  • S. Gonçalves, N. Borges, A.M. Esteves, B.L. Victor, C.M. Soares, H. Santos, P.M. Matias (2010) Structural analysis of Thermus thermophilus HB27 mannosyl-3-phosphoglycerate synthase provides evidence for a second catalytic metal ion and new insight into the retaining mechanism of glycosyltransferases. J. Biol. Chem. 285:17857-68.
  • N. Borges, R. Matsumi, T. Imanaka, H. Atomi and H. Santos (2010) Thermococcus kodakaraensis mutants deficient in di-myo-inositol phosphate use aspartate to cope with heat stress. J. Bacteriol. 192:191-7.
  • S. Gonçalves, N. Borges, H. Santos, P.M. Matias (2009) Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of mannosyl-3-phosphoglycerate synthase from Thermus thermophilus HB27. Acta Crystallogr. Sect. F Struct. Biol. Cryst. Commun. 65:1014-7.
  • M.V. Rodrigues, N. Borges, C.P. Almeida, P. Lamosa, H. Santos (2009) A unique β-1,2-mannosyltransferase of Thermotoga maritima that uses di-myo-inositol phosphate as the mannosyl acceptor. J. Bacteriol. 191:6105-15.
  • F.S. Cardoso, R.F. Castro, N. Borges, H. Santos (2007) Biochemical and genetic characterization of the pathways for trehalose metabolism in Propionibacterium freudenreichii and their role in stress response. Microbiology-SGM. 153:271-81.
  • N. Borges, L.G. Gafeira, M.V. Rodrigues, R. Ventura, C. Maycock, P. Lamosa, H. Santos (2006) Biosynthetic pathways of inositol and glycerol phosphodiesters used for stress adaptation in Archaeoglobus fulgidus. J. Bacteriol. 188:8128-35.
  • N. Borges, J.D. Marugg, N. Empadinhas, M.S. da Costa, H. Santos (2004) Specialized roles of the two pathways for the synthesis of mannosylglycerate in osmoadaptation and thermoadaptation of Rhodothermus marinus. J. Biol. Chem. 279:9892-8.
  • N. Borges, A. Ramos, N.D. Raven, R.J. Sharp, H. Santos (2002) Comparative study of the thermostabilizing properties of mannosylglycerate and other compatible solutes on model enzymes. Extremophiles 6:209-16.
  • N. Empadinhas, J.D. Marugg, N. Borges, H. Santos, M.S. da Costa (2001) Pathway for the synthesis of mannosylglycerate in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus horikoshii: Biochemical and genetic characterization of key enzymes. J. Biol. Chem. 276:43580-8.
  • D. Cánovas*, N. Borges*, C. Vargas, A. Ventosa, J.J. Nieto, H. Santos (1999) Role of N-gamma acetyldiaminobutyrate as enzyme stabilizer and intermediate in the biosynthesis of hydroxyectoine. Appl. Environm. Microbiol. 65:3774-9.*Equal contribution.
  • N. Borges*, Z. Silva*, L.O. Martins, R. Wait, M.S. da Costa, H. Santos (1999) Combined effect of the growth temperature and salinity of medium on the accumulation of compatible solutes by Rhodothermus marinus and Rhodothermus obamensis. Extremophiles. 3:63-172. *Equal contribution.

Book chapters

  • H. Santos, P. Lamosa, N. Borges, L. G. Gonçalves, T. M. Pais & M. V. Rodrigues (2011) Organic compatible solutes of prokaryotes that thrive in hot environments: the importance of ionic compounds for thermostabilization. In Extremophiles Handbook. K. Horikoshi, G. Antranikian, A. T. Bull, F. T. Robb, K. O. Stetter (Eds.), Part 4, pp. 497-520, Springer, Tokyo, 2011.
  • H. Santos, P. Lamosa, T.Q. Faria, N. Borges, C. Neves (2007) The physiological role, biosynthesis and mode of action of compatible solutes from (hyper)thermophiles. In Physiology and biochemistry of extremophiles. 86-104. C. Gerday & N. Glansdorff (Eds.), 86-104, ASM publishers, Washington, D. C.
  • H. Santos, P. Lamosa, N. Borges (2006) Characterization and quantification of compatible solutes in (hyper)thermophilic microorganisms. In Methods in Microbiology: Extremophiles. A. Oren & F. Rainey (Eds.) 35:173-99, Elsevier Publisher.

Oral Communications

- Specialized roles of the two pathways for the synthesis of mannosylglycerate in osmoadaptation and thermoadaptation of Rhodothermus marinus.
N. Borges, J. D. Marugg, N. Empadinhas, M. S. da Costa & H. Santos.
“5th International Conference on Extremophiles” September 19-23, 2004, Cambridge, Maryland, USA.

- The role of compatible solutes in osmoadaptation and thermoadaptation of the thermophilic bacterium Rhodothermus marinus: biosynthesis and regulation.
N. Borges, J. D. Marugg, N. Empadinhas, M. S. da Costa & H. Santos.
“Micro’05 – Biotec’05”, November 30 to December 3, 2005, Póvoa do Varzim, Portugal.

- Kinetic and structural characterization of the enzymes involved in the synthesis of di-myo-inositol-phosphate in Archaeoglobus fulgidus.
N. Borges, M. V. Rodrigues, J. Brito, M. Archer & H. Santos.
“7th International Conference on Extremophiles” September 7-11, 2008, Cape Town, South africa.

- Role, evolution and regulation of the synthesis of di-myo-inositol-phosphate in hyperthermophiles.
N. Borges
“The 11th International Conference on Thermophiles Research” September 11-16, 2011, Big Sky, Montana, EUA.

- Biosynthesis, evolution and role of unique compatible solutes in heat stress adaptation of marine hyperthermophiles
N. Borges
“9th International Congress on Extremophiles” September 11-13, 2012, Sevilla, Spain.

Prizes

2007. “Prémio Câmara Pestana 2007” for the work:
“Biosynthetic pathways of inositol and glycerol phosphodiesters used by the hyperthermophile Archaeoglobus fulgidus in stress adaptation”
N. Borges, M. Rodrigues, L. Gafeira, F. Siopa, R. Ventura, C. Maycock, P. Lamosa & H. Santos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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