Ana Coelho Lab
 |
Biodiversity includes an immensity of species handling recognized unique biological processes that deserve to be thoroughly investigated, also aiming at defining new potential biomimetic targets. Proteomics integrated with other omics approaches and supported by de novo peptide sequencing and proteogenomics, is being used as a high-throughput strategy to fulfill this goal. |
|
Ana Maria Varela Coelho Phone (+351) 214469462/4
|
|
 |
Research Interests
Biodiversity includes an immensity of species from the three phylogenetic domains, Bacteria, Archaea and Eukaryota. A few of them have been widely studied, and are now established as model organisms, for which extensive panoply of tools are available to depict their molecular and cellular processes. However, it is evident that many more species handling recognized unique biological processes deserve to be thoroughly investigated, also aiming at defining new potential biomimetic targets. At the Proteomics of Non-Model Organisms Laboratory, proteomics integrated with other omics approaches and supported by de novo peptide sequencing and proteogenomics, is being used as a high-throughput strategy to fulfill this goal.
One of our research projects aims at unveiling the mechanisms of echinoderms regeneration that lead to the functional re-growth of complete body-parts, including the radial nerve cord.
The toolbox of proteomics approaches are additionally being utilized in collaboration with national and international research groups for the characterization of i) selected biological processes of marine organisms (e.g. detoxification mechanisms and synthesis of polysaccharide, toxins and mucus), as well as, ii) microbe-host interactions with relevance in veterinary and medical contexts focusing in the identification of novel targets for therapeutics and biomarkers for diagnostic, and finally, iii) non-model bacteria (such as, Ehrlichia ruminantium, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and epidermidis) to improve their genome annotation and refine the knowledge on their biological pathways.
Group Members
- Vanessa Magalhães, Post-doc
- Maria Bento, Research Student
Selected Publications
-
Franco CF, Santos R, Coelho AV Proteolytic events are relevant cellular responses during nervous system regeneration of the starfish Marthasterias glacialis. J Proteomics. 2014 , 99: 1-25
-
Couto N, Martins J, Lourenço AM, Pomba C, Coelho AV “Identification of vaccine candidate antigens of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius by whole proteome characterization and serological proteomic analyses” Journal of Proteomics. 2016, 133:113-124
-
Figueiredo A, Martins J, Sebastiana M, Guerreiro A, Silva A, Matos AR, Monteiro F, Pais MS, Roepstorff P, Coelho AV “Specific adjustments in grapevine leaf proteome discriminating resistant and susceptible grapevine genotypes to Plasmopara viticola” Journal of Proteomics. 2017, 152:48–57
Laboratory's Website
For further information please visit the laboratory's website (under construction)
Proteómica de Organismos Não-Modelo (PT)
A variabilidade entre seres vivos reflecte-se na extensa diversidade de processos biológicos e bioquímicos que estes protagonizam. O estudo das proteínas e dos metabolitos que em determinadas condições, cada organismo sintetiza em combinação com a interpretação do seu genoma constituem ferramentas fundamentais para perceber os referidos processos. Esta observação da Natureza permite aperfeiçoar e estimular novas ideias, em particular com aplicações em biomedicina, numa abordagem de biomimetismo. A regeneração dos equinodermes tem sido um dos temas de estudo no Laboratório, utilizando as abordagens de proteómica, proteogenómica e metabolómica. Estes organismos têm uma espantosa capacidade de regenerar os seus orgãos, em particular o sistema nervoso central. A proteómica tem sido usada também na caracterização de a) processos de desintoxicação, biossíntese de polissacáridos e toxinas executados por organismos marinhos; b) interacções patogéneo-hospedeiro com relevância em medicina veterinária e humana com foco na identificação de novos alvos terapêuticos e biomarcadores de diagnóstico; e c) do proteoma de bactérias não-modelo com o objectivo de refinar o conhecimento dos seus processos biológicos.
