Research

In the past years, members of our research group have been involved in different areas of biological/biochemical research. A major contribution made by the UByPA´s scientist was the incorporation of modern mass spectrometry (MS) and 2D-electrophoresis to our local academy, bringing totally new analytical capabilities to perform comprehensive protein studies, including posttranslational modifications of proteins and the ability to decode cell signaling networks. Proteomic approaches are contributing in full to understand protein function as expressed in normal and disease states. In this sense, our near future challenge is to improve our local capabilities to perform comparative-quantitative proteomics studies.

Nowadays, we are involved in two main areas of research concerning protein-mediated cell signalling events:

1. Proteomic profiling of host-pathogen interactions:

A. Effects of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Ser/Thr kinase PknG on the macrophage. PR_FCE_2009_1_2479, PIs: Dr. Rosario Duran, Dr. Carlos Batthyany, 2011-2012.

B. Characterization of the phosphoproteome and acetylome of phagosomes during the maturation process: effects of PknG. PhD Thesis Project MSc. Analía Lima Raimondo, Pro.In.Bio., UdelaR, 2011-2013.

2. Oxidative stress-induced protein modifications:

A. Nitration of Tyr residues:

i. Detection and Characterization of Alternative Conformations of Citochrome c in Biological Systems. PR_FCE_2009_1_2486, PI: Dr. Rafael Radi, 2011-2012.

B. Electrophilic/Nitrated-fatty acids mediated protein modifications:

i. Inhibition of PknG of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by Nitrated Fatty Acids. PIs: Dr. Rosario Durán & Dr. Carlos Batthyany.

ii. Inhibition of PtpB of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by Nitrated Fatty Acids. PIs: Dr. Carlos Batthyany & Dr. Andrea Villarino

C. Effect of Redox Environment on Rubredoxin-Domain Mediated PknG Activity Regulation. Magdalena Gil Graduate Thesis Project, PIs: Dr. Rosario Duran, Dr. Ana Denicola; PEDECIBA – Química, UdelaR; 2010-2012.