Cellulose biomodification with cutinase fusion proteins

The textile industry presents well succeed examples of enzyme applications on the processing of natural fi bres. The design of hybrid enzymes mimics the strategies that Nature uses to evolve and it is a powerful tool in biotechnology. The production and application of the cutinase fused to carbohydrate - binding modules (CBMs) has provided strong evidences of bei ng an interesting strategy to pursuit. The CBMs act synergistically with the catalytic domains by increasing the effective enzyme concentration at the substrate surface and, for some CBMs, by physical disruption of the solid substrate. Future work is neede d to improve the recombinant production of modular cutinases and to study in detail their affinities toward the cellulose substrates

A comprehensive review of mammalian pigmentation: paving the way for innovative hair colour-changing cosmetics

The natural colour of hair shafts is formed at the bulb of hair follicles, and it is coupled to the hair growth cycle. Three critical processes must happen for efficient pigmentation: (1) melanosome biogenesis in neural crest-derived melanocytes, (2) the biochemical synthesis of melanins (melanogenesis) inside melanosomes, and (3) the transfer of melanin granules to surrounding pre-cortical keratinocytes for their incorporation into nascent hair fibres. All these steps are under complex genetic control. The array of natural hair colour shades are ascribed to polymorphisms in several pigmentary genes. A myriad of factors acting via autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine mechanisms also contributes for hair colour diversity. Given the enormous social and cosmetic importance attributed to hair colour, hair dyeing is today a common practice. Nonetheless, the adverse effects of the long-term usage of such cosmetic procedures demand the development of new methods for colour change. In this context, case reports of hair lightening, darkening and repigmentation as a side-effect of the therapeutic usage of many drugs substantiate the possibility to tune hair colour by interfering with the biology of follicular pigmentary units. By scrutinizing mammalian pigmentation, this review pinpoints key targetable processes for the development of innovative cosmetics that can safely change the hair colour from the inside out.The authors thank the support of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), under the scope of the strategic funding of the UIDB/04469/2020 unit, and LABBELS— Associate Laboratory in Biotechnology, Bioengineering and Microelectromechnaical Systems, LA/P/ 0029/2020. The author Bruno Fernandes also acknowledges his PhD scholarship funded by FCT (SFRH/BD/131824/2017).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The structural properties of odorants modulate their association to human odorant binding protein

The following are available online at https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/11/2/145/s1. Odorant molecules CAS identification are listed in Table S1. Statistical analysis on the comparison of odorant properties (described in Table 1 and Table 2) in Table S2. The Vina grid box in Figure S1, the X-ray and Uniprot hOBP sequences alignment are presented in Figure S2 and the RMSD and cartoon structural superposition in Figures S3 and S4, respectively. Standard scatter plots/linear correlation regression are presented as SM, in Figures S5–S9, evaluating the relation of ΔGbinding to the other properties separately. The docking binding energies against the 4RUN X-ray structure are shown in Table S3.The binding of known odorant molecules to the human odorant-binding protein (hOBP) was evaluated in silico. Docking experiments elucidate the preferable binding site and binding affinity of odorant molecules to hOBP. The physicochemical properties molecular weight (MW), vapor pressure (Vp), hydrophobicity level (logP), number of double bonds (NºDB), degree of unsaturation (DoU) and the chemical classification, were selected for the study of odorant modulation. Here, these properties were analyzed concerning 30 pleasant and 30 unpleasant odorants, chosen to represent a wide variety of compounds and to determine their influence on the binding energy to hOBP. Our findings indicate that MW, logP and Vp are the most important odorant variables, directly correlated to odorant-binding energies (ΔGbinding) towards hOBP. Understanding how the odorants behave when complexed with the OBP in human olfaction opens new possibilities for the development of future biotechnological applications, including sensory devices, medical diagnosis, among others.The following funding is acknowledged: the authors thank the support received from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2019 unit and BioTecNorte Operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020—Programa Operacional Regional do Norte

Biological response of Ti-based intermetallic thin films, to be used as biopotential electrodes

Biopotential electrodes are crucial in modern preventive medicine, being the primarily responsible for the high-resolution monitoring of the bioelectrical activity of in human body. In this work, flexible dry biopotential electrodes based on binary systems of Ti-Me (Me = Al, Cu, Ag, Au) thin films were developed for non-invasive physiological monitoring. These biopotential electrodes supported by polymeric bases aim to expand the applications of enhanced sensing in new opportunities, for better healthcare conditions. The Ti-Me thin films were prepared by DC magnetron sputtering without substrate heating. The use of a composed target (with different number of Me pellets) originated a wide range of chemical compositions and different thin film microstructures and physical responses. Working as bipotential electrodes, the Ti-Me thin films will be placed in direct contact with the skin and body fluids, which means that the materials selected need to be harmless and do not compromise the skin integrity. The interaction of the Ti-Me thin films with skin cell models (fibroblasts and keratinocytes) was assessed in vitro for each system, studying their cytotoxicity and evaluating the oxidative stress. No evidences of Ti release to the medium was observed. On the other hand, the metal leakage from the Ti-Me films increased with the Me atomic content, for the generality of the films. Some oxidative stress was observed, proportional to the amount of Me present in the thin film. However, no significant damage in cell viability was noticed, with exceptions of some compositions of Ti-Cu thin films.This research was sponsored by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of Strategic Funding UID/FIS/04650/2013. C. Lopes and Marco S. Rodrigues acknowledge FCT for the PhD grants, with references SFRH/BD/103373/2014 and SFRH/BD/118684/2016. Joel Borges acknowledges FCT for his Post-Doc Grant SFRH/BPD/117010/2016.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Transforming second-generation ethanol production waste into sustainable enzymatic cosmetic inputs

Agro-industrial residues were used as a successful, cheap and renewable substrate, capable of increasing activity of ligninolytic enzymes for further use in melanin degradation assays to develop inputs for the treatment of skin hyperpigmentation. The analysis of melanin degradation was performed in a quantitative and qualitative way. The enzymatic crude broth extract, rich in laccases, produced by Marasmiellus palmivorus VE111 in medium formulated with lignocellulosic residues of Araucaria angustifolia subjected to hydrolysis and alcoholic fermentation, degraded almost 33% of the melanin content and enzymatic crude broth extract produced by Pycnoporus sanguineus PR_32 degraded 13%, in just 8 h, using vanillin as a mediator. Proton 2D NMR spectra show melanin changes after laccase treatment. This work has provided an insight for the development of ecofriendly, sustainable and innovative cosmetics to deal with skin hyperpigmentation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Changing human hair fibre colour and shape from the follicle

Introduction: Natural hair curvature and colour are genetically determined human traits, that we inten tionally change by applying thermal and chemical treatments to the fibre. Presently, those cosmetic methodologies act externally and their recurrent use is quite detrimental to hair fibre quality and even to our health. Objectives: This work represents a disruptive concept to modify natural hair colour and curvature. We aim to model the fibre phenotype as it is actively produced in the follicle through the topical delivery of specific bioactive molecules to the scalp. Methods: Transcriptome differences between curly and straight hairs were identified by microarray. In scalp samples, the most variable transcripts were mapped by in situ hybridization. Then, by using appro priate cellular models, we screened a chemical library of 1200 generic drugs, searching for molecules that could lead to changes in either fibre colour or curvature. A pilot-scale, single-centre, investigator initiated, prospective, blind, bilateral (split-scalp) placebo-controlled clinical study with the intervention of cosmetics was conducted to obtain a proof of concept (RNEC n.92938). Results: We found 85 genes transcribed significantly different between curly and straight hair, not pre viously associated with this human trait. Next, we mapped some of the most variable genes to the inner root sheath of follicles, reinforcing the role of this cell layer in fibre shape moulding. From the drug library screening, we selected 3 and 4 hits as modulators of melanin synthesis and gene transcription, respec tively, to be further tested in 33 volunteers. The intentional specific hair change occurred: 8 of 14 volun teers exhibited colour changes, and 16 of 19 volunteers presented curvature modifications, by the end of the study. Conclusion: The promising results obtained are the first step towards future cosmetics, complementary or alternative to current methodologies, taking hair styling to a new level: changing hair from the inside out.This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2020 unit, and by LABBELS – Associate Laboratory in Biotechnology, Bioengineering and Microelectrome chanical Systems, LA/P/0029/2020. Teresa Matamá would like to acknowledge her Post-doctoral scholarship funded by FCT (SFRH/ BPD/102153/2014). Cristiana Costa would like to acknowledge her PhD scholarship funded by FCT (SFRH/BD/139522/2018). Bruno Fernandes would like to acknowledge his PhD scholarship funded by FCT (SFRH/BD/131824/2017)