pdf Waves - Vol. 2, Issue 5 (May 2011) Waves_11

 News from above and below the CIIMAR’s monthly NEWS LETTER (IN)FORMATION BOGA
All Aboard
Dear Friends, A small highlight on the opening call for PhD and Post‐doc grants from the FCT. Success and good‐luck to you all, students and supervisors. The Editors Project of the Month
CIIMAR research lines in action
The role of ABC transporter proteins in chemically indu‐
ced hepatic cancer in zebrafish (Danio rerio) Principal investigator: Marta Ferreira Laboratory: Environmental Toxicology (LETOX) Financing institution: FCT Efflux transporters belonging to the ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) superfamily are one of largest protein families encoded in the human genome. The majority of research on efflux transporters has been traditionally focused on the multi‐
drug resistance (MDR) phenomenon frequently being developed in cancer cells. The cell’s low accumulation of anticancer drugs was related to eleva‐
ted levels of a membrane glycoprotein termed the permeability glycoprotein (P‐glycoprotein; Pgp) that belongs to the ABCB subfamily. Besides the ABCB subfamily, there are two other subfami‐
lies that have toxicologically relevant efflux activity: ABCC, the multidrug‐
resistance related proteins (MRP) and ACBG, the breast cancer resistance pro‐
tein (BCRP) subfamily. The ABC efflux transporters are also critical players in environmental toxicology – some provide a first line of defense against toxi‐
cants, and others export the toxicants after they had entered the cell and have been modified by detoxification enzymes. Furthermore, it has been shown that some environmental contaminants can inhibit the activity of transporters, a phenomenon called chemosensitization, resulting in enhancement of toxicity by toxicants previously excluded from the cell by ABC transporters. Concerning fish tumours and the possible role of ABC transporters, however, the subject has received little attention. Only a few studies have addressed this issue in fish species, and only in tumours developed in wild species by exposure to environ‐
mental pollutants. Nevertheless, these studies have also pointed to an increase in Pgp expression. Therefore, due to the lack of related studies, the major goal of this project is to enable a better understanding of the role of ABC transpor‐
ters in fish cancer, using zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model. Zebrafish, as most fish species, has a low incidence of spontaneous cancers, but a high rate of tumorigenesis after carcinogen treatment, provoking mainly liver neoplasia. In order to achieve the major project goal, liver tumor(s) will be induced by expo‐
sing zebrafish to model chemical carcinogens and carcinogenic environmental pollutants. This obstacle was partially overcame by the recent generation of the “Casper”, a transparent mutant zebrafish strain. We will expose the “Casper” strain to the most effective carcinogen, previously determined with the wild‐
type zebrafish, to develop and adopt methodology to visualize cancer incidence and progression prior to sampling. Editors V. Vasconcelos L.F.C. Castro J.M. Wilson Vol 2 Issue 5 One of the greatest difficulties to overcome when trying to rear larval fish is providing the right food to enable them to grow and develop properly. Accordingly, fish larvae experiments carried out at CIIMAR require an adequate supply of life food. Daphnia
Therefore, great efforts have been made to improve life feed production techniques and facilities at The Aquatic Organisms Bioterium (BOGA). The most common live foods used are: Brine Shrimp (Artemia salina), Daphnia (Daphnia magna) and Rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis). To maintain and grow these species to different sizes, BOGA also have Brine
algae cultures (Chlorella sp. and Shrimp
Isochrysis sp.) in order to feed both brine shrimp and rotifers. Usually, these species can be raised fairly easily, which is a good reason to choose live foods as the main protein source for our animals. Our goal is to diversify our production of live foods for a better and enriched nutrition of our fish larvae and juveniles. Rotifer
Together we will have more and better research in BOGA‐
CIIMAR! Hugo Santos May 2011 Vol 2 Issue 5 waves CIMAR/CIIMAR Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050‐123 Porto Portugal tel: +351 22 340 1800 fax +31 22 339 0608 web www.ciimar.up.pt 1 “Deus ao mar o perigo e o abismo deu,
Mas nele é que espelhou o céu.” F. Pessoa Open Calls
Paper of the month
Funding Opportunities
CIIMAR publishes
Advanced Training Grants Competition for Scholarship Award Individual Postdoctoral and PhD 2011. The Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) opens a call for fun‐
ding of individual grants the following types: (a) Post‐Doctoral Fellowships (BPD) These scholarships are intended to PhDs, preferably less than five years, to conduct advanced research in Portuguese or foreign scientific institutes of recognized merit. (b)PhD Scholarships (BD) These scholarships are aimed at graduates, teachers or other academic degree holders who are accepted for a PhD in Portuguese or foreign universities. The competition is open between May 3 and 17h, hours in Lisbon on June 27, 2011. The regulation is available online at: http://alfa.fct.mctes.pt/apoios/bolsas/regulamento201 Susana Moreira The phosphoprotein phosphatase family of Ser/Thr phosphatases as COST action 1002 – Farm Animal Proteomics. Is a network of European scientists who are focused on farm animal proteomics, encouraging the participation of researchers who are at an early stage of utilizing the range of proteomic methods which are becoming available. It aims also in providing advanced analytical tools to enhance animal production, health and welfare, as well as in the assessment of food quality and safety related to the protein in food produced from animal origin. The CIIMAR is one of the participating research institutes in this network, therefore researchers from our centre with interest in the area are welcome to participate in the several activities/
meetings. The Network provides also short term scientific mission (STSMs) grants every year to promote the collaboration between scientists and institutions. More information can be found in the website (http://www.cost‐
faproteomics.org/) or contact Alexandre Campos ([email protected]). principal targets of naturally occurring toxins. Pereira et al., 2011. Crit Rev Toxicol. 41, 83‐110. Phosphoprotein phosphatases (PPPs) consti‐
tute one of three otherwise unrelated fami‐
lies of enzymes that specialize in removing the phosphate group from phosphorylated serine and threonine residues. The involve‐
ment of PPP enzymes in the regulation of processes such as gene expression, DNA replication, morphogenesis, synaptic transmission, glycogen metabo‐
lism, and apoptosis has underscored their potential as targets for the treatment of a variety of conditions such as cancer, diabetes, or Alzhei‐
mer's disease. Interestingly, PPP enzymes also constitute the physiolo‐
gical target of multiple naturally occurring toxins, including microcys‐
tins from cyanobacteria and cantharidin from beetles. This review is devoted to the PPP family of enzymes‐‐with a focus on the human PPPs‐‐and the naturally occurring toxins that are known to potently impair their activity. The interaction of the toxins with the enzymes is evaluated in atomic detail to obtain insight on two complementary aspects: (1) which specific structural differences within the similarly folded catalytic core of the PPP enzymes explain their diverse sensitivi‐
ties to toxin inhibition and (2) which structural features presented by the various toxins account for the differential inhibitory potency At my desk...
towards each PPP. These analyses take advantage of numerous site‐
directed mutagenesis studies, structure‐activity evaluations, and recent The journal Biological Invasions published in May 2011 a special issue devoted to the World Conference on Biological Invasions and Ecosystem Functioning (BIOLIEF), which was organized in October 2009 by four members of CIIMAR‐ Carlos Antunes, Ester Dias, Pedro Morais and Ronaldo Sousa. The conference was a huge success, since 300 researchers from 42 countries of all continents have joined us in Porto. We hope that this special issue of Biological Invasions reaches a similar success and that CIMAR‐LA members also enjoy it. Pedro Morais crystallographic structures of PPPs bound to different toxins. This month at...
► 1 to 31 ► 2 ► 6 Science in images
► 18/19 @CIIMAR
► 19 to 30 Exhibition: “O CIIMAR olha para dentro”‐ exposição de posters de trabalhos de investigadores do CIIMAR”‐ 9‐19 h. CIIMAR hall. Oceanus Seminar, Cândida Shinn, “"Fish reporting on their toxic environment ‐ a case study of pesticide contaminated rivers", 2:30pm. Workshop "A realidade oculta dos morcegos", CMIA Vila do Conde Oficina “À descoberta do Litoral de Vila do Conde", CMIA Vila do Conde. Exihibition "Erosão Costeira: A Conquista do Mar Sobre a Ter‐
ra?", CMIA Vila do Conde ► 19 ► 23 ► 23 ► 26 "A nice contamination of the cancer cell line T47D , with a misterious fungus. Arhhhhh!!" Ralph Urbatzka (LECEMA) Seminar at CMIA Vila do Conde by Professor Doutor Veloso Gomes (FEUP/CIIMAR) intitulada: “Erosão Costeira no Norte de Portugal e Litoral de Vila do Conde: causas, consequências, medidas de mitigação”, 9pm. Field Course at the Zona Dunar, CMIA Matosinhos Oceanus Seminar Susana Pereira, “The PPP family of Ser/Thr‐
specific phosphatases as the main physiological target of multi‐
ple naturally‐occurring toxins”, 2:30pm Café Ciência at CMIA Matosinhos: Drº Albano Beja‐Pereira, CIBIO‐UP "O Homem e as vacas: as marcas de uma parceria com 10 mil anos", 9pm. Have your say in waves Contributions welcome. Contact Vitor Vasconcelos, Filipe Castro or Jonathan Wilson @ [email protected] 2