The (Bio)Chemistry & OMICS group is a multidisciplinary international research group integrated by analytical and inorganic chemists, biochemists, biologist, biochemist, veterinaries, materials science and biotechnological researchers, whose common goal is to gain insight in complex biological systems using multidisciplinary approaches. C4O comprises 10 senior researchers and 7 research labs in an integrative and cooperative approach, with a strong relationship with several universities, hospitals and industries. There is an extensive experience in synthesis of organic, inorganic and multifunctional dyes and nanoparticles and nanomaterials, in innovative approaches for large-scale identification of biomolecules, characterization and quantification of small molecules, characterization of metalloenzymes and proteins (structural and function), and in the analysis of bacteriology, mycology and viruses samples.
Research Interests
Synthesis of probes and nanomaterials
- Biomedical and Proteomics Applications
- New emissive@nano materials and Nanomaterials for targeting detection
Bioanalytics & Personalized nano@proteomics
Functional associations of post-translational modifications & Precision health
Biological Chemistry
- Nitrogen biogeochemical cycle – denitrification
- Carbon dioxide reduction
- Novel heterometallic clusters
- Human pathways for the generation of nitric oxide
- Bacterial ROS metabolism and detoxification mechanisms
- Artificial proteins
Comprehension of fisease-related biological mechanisms
- New biomarkers of oxidative stress: a molecular approach
- Disease proteomics
- Lifestyle impact on cancer-induced muscle remodeling
Functional genomics and proteomics
Antibiotic Resistance
- Mechanisms of multidrug resistance
- Bacteriocins as bio-preservatives in the feed industry
Highlights
- Organotellurium chemistry: application in gold nanomaterials
Unravelling the organotellurium chemistry applied to the synthesis of gold nanomaterials ACS Omega, 2016, 1, 1314.Long-term preservation of Gold nanoparticles properties either in solution or as a dry powder can be difficult. We have overcome this challenge by using organotellurium derivatives as both reducing agents and stabilizers in the synthesis of gold nanoparticles. The new synthetic protocol takes advantage of the photochemical and oxidative properties of diphenyl ditelluride (Ph2 Te2 ), which so far has never been exploited in the synthesis of gold nanoparticles. The Au/Te core/shell (inorganic/organic) hybrid nanomaterial can be obtained in a one-step reaction, using only Ph2 Te2 and HAuCl4 . By modifying the reaction conditions, different resonance conditions of the gold core are archived as a consequence of different external shell thickness formed. The organotellurium shell can be easily removed by resuspension of the nanoparticles in environmentally friendly solvents, such as water or ethanol, making the Au core available for subsequent applications. A mechanism for the formation core/shell nanoparticles was also discussed.
- Biochemical mechanisms driving antibiotics resistance

Impacts of experimentally induced and
clinically acquired quinolone resistance on the
membrane and intracellular subproteomes of
Salmonella Typhimurium DT104B.
Journal of Proteomics, 2016, 145, 46–59.Salmonela tryphimutium DT104 multiresistant strains with additional quinolone resistance are highly adaptive and have been responsible for global outbreaks and high mortality. In order to give new insights about the resistance mechanisms involved, the developed work pointed out subproteome changes between a DT104B clinical strain that acquired quinolone resistance after patient treatment and an in vivo induced clonally related highly-resistant mutant.
- Unveiling the denitrification secrets: understanding the reduction of N2O
In denitrification, bacteria reduce NO3 - to N2 gas in 4 metalloenzymes-catalyzed steps to derive energy. In the last step, the N2 O reduction to N2 is catalyzed by a copper-containing enzyme harboring a unique tetranuclear catalytic center, that can exist as a {4Cu2S} center, named CuZ, or as a {4CuS} center, named CuZ*. We have characterized kinetically and spectroscopically the CuZ center, in two redox states, 2Cu+ /2Cu2+ and 3Cu+ /1Cu2+ , and identified the protonation states. We have established that the CuZ form has very low catalytic activity and cannot participate in the catalytic cycle, which should be carried out by CuZ*.

Spectroscopic definition of the CuZ° intermediate in turnover of nitrous oxide reductase
and molecular insight into the catalytic mechanism
Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2017, 139, 4462-4476. - How humans are using NO3 - and NO2 - to generate •NO for signaling purposes?
Human XD, XO and AO catalyze the nitrite reduction to NO under hypoxic and acidic conditions, thus sustaining the •NO formation when the NO synthase activity is hampered. Biochemistry, 2015, 54, 685-710.Remarkably, part of the bacterial denitrification is replicated in human signaling pathways to generate NO from NO2- and NO3- , for signaling purposes under challenging conditions. We have characterized kinetically and mechanistically the NO-forming nitrite reductase activity of the human xanthine dehydrogenase (XD), xanthine oxidase (XO) and aldehyde oxidase (AO). We have established that the NO2- reduction to NO (an oxygen atom abstraction) by those molybdoenzymes is carried out by the reduced Mo4+ and Mo5+ cores and is dependent on aprotonation step assisted by a key glutamate residue. The same reaction mechanism should be followed by the bacterial molybdoenzymes.
- Lifelong exercise training modulates cardiac mitochondrial phosphoproteome
Lifelong Exercise Training Modulates Cardiac Mitochondrial Phosphoproteome in Rats Journal of Proteome Research, 2014, 13 (4), 2045–2055.Moderate physical activity has been associated to the improvement of the cardiac function and, consequently, to the extension of the life span. In order to disclose the molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effect of lifelong physical activity in the cardiac function, we performed label-free quantitative mass spectrometrybased proteomics of heart mitochondrial proteome and phosphoproteome. Data shown that 54-weeks of moderate treadmill exercise modulates the abundance of proteins involved in the generation of precursor metabolites and cellular respiration, suggesting an increase in carbohydrate oxidation-based metabolism.
- Antimicrobial resistance surveillance in Portugal
A decade-long commitment to antimicrobial resistance surveillance in Portugal. Frontiers in Microbiology, 2016, 7, 1650. LAQV – (Bio)Chemistry & omicsAntimicrobial resistance has become one of the most serious public health concerns of the 21st century, being modern medicine presently challenged with increasing numbers of severe multiresistant infections in face of a drying pipeline for new antimicrobials. An improved detection o the multiple, superposing and compensatory mechanisms usually involved in resistance acquisition was achieved through the coordinated use of highthroughput proteomics and bioinformatics techniques complemented with different genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics methods.