Prof. Ma Auxiliadora Prieto Jiménez - POLYBIO
Group of "Polymer Biotechnology"
Departamento de Biología Medioambiental
Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
C/ Ramiro de Maeztu, 9
Campus de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
28049 Madrid, España
Telf.: +34 918373112 Ext.: 4228
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Group of "Polymer Biotechnology":
The group is focused on the production of bioplastics using tools of molecular biology and metabolic engineering, combined with new omic technologies and synthetic biology. Many of our research activities focus on the production of bacterial polyesters or polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), which are considered one of the most promising bioplastics due to their biodegradable and biocompatible properties. Our designs are based on the use of industrial and urban biowastes such as glycerol, fatty residues or synthetic gas (syngas) as sources for the bacterial fermentation. Both natural-producing bacteria, such as as well as genetically optimized microorganisms, are considered in these processes. We study the metabolic and regulatory networks of producing microorganisms and others sharing their natural environment. We apply our findings in the production of new materials including functionalized PHA with new properties (e.g. anti-microbial), and susceptible to chemical modification after its biosynthesis.
Relevant publications in the last five years:
- Galán B, De Eugenio, LI, Escapa IF, Maestro B, Sanz JM, García JL and Prieto MA [2011] Nucleoide associated PhaF phasin drives intracellular location and segregation of poly-hydroxyalkanoate granules in Pseudomonas putida KT2442. Mol Microbiol 79: 402-418.
- Escapa, IF, del Cerro C, García JL, Prieto MA. 2013. The role of GlpR repressor in Pseudomonas putida KT2440 growth and PHA production from glycerol. Environ Microbiol. 15: 93–110.
- Dinjaski N, Prieto MA. 2013. Swapping of Phasin Modules To Optimize the In Vivo Immobilization of Proteins to Medium-Chain-Length Polyhydroxyalkanoate Granules in Pseudomonas putida. Biomacromolecules 14:3285–3293.
- Dinjaski N, Fernández-Gutiérrez M, Selvam S, Parra-Ruiz FJ, Lehman SM, San Román J, García E, García JL, García AJ, Prieto MA. 2014. PHACOS, a functionalized bacterial polyester with bactericidal activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Biomaterials 35: 14-24.
- Fernández Escapa, I, Morales Ruiz, MV, García López JL and Prieto Jiménez MA 2012. Synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) with thioester groups in the side chain. Fecha de prioridad: (ES201031401) 21-09-2010. International Application PCT/ES2011/070654 Fecha Pub 15/11/2012. No: WO/2012/038572.