Research Group

Proteases and proteases inhibitors with potential applications in biotechnology and biomedicine.

In this direction are grouped four different themes taking into account the different mechanistic classes of proteases: serine proteases and their inhibitors, metallo proteases and their inhibitors, cystein proteases and their inhibitors and aspartic proteases and their inhibitors.

General Coordinator of the group:

Pore Forming Toxins with potential applications for Biomedicine and Nanobiotechnology

PhD. María Eliana Lanio Ruiz, Profesor Titular ()

 

Research lines

Research line: Serine proteases and their inhibitors with potential applications in biomedicine and biotechnology.

PhD. Yamile González-González, Auxiliary Researcher (): leads the research line serine proteases and their inhibitors with potential applications in biomedicine and biotechnology. This line is focused on purification, functional and structural characterization and recombinant expression in Pichia pastoris of serine proteases and their inhibitors. Also, develop structure-function relationship studies of serine proteases with their inhibitors and functional test of this inhibitor in in vitro models, according to their potentials in biomedicine and biotechnology.

MSc. Rossana García-Fernández, Aggregate Researcher (): develop her PhD thesis in structure-function relationship studies of the main inhibitor present in the sea anemone Stichodactyla helianthus. She is specialized in crystallography and X ray diffraction studies of protease-inhibitor complexes.

BSc. Jorge E. Hernández González (): Major on Biochemistry, studies of Bioinformatics, Systems Biology and proteases and inhibitors structure-function relationship studies.

 

Research line: Functional and molecular characterization of metallocarboxipeptidases and their inhibitors isolated from marine invertebrates. Structure-function studies. Biomedical and biotechnological applications.

PhD. Maday Alonso del Rivero, Auxiliary Researcher (): leads the research on metallocarboxipeptidases and their inhibitors with biomedical and biotechnological applications mainly related with parasite diseases and cancer. The group has experience in purification and structural characterization of proteins, cloning and expression of proteins in the system of Pichia pastoris, directed mutagenesis for structure-function relationship studies of proteases and inhibitors, and kinetic characterization of natural and recombinant proteases and inhibitors. Stands out her experience in the identification of inhibitors using proteomics, based on mass spectrometry signal intensity fading.

MSc. Mey Ling Reytor González, Instructor Professor (): develops her PhD thesis in the elucidation of the interaction mechanism between SmCI and carboxipetidase A, by means of obtaining every domain of the inhibitor separately, and the crystallographic structure of the complex SmCI-human Carpoxipeptidase A4.

BSc. Yusvel Sierra Gómez (): develops his master thesis in the purification and characterization of a novel carboxipeptidase A/B inhibitor isolated from the mollusc Nerita perolonta with potential properties as antimalarial drug.

 

Research line: Functional and molecular characterization of serine and metallo aminopeptidases and their inhibitors isolated from marine invertebrates. Biomedical and biotechnological applications.

PhD. Isel Pascual Alonso, Auxiliary Professor (): leads the research on serine and metallo aminopeptidases and their inhibitors with biomedical and biotechnological applications. This research is mainly related with metallo aminopeptdases of the M1 family like piroglutamil aminopeptidase II (PPII) and aminopeptidase N (APN), and with serine aminopeptidases like dipeptidil peptidase IV (DPP-IV). These enzymes are involved in various human pathologies like inflammation, cancer, type II diabetes, central nervous system disorders and parasitic infections. Recently, the group has started the cloning, expression using E. coli and purification of the enzyme PfAM1, a member of the M1 family present in the parasite Plasmodium falciparum, and the finding of specific inhibitors. In parallel, the group is working with the E. coli counterpart of PfAM1, called PepN, as a model in the search for anti-parasitic drugs. The group has experience in purification, structural characterization, cloning and expression using E. coli system of proteins, also in the kinetic characterization of proteases and natural and synthetic inhibitors.

MSc. Jorge González Bacerio, Assistant Professor (): develops his PhD thesis in the cloning, expression and characterization of the enzymes PfAM1 and PepN, targets for antimalarial drugs development. These enzymes will be use in the screening of Cuban marine invertebrates extracts and low weight compounds databases looking for inhibitors.

 

Research line: Functional and molecular characterization of cysteine and aspartic proteases from parasites and their inhibitors isolated from marine invertebrates. Biomedical applications as antiparasitic.

MSc. Emir Salas Sarduy, Instructor Professor (): leads the research on cysteine and aspartic proteases from Plasmodium falciparum and Tripanosoma cruzi and their inhibitors with biomedical applications, mainly related with diseases like malaria and Chagas disease. The group has experience in purification and structural characterization of proteins, cloning and expression of proteases in E. coli and P. pastoris systems, also in the kinetic characterization of proteases and natural and recombinant inhibitors. In addition stands out the experience of the group designing immune-enzimatic assays and using biosensor in massive screening for inhibitory activity in natural sources, specially in Cuban marine invertebrates and in the supernatant of microorganisms.

BSc. Aymara Cabrera Martínez, Instructor Professor (): develops her Master degree in the expression of falcipain 2 in inclusion bodies and soluble. This enzyme is a cysteine protease which is an important target in the search for antimalarials. She also works in the detection, purification and characterization of inhibitors against falcipain 2 and cruzipain isolated from Cuban marine invertebrates extracts.

PhD. María Angeles Chávez Planes, Professor Consultant (): General assessor of the Group.