Jorge G Farias

• Biochemist and Ph.D in Biotechnology
• Full Professor at University of La Frontera

A mutation in the thioesterase domain of the FASN enzyme is associated with a lower percentage of myristic acid when the mutated allele is present, although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate, through in silico simulation, the effect of this mutation on the affinity of the catalytic site of the thi...

Bone tissue engineering (BTE) emerged as a practical approach to tackle prosthetic industry limitations. We merge aspects from developmental biology, engineering and medicine with the aim to produce fully functional bone tissue. Mesenchymal stem cells have the capability of self-renewal and specific lineage differentiation. Herein lies their potent...

Over recent decades, Northern Patagonia in Chile has seen significant growth in agriculture, livestock, forestry, and aquaculture, disrupting lake ecosystems and threatening native species. These environmental changes offer a chance to explore how anthropization impacts zooplankton communities from a molecular–ecological perspective. This study ass...

The research indicates that human activities have significantly impacted the water quality and zooplankton communities, particularly Daphnia pulex, in North Patagonian lakes. A total of 1,247 proteins were identified, with 17 upregulated and 181 downregulated in Lake Llanquihue due to pollution. These protein variations suggest environmental stress...

In heart failure (HF) patients undergoing cardiac surgery, an increased activity of mechanisms related to cardiac remodeling may determine a higher risk of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF). Given that atrial fibrillation (AF) has a negative impact on the course and management of HF, including the need for anticoagulation therapy, identifyin...

Existe una gran preocupación mundial por las amenazas que se ciernen sobre la biodiversidad de los ecosistemas acuáticos, incluidos los arroyos intermitentes de montaña. La biota acuática experimenta cambios en su estructura comunitaria para distintos grupos taxonómicos debido a las variaciones hidrológicas provocadas por sequías e inundaciones gra...

Background: β-carotene is an essential antioxidant, providing protection against type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular illnesses, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. This study investigates the impact of β-carotene on biochemical parameters and pancreatic insulin expression in mice exposed to ethanol. Methods: Thirty-six C57BL/6 mice (Mus musculus)...

Protamines play a critical role in DNA compaction and stabilization in sperm cells, significantly influencing male fertility and various biotechnological applications. Traditionally, identifying these proteins is a challenging and time-consuming process due to their species-specific variability and complexity. Leveraging advancements in computation...

L-asparaginase (L-ASNase) is an enzyme that shows targeted activity against Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) and similar lymphoid neoplasms by facilitating the breakdown of asparagine into L-aspartic acid, thereby reducing L-asparagine levels in leukemic cells. However, its therapeutic potential is hindered by its associated toxicity, leading to...

The chorion is an acellular envelope that surrounds fish oocytes and embryos, playing a crucial role in protection against environmental factors until hatching. In salmonids, several chorion malformations have been documented, including white-spotted (disc-like) chorion. This study focused on investigating the ultrastructural modifications of the c...

Drought significantly impacts freshwater ecosystems, disrupting all biological levels. In particular, freshwater macroinvertebrates undergo significant changes in taxonomic and functional diversity bioassessments. The effects often synergize with other stressors, such as pollution that drought can exacerbate. Several techniques have been well-devel...

Protein toxins are defense mechanisms and adaptations found in various organisms and microorganisms, and their use in scientific research as therapeutic candidates is gaining relevance due to their effectiveness and specificity against cellular targets. However, discovering these toxins is time-consuming and expensive. In silico tools, particularly...

Highlights Cryopreservation generates ice recrystallization. D. antarctica apoplastic proteins show antifreeze activity. PMI of S. salar sperm can be maintained with AFPs. High MMP of sperm increases with AFPs. D. antarctica apoplastic proteins act as nonpermeable cryoprotectants. Abstract Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are natural biomolecules found...

Alcohol is believed to harm acinar cells, pancreatic ductal epithelium, and pancreatic stellate cells. After giving ethanol and/or β-carotene to C57BL/6 mice, our goal was to evaluate their biochemistry, histology, and morpho-quantitative features. There were six groups of C57BL/6 mice: 1. Group C (control), 2. Group LA (low-dose alcohol), 3. Group...

Throughout evolution, pathogenic viruses have developed different strategies to evade the response of the adaptive immune system. To carry out successful replication, some pathogenic viruses encode different proteins that manipulate the molecular mechanisms of host cells. Currently, there are different bioinformatics tools for virus research; howev...

Introduction There exists a correlation between obesity and the consumption of an excessive amount of calories, with a particular association between the intake of saturated and trans fats and an elevated body mass index. Omega-3 fatty acids, specifically eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, have been identified as potential preventive nutri...

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) describes a spectrum of liver abnormalities, from benign steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Because of their antioxidant capabilities, CeNPs have sparked a lot of interest in biological applications. This review evaluated the effectiveness of CeNPs in NAFLD evolution through in vivo and in vit...

Over the past few years, there has been a surge in the industrial production of recombinant enzymes from microorganisms due to their catalytic characteristics being highly efcient, selective, and biocompatible. l-asparaginase (l-ASNase) is an enzyme belonging to the class of amidohydrolases that catalyzes the hydrolysis of l-asparagine into l-aspar...

Viruses constitute a constant threat to global health and have caused millions of human and animal deaths throughout human history. Despite advances in the discovery of antiviral compounds that help fight these pathogens, finding a solution to this problem continues to be a task that consumes time and financial resources. Currently, artificial inte...

Leukemia invades the bone marrow progressively and, through unknown mechanisms, outcompetes healthy hematopoiesis. Protein arginine methyltransferases 1 (PRMT1) are found in prokaryotes and eukaryotes cells. They are necessary for a number of biological processes and have been linked to several human diseases, including cancer. Small compounds that...

Simple Summary Freshwater ecosystems face various threats, especially in recent decades, that pose unprecedented challenges to human health, water supply, agriculture, forestry, ecology, and biodiversity. Although progress has been made in biomonitoring techniques tailored to specific countries and communities, significant constraints exist in asse...

Heterologous expression of L-asparaginase (L-ASNase) has become an important area of research due to its clinical and food industry applications. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the molecular and metabolic strategies that can be used to optimize the expression of L-ASNase in heterologous systems. This article describes various appr...

The chorion is an acellular envelope surrounding the oocyte. In fish, this envelope plays a pivotal role during fertilization and protects the developing embryo against environmental and mechanical factors until the moment of hatching. The chorion comprises a diverse number of glycoproteins called choriogenins, for which synthesis is mediated by th...

The development of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) like features is emerging as a critical factor involved in the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). However, the extracellular signals and the signalling pathways in AML that may regulate EMT remain largely unstudied. We found that the bone marrow (BM) mesenchymal/fibroblastic...

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common cancer among children worldwide, characterized by an overproduction of undifferentiated lymphoblasts in the bone marrow. The treatment of choice for this disease is the enzyme L-asparaginase (ASNase) from bacterial sources. ASNase hydrolyzes circulating L-asparagine in plasma, leading to starvat...

l-Asparaginase is an antileukemic drug long approved for clinical use to treat childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common cancer in this population worldwide. However, the efficacy and its use as a drug have been subject to debate due to the variety of adverse effects that patients treated with it present, as well as the prompt elimina...

Piscirickettsia salmonis is one of the main pathogens causing considerable economic losses in salmonid farming. The DNA gyrase of several pathogenic bacteria has been the target of choice for antibiotic design and discovery for years, due to its key function during DNA replication. In this study, we carried out a combined in silico and in vitro app...

Oxidative stress is associated with several acute and chronic disorders, including hematological malignancies such as acute myeloid leukemia, the most prevalent acute leukemia in adults. Xenobiotics are usually harmless compounds that may be detrimental, such as pharmaceuticals, environmental pollutants, cosmetics, and even food additives. The stor...

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common cancer among children worldwide, characterized by an overproduction of undifferentiated lymphoblasts in the bone marrow. The treatment of choice for this disease is the enzyme L-asparaginase (ASNase) from bacterial sources. ASNase hydrolyzes circulating L-asparagine in plasma, leading to starvat...

Introduction Vaccines prevent disease and disability; save lives and represent a good assessment of health interventions. Several systematic reviews on the efficacy and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines have been published, but the immunogenicity and safety of these vaccines should also be addressed. Areas covered This systemic investigation soug...

The intensification of anthropogenic activities has affected North Patagonian freshwater bodies, causing a negative impact on water quality, and changing their trophic state. Consequently, zooplankton communities, particularly Daphnia pulex, a key species in these ecosystems, it has been severe damage by the economic activities. Considering the abo...

Helicobacter pylori has become the causal agent of multiple forms of gastric disease worldwide, including gastric cancer. The enzyme l-asparaginase (ASNase) has been studied as a virulence factor. In this work, we performed an in silico investigation to characterize the immunological profile of H. pylori ASNase (HpASNase) to ascertain the possible...

L-asparaginase is one of the world’s most in-demand industrial enzymes, mainly due to its therapeutic properties and its use in the food industry. Over the years studies have been conducted to improve its specific activity and reduce side effects, driving new discoveries that promise safer, more efficient, and cheaper drugs for consumers. However,...

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) are interesting therapeutic targets due to their involvement in the development of different types of diseases. nAChR inhibitory peptides are considered promising drugs due to their high selectivity and activity on these receptors. However, the identification of nAChR inhibitory peptides using conventional...

Chronic wounds are defined as wounds that do not heal in an orderly and timely manner through the various stages of the healing process. Copper nanoparticles are essential in dressings for wound healing because they promote angiogenesis and skin regeneration, which hasten the healing process. This systematic investigation sought to explain how copp...

Motility is a key in spermatozoon function, determining semen quality and fertilizing capacity. Motility in fish spermatozoa occurs when they are diluted in a swimming solution, the adequacy of which is determined by factors which vary by species. Spermatozoon motility rate and velocity, as well as the duration of the motility period, are influence...

Several studies have shown that blood vitamin levels are low in alcoholic patients. In effect, alcohol use abuse is considered a chronic disease that promotes the pathogenesis of many fatal diseases, such as cancer and liver cirrhosis. The alcohol effects in the liver can be prevented by antioxidant mechanisms, which induces enzymatic as well as ot...

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small subpopulation of immature cells located in the tumor mass. These cells are responsible for tumor development, proliferation, resistance and spreading. CSCs are characterized by three unique features: the ability to self-renew, differentiation and tumor formation. CSCs are similar to stem cells, but they differ i...

This study aimed to analyze the effects on the lipidome of juvenile Oncorhynchus mykiss muscle fed 90% Brassica napus “rapeseed” oil and different amounts of Durvillaea antarctica “Cochayuyo” meal (1.5, 3 and 6%) as a replacement for cellulose. The analysis allowed for the identification of 329 lipids, mainly represented by phospholipids and fatty...

One of the most astonishing examples of chromatin remodelling occurs during the maturation of male germ cells, where changes in protein structure, as well as chromatin compaction, take place. During the post-meiotic formation of sperm (spermiogenesis), chromatin appears super-condensed, and transcriptionally inactive, allowing for a more hydrodynam...

One of the key routes through which ethanol induces oxidative stress appears to be the activation of cytochrome P450 2E1 at different levels of ethanol intake. Our aim was to determine if oral β-carotene intake had an antioxidant effect on CYP2E1 gene expression in mice that had previously consumed ethanol. C57BL/6 mice were used and distributed in...

Lately, agriculture, livestock, forestry, and aquaculture activities have been greatly developed in Chilean North Patagonia, negatively impacting the balance of the environmental conditions in lakes and affecting the development and survival of several native species. The aim of this study was to assess the anthropic impact on a zooplankton communi...

The present study investigated the spermatological characteristics of raw semen of Lebranche mullet (Mugil liza), namely pH, and sperm density, and motility; and subsequently evaluated the effects of different times of exposure to cryoprotectants, and the application of an ultra-rapid freezing protocol, on sperm motility and plasma membrane integri...

One of the biological indicators most used to determine the health of a fluvial ecosystem are the benthic macroinvertebrates. The presence of recurrent species in a wide gradient of latitudes, dominates the biogeographic pattern of the benthic macroinvertebrates in Chilean fresh waters, nevertheless the knowledge on the communitarian ecology of the...

Voltage-gated sodium channel activity has long been associated with several diseases including epilepsy, chronic pain, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, immune system, neuromuscular and respiratory disorders. The strong participation of these channels in the development of diseases makes them excellent promising therapeutic targets. Voltage-gated N...

Several studies have shown that blood vitamin levels are low in alcoholic patients. In effect, alcohol use abuse is considered a chronic disease that promotes the pathogenesis of many fatal diseases, such as cancer and liver cirrhosis. The alcohol effects in the liver can be prevented by antioxidant mechanisms, which induces enzymatic as well as ot...

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are ubiquitous host defense peptides characterized by antibiotic activity and lower propensity for developing resistance compared to classic antibiotics. While several AMPs have shown activity against antibiotic-sensitive and even multi-drug resistant strains, some bottlenecks to further development and clinical applic...

The regulation of sperm motility is controlled by several variables, including mainly ion concentrations. In fish, Ca2+ concentrations play an important role in the regulation of sperm motility, and several reports highlight the importance of certain Ca2+ channels in the regulation of this cell function. CatSper is a calcium channel scarcely studie...

Research has proven the adaptation of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria to unfavorable environmental conditions, and this work presents a novel concept to prevent nitrite oxidation during partial nitrification in wastewater. The approach is based on the real-time updating of mathematical models of the process to search for optimal set-points of pH and oxy...

Viral antigens are key in the development of vaccines that prevent or eradicate infections caused by these pathogens. Bioinformatics tools are modern alternatives that facilitate the discovery of viral antigens, reducing the costs of experimental assays. We developed a bioinformatics tool called VirVACPRED, which is highly efficient in predicting v...

Agricultural, livestock, forestry and aquaculture activities have recently expanded in Chile's North Patagonia, affecting the balance of environmental conditions in the lakes, and threatening the development and survival of the aquatic species present. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anthropogenic impact on zooplankton communities, assess...

Benthic macroinvertebrates are used as indicators of ecosystem health mainly because they have limited mobility, carry out their life cycles in water, possess a large number of phylogenetically diverse species and respond to anthropogenic pressures, which are why they are suitable candidates for biomonitoring practices. Limitations have been verifi...

Ischemia is a severe condition in which blood supply, including oxygen (O), to organs and tissues is interrupted and reduced. This is usually due to a clog or blockage in the arteries that feed the affected organ. Reinstatement of blood flow is essential to salvage ischemic tissues, restoring O, and nutrient supply. However, reperfusion itself may...

Fish sperm quality assessment is an essential process for commercial production. The goal of this study was to evaluate the quality of fresh milt of farmed coho salmon using a functional and structural approach. A total of 37 males were used to determined parameters such as sperm concentration, pH and osmolality of seminal plasma, viability, mitoch...

The cold storage of milt implies potentials alterations in its quality because the storage generates as main process, free radicals that produce spermatozoa membrane lipids damage with the consequent motility and fertilising capacity disruptions. To decrease the damage generated by free radicals the cells have antioxidant defences (proteins, enzyme...

Sperm motility is a key event in fertilization, which is regulated by different factors. Among the factors that most affect sperm motility in fish are the external concentrations of Ca2+, the influence of which is highly regulated by various plasma membrane Ca2+-binding proteins. Concentrations of this cation have also been shown to be one of the m...

Salmonid sperm motility is regulated by different factors, such as ion concentration, osmotic pressure, pH, and temperature. The Ca²⁺ cation-dependent regulation and Ca²⁺-binding proteins are key regulatory mechanisms in the sperm activation process. In this study, the function of transient receptor potential ankyrin 1, transient receptor potential...

Immunotherapy is a research area with great potential in drug discovery for cancer treatment. Because of the capacity of tumor antigens to activate the immune response and promote the destruction of tumor cells, they are considered excellent immunotherapeutic drugs. In this work, we evaluated fifteen machine learning algorithms for the classificati...

The development of semen cryopreservation strategies is necessary to improve the semen storage technologies of species of great commercial interest for aquaculture. Recent studies demonstrate that lipids play an important role in the fertility and cryotolerance of fish gametes. This study investigated the effect of exogenous lipids in the freezing...

Sperm cryopreservation is an important tool for reproductive management; however, it has not been possible to perform this procedure for coho salmon. This study was designed to assess the effect of cryopreservation on sperm functional parameters, oxidative stress markers and fertilizing capacity of coho salmon. Eight extenders were tested, consisti...

Ca2+ is a key element in the sperm activation process of Salmo salar. However, the molecular mechanisms by which this ion enters the sperm cell have been poorly studied. In this study, we examined, for the first time, the role of the voltage-gated T-type Ca2+ channel in the activation of sperm motility of Salmo salar. Using an in vitro inhibition a...

Durvillaea antarctica is a brown seaweed that can be located in the Southern Hemisphere and has a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids and γ-tocopherol. Aquaculture currently uses vegetable oils for feeding rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), but this reduces the omega-3 levels in the fillet. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect...

The FASN enzyme plays a key role in fatty acids synthesis as the main long-chain fatty acid synthesizer. A non-synonymous SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) (g.17925A>G) located in the thioesterase domain of this enzyme and an effect in fat deposition has been observed, but has not been evaluated in this breed and, moreover, the reason whereby th...

L-asparaginase (L-ASNase) is an important bacterial enzyme used as a biopharmaceutical to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Side effects of L–ASNase therapy have been counteracted by polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modification of L-ASNase; however, immunogenicity of PEG has been observed in patients. Here we explore L-ASNase glycosylation as a b...

Background: The application of the Lean methodology in clinical laboratories can improve workflow and user satisfaction through the efficient delivery of analytical results. The purpose of this study was to optimise delivery times of the test results at a clinical laboratory, using Lean management principles in the pre-analytical phase. Methods:...

Short-term storage of semen is a necessary key procedure in fish; it allows maximizing the use of gametes. Nevertheless, sperm quality decreases during storage has been associated with oxidative stress damage due to an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) during storage. This study was designed to optimize a short-term storage protocol for Coh...

The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of selection using the Percoll density gradient method on motility, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨMit) and fertility in a subpopulation of testicular spermatozoa obtained from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Samples were divided into three groups: Control (C), T1 (45/90% Percoll®) and T2 (45/60% Pe...

The use of synthetic hormones to regulate sexual maturity in captive fish is a common practice. With aquaculture practices, fish production is desired throughout the year, necessitating the maintenance of quality standards, mainly regarding the characteristics of the fish produced. Embryonic development may be affected by toxins in the environment...

Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is a highly selective α2-adrenergic agonist with sedative and analgesic properties, with minimal respiratory effects. It is used as a sedative in the intensive care unit and the operating room. The opioid-sparing effect and the absence of respiratory effects make dexmedetomidine an attractive adjuvant drug for anesthesia in ob...

Deschampsia antarctica has managed to colonize the maritime Antarctic. One of the main factors associated with its tolerance to low temperatures is the presence of apoplastic proteins with antifreeze activity. This work focuses on the effect of cold acclimation of D. antarctica on the accumulation of apoplastic proteins with antifreeze activity. An...

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common cancer among children worldwide, characterized by an overproduction of undifferentiated lymphoblasts in the bone marrow. The enzyme l-asparaginase isolated from Escherichia coli and Dickeya chrysanthemi is a key factor in multiple therapies against this disease. Regardless of their effectiveness, thes...

Potassium channels play a key role in regulating the flow of ions through the plasma membrane, orchestrating many cellular processes including cell volume regulation, hormone secretion and electrical impulse formation. Ligand peptides of potassium channels are molecules used in basic and applied research and are now considered promising alternative...

Covalent attachment of therapeutic proteins to polyethylene glycol (PEG) is widely used for the improvement of its pharmacokinetic and pharmacological properties, as well as the reduction in reactogenicity and related side effects. This technique named PEGylation has been successfully employed in several approved drugs to treat various diseases, ev...

Among all the Ca2+ channels, CatSper channels have been one of the most studied in sperm of different species due to their demonstrated role in the fertilization process. In fish sperm, the calcium channel plays a key role in sperm activation. However, the functionality of the CatSper channels has not been studied in any of the fish species. For th...

Daphnia pulex is a freshwater planktonic crustacean, allegedly a cosmopolitan species, which is found in lentic ecosystems. The aim of this study was to conduct a literature review of D. pulex related to its life history and genetic variability, in order to mark a route for future studies. We noted that D. pulex is a model species on which ecologic...

Ca2+ cations play a key role in the initiation of spermatozoa motility in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). In this study we assess the importance of the voltage-gated L-type calcium channels in the spermatozoa motility of Atlantic salmon by combined in vitro and in silico approaches. The results of this study showed that as in other fish species, vol...

(Conclusions) The use of ISO6341 reconstituted water has been effective both for laboratory Daphnia magna culture tests, showing acceptable mortality levels and a survival rate of 73%, and for use by individuals cultured in molecular tests. There are zooplankton species in Chile that have not been studied at the culture level and the molecular leve...

L-asparaginase (ASNase) is a therapeutic enzyme considered a cornerstone in the treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), the most common cancer in children worldwide. Four formulations of bacterial origin are available in the market for the treatment of ALL. However, despite their effectiveness, they generate immunological reactions, decrea...