Mercedes Santos

• Professor
• Professor at University of Valladolid

Marine organisms represent a source of unique chemical entities with valuable biomedical potentialities, broad diversity, and complexity. It is essential to ensure a reliable and sustainable supply of marine natural products (MNPs) for their translation into commercial drugs and other valuable products. From a structural point of view and with few...

Marine organisms represent a source of unique chemical entities with valuable biomedical poten-tialities, broad diversity and complexity. It is essential to ensure a reliable and sustainable supply of marine natural products (MNPs) for their translation into commercial drugs and other valuable products. From a structural point of view and with few...

Globally, 1.3 billion tons of food fit for human consumption have been estimated to be wasted or lost per year. Subsequently, a broad scope of negative consequences generates unnecessary emissions of greenhouse gases related to the destruction of land, water, and energy. However, there is an increasing citizen, scientific, and political consensus a...

Despite the remarkable progress in the generation of recombinant elastin-like (ELR) hydrogels, further improvements are still required to enhance and control their viscoelasticity, as well as limit the use of expensive chemical reagents, time-consuming processes and several purification steps. To alleviate this issue, the reactivity of carboxylic g...

New strategies to develop drug-loaded nanocarriers with improved therapeutic efficacy are needed for cancer treatment. Herein we report a novel drug-delivery nanosystem comprising encapsulation of the chemotherapeutic drug docetaxel (DTX) and recombinant fusion of a small peptide inhibitor of Akt kinase within an elastin-like recombinamer (ELR) veh...

Elastin‐Like Recombinamers In article 2201646 by José Carlos Rodriguez‐Cabello and co‐workers, a 3D model scaffold containing two cylindrical elastin‐like recombinamer (ELR) hydrogels embedded in a slow‐resorbable or nonprotease‐sensitive ELR hydrogel that allow the independent spatiotemporal control of angiogenesis and neurogenesis in vivo, by the...

Spatiotemporal control of vascularization and innervation is a desired hallmark in advanced tissue regeneration. For this purpose, we design a 3D model scaffold, based on elastin‐like recombinamer (ELR) hydrogels. This contains two interior and well‐defined areas, small cylinders, with differentiated bioactivities with respect to the bulk. Both are...

Understanding the interplay between order and disorder in intrinsically disorder proteins (IDPs), and its impact on the properties and features of materials manufactured from them, is a major challenge in the design of protein-based synthetic polymers intended for advanced functions. In this paper an elastin-like diblock co-recombinamer amphiphile...

Elastin‐like recombinamers (ELRs) are proteinaceous biopolymers obtained by recombinant technology and which sequence is inspired by natural elastin. Genetic engineering allows total control over amino acid sequence and design of ELR structures in a versatile way that can include bioactive, structural, or functional domains. ELRs can be used as pre...

Steel corrosion is a global issue that affects safety and the economy. Currently, the homopolysaccharide (HoPS) structure of a novel lactic acid bacterium (LAB) is under study, as well as its application as a green corrosion inhibitor. Weissella cibaria FMy 2-21-1 is a LAB strain capable of producing HoPS in sucrose enriched media. The isolated and...

Despite lacking cooperatively folded structures under native conditions, numerous intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) nevertheless have great functional importance. These IDPs are hybrids containing both ordered and intrinsically disordered protein regions (IDPRs), the structure of which is highly flexible in this unfolded state. The conformat...

This study presents a new groundbreaking methodology for integrating innovative concepts to develop novel drug-delivery strategies. This methodology combines genetically engineered elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs) with supercritical fluid (SCF) techniques to encapsulate a poorly water-soluble drug in a one-step process. The chemotherapeutic agent...

Bone’s inherent piezoelectricity is a key factor in regulating bone growth and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) fate towards the osteogenic lineage. The piezoelectric polymer poly(vinylidene) fluoride (PVDF) was thus used to manufacture electroactive membranes by means of non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS), producing porous membranes with app...

One of the main goals in both tissue engineering and regenerative medicine is to design innovative synthetic scaffolds that can simulate and control the communication pathways between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM). In this context, we describe herein the characterization of protein polymer, a recombinant elastin-like recombinamer (ELR) d...

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common cardiovascular disorder. Vascular surgery strategies for coronary revascularization (either percutaneous or open) show a high rate of failure because of restenosis of the vessel, due to phenotypic switch of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) leading to proliferation and migration. We have previousl...

The versatility of 3D bioprinting techniques has demonstrated great potential for the development of artificial engineered tissues that more closely resemble native tissues. Despite this, challenges remain as regards the search for new bioinks that embrace all the complex parameters that this technique demands. In an attempt to develop such an adva...

Protein-based polymers are some of the most promising candidates for a new generation of innovative biomaterials as recent advances in genetic-engineering and biotechnological techniques mean that protein-based biomaterials can be designed and constructed with a higher degree of complexity and accuracy. Moreover, their sequences, which are derived...

Herein we present a novel one-pot method for the chemical modification of elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs) in a mild and efficient manner involving enzymatic catalysis with Candida antarctica lipase B. The introduction of different functionalities into such ELRs could open up new possibilities for the development of advanced biomaterials for regen...

Protein-based polymers are some of the most promising candidates for a new generation of innovative biomaterials as recent advances in genetic-engineering and biotechnological techniques mean that protein-based biomaterials can be designed and constructed with a higher degree of complexity and accuracy. Moreover, their sequences, which are derived...

Understanding the mechanisms responsible for generating different phases and morphologies of calcium phosphate by elastin-like recombinamers is supreme for bioengineering of advanced multifunctional materials. The generation of such multifunctional hybrid materials depends on the properties of their counterparts and the way in which they are assemb...

MALDI-TOF spectra, NMR spectra, ATR-IR spectra, SEM micrographs, EDXS analysis are presented.

Protein modification is an area of an intense research and many methods have been developed with applications in fields including biology, chemistry and medicine, as they are powerful tools for studying protein expression and localization, and engineering the functions of protein both in vitro and in live cells or in vivo to create new biocatalysts...

Targeted drug delivery is a new multidisciplinary field that aims to develop innovative nanomaterials, tools and devices to deploy a therapeutic agent to specific parts of the body where there is solely diseased tissue, thereby avoiding interaction with healthy tissue. Advanced drug-delivery systems attempt to control the site of action and release...

The search for new and biocompatible materials with high potential for improvement is a challenge in gene delivery applications. A cell type specific vector made of elastin-like recombinamer (ELR) and aptamers has been specifically designed for the intracellular delivery of therapeutic material for breast cancer therapy. A lysine enriched ELR was c...

Drug delivery systems that are able to control site and rate release of bioactive molecules are of particular interest for tissue therapy. Systems comprising biocompatible materials that can respond to environmental stimuli include elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs), a class of proteinaceous polymers bioinspired by natural elastin, which are especia...

INTRODUCTION Elastin-like recombinamers are natural elastin derived polypeptides with growing applications in the biomedicine fields1-3. The use of genetic engineering techniques allow the total control over their chemical and physical features such as surface charge, polydispersity, self-assembly and biocompatibility. The design of positively char...

In this work, well defined elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs) were studied as a choice to the existing non-viral vectors due to their biocompatibility and ease of scale-up. Functional motifs, namely penetratin and LAEL fusogenic peptides were incorporated into a basic ELR sequence, and imidazole groups were subsequently covalently bound obtaining EL...

Elastin-like recombinamer click gels (ELR-CGs) for biomedical applications, such as drug delivery or tissue engineering, have been developed by taking advantage of the click reaction (CuAAC) in the absence of traditional crosslinking agents. ELRs are functionalized with alkyne and azide groups using conventional chemical techniques to introduce the...

We explored the use of recently developed gels obtained by catalyst free click reaction of elastin-like recombinamers (ELR) to fabricate a new class of covered stents. The approach consists in embedding bare metal stents in the ELR-gels by injection molding, followed by endothelialization under dynamic pressure and flow conditions in a bioreactor....

Herein we present a study of the effect of the addition of NaCl on the size and shape of thermally driven elastin-like block co-recombinamer (ELbcRs) self-assembled nano-objects. Many researchers are currently using NaCl to tune the transition temperature (T-t) of elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs). However, this method is used without a complete un...

Multilayered microcapsules of chitosan and biomimetic elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs) were prepared envisaging the intracellular delivery of active agents. Two ELRs containing either a bioactive RGD sequence or a scrambled nonfunctional RDG were used to construct two types of functionalized polymeric microcapsules, both with spherical shape about...

ELR Catalyst-Free Click Gels (ELR-CFCGs) have been prepared and characterized by modifying both a structural ELR (VKV x 24) and a biofunctionalized ELR bearing RGD cell-adhesion sequences (HRGD6) to bear the reactive groups needed to form hydrogels via a click reaction. Prior to formation of the ELR-CFCGs, azide-bearing and cyclooctyne-modified ELR...

The emergence of the new scientific field known as nanomedicine is being catalyzed by multiple improvements in nanoscience techniques and significant progress in materials science, especially as regards the testing of novel and sophisticated biomaterials. This conjuncture has furthered the development of promising instruments in terms of detection,...

In drug delivery there has been great interest in the development of nano- and microcarriers of active agents to control their release kinetics and their efficacy by delivering them to where they are most needed. A possible method of delivery is that of carrier internalization by cells. By delivering an active agent directly to the cells, high drug...

Recently, hydrogels have become popular in material research for biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering. In nature, tissues are formed by cells that are surrounded by the extracellular matrix (ECM). One of its components is the elastin. Such proteins can be used to create new polymers known as elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs), which c...

A wide range of smart surfaces with novel properties relevant for biomedical applications have been developed recently. Herein we focus on thermoresponsive surfaces that switch between cell-adherent and non-adherent states, and their applications for cell harvesting. These smart surfaces are obtained by covalently coupling a tailored Elastin-Like R...

Introduction Recombinant Routes for the Generation of Novel AMPs Compositional and Structural Requirements for AMP Activity Applications of AMPs References

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

The ability to manipulate genes and their products by recombinant DNA has signaled a number of new possibilities for the production of modified or new fibrous biopolymers or protein-based polymers with a combination of strength and elasticity similar or even superior to that of synthetic high-tech fibers. Biotechnological approaches offer the oppor...

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

Here, we describe a procedure to manufacture smart hybrid probes that exhibit tunable optical properties as a function of multiple environmental variations. Initially, we achieved a one‐pot synthesis of gold‐PREP (photo‐responsive elastin‐like polymer) conjugate Gold‐AzoGlu15 via reduction of auric acid in the presence of PREP AzoGlu15 . Outstandin...

Reaction of (R)- and (S)-alkanesulfinates of 1,2 : 5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-D-glucose (DAG) with methylsulfanylmethyllithium produces their corresponding dithioacetal mono-S-oxides with enantiomeric excesses ranging from 95 to 100%. On the other hand, exo-metallation of 3-methyl-4, 5dihydroisoxazoles and their subsequent reaction with (R)- and (S)-a...

Reactions of (S)-alpha-(methylthio)-2-(p-tolylsulfinyl)benzyl carbanion with different carbonyl compounds proceeds with complete control of the configuration at the benzylic position. Aldehydes yield easily separable mixtures of beta-hydroxy sulfides, epimers at the hydroxylic carbon, where the stereoselectivity depends on steric factors (from 20%...

A new entry to optically pure trans-2,3-disubstituted N-sulfinyl aziridines starting from 1,2-aminosulfides, involving formation of a sulfonium salt intermediate followed by intramolecular nucleophilic attack by the sulfinamide nitrogen atom, is reported. The regio- and stereoselective opening of the aziridine ring can be achieved by anchimeric ass...

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

[reaction: see text] The reactions of the lithium (S)-alpha-(methylthio)-2-(p-toluenesulfinyl)benzyl carbanion with (S)-N-p-tolylsulfinyl aldimines evolve in a completely stereoselective manner providing a one-step synthesis of enantiomerically pure anti-1,2-disubstituted 1,2-amino sulfide derivatives.

The stereoselective synthesis of (3S,4R,5R)-4,5-dihydroxy-3-methyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydropyridazine from [(S)R]-(1E,3E)-1-p-tolylsulfinyl-1,3-pentadiene is reported. The domino reaction of the 1-sulfinyldiene with 1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (a hetero Diels–Alder, sulfoxide–sulfenate rearrangement, and sulfenate hydrolysis), cis-dihydroxylation of the r...

New 3-bromo-2-thio and 3-bromo-2,5-bis-(thio) furan derivatives have been synthesized and their synthetic potential has been assessed by their conversion into O,S-dimethyl and O-methyl-S-phenyl thiomaleates via methylene blue sensitized photooxygenation.

Aldol-type reactions of enantiomerically pure 4,5-diphenyl-3-(methylsulfinyl)methylisoxazolines and 2,3-O-isopropylidene-d-glyceraldehyde were examined in order to establish the stereochemical preferences. Catalytic hydrogenation of the resulting trihydroxyisoxazoline derivatives using a Raney-Ni/H3BO3 system provides an access to diastereomericall...

Regioselective mono and dihalogenations of amino, hydroxy and methoxy pyridines (2-, 3-, and 4-substituted) as well as 2,6-dimethoxy pyridine with N-bromosuccinimide in different solvents have been studied. Reactivity of the substrates decreases in the order amino > hydroxy > methoxy and regioselectivity depends on the position of the substituent (...

The reaction of racemic 3-methylisoxazolines and enantiomerically pure (RS)- and (SS)-methanesulfinates and (RS)- and (SS)-ethanesulfinates of 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-d-glucofuranose allows enantiomerically pure 3-alkylsulfinylmethylisoxazolines with both absolute configurations at sulfur to be obtained. One of these has been used as a chiral n...

Hetero Diels-Alder (HDA) cycloaddition of chiral 1-p-tolylsulfinyl-1,3-pentadiene with benzyl nitrosoformate, under mild conditions, yields 2H-1,2-oxazine 3 with complete regioselectivity and pi-facial diastereoselectivity. Sequential osmylation and protection of the resulting glycol gives the oxazine 5 which is directly transformed into enantiomer...

The synthesis of different (S)-1,4-dicarbonyl-2-(p-tolylsulfinyl)-2-alkenes by photooxygenation of enantiomerically pure (S)-p-tolylsulfinylfurans is reported.

A highly diastereoselective three-step synthesis of 2-O-benzyl-3,4-O-isopropylidene-d-erythrose 9 is described (de >98%; 50% overall yield) starting from d-glyceraldehyde acetonide and (R)-methyl p-tolyl sulfoxide. Treatment of 9 with trifluoroacetic acid gives 2-O-benzyl-d-erythrofuranose.

All d-pentoses are synthesized by one-carbon chain elongation commencing with the addition of the lithium salt of ethyl ethylthiomethyl sulfoxide to 2-O-(t-butyldimethylsilyl)-3,4-O-isopropylidene-d-erythrose and d-threose, 16 and 17. The addition of the above-mentioned nucleophile to 2-deoxy-3,4-O-isopropylidene-d-glycero tetrose, 19, gave rise to...

Enantiomerically pure hydroxy substituted triazolopyridazine 5a was obtained in one pot under mild conditions by reaction of (+)-(R)-(1E,3E)-1-(p-tolylsulfinyl)-1,3-pentadiene and 4-methyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione in the presence of P(OMe)3. The process involved a tandem Diels-Alder cycloaddition/sulfoxide-sulfenate rearrangement and trapping of...

Diels-Alder reactions of [(S)R]-(1E,3E)-1-p-tolylsulfinyl-1,3-pentadiene with 1-pyrrolidinyl-1-cyclohexene and methyl acrylate evidenced: i) low reactivity of the diene regardless of the electronic character of the dienophile (high pressures were always required); ii) a complete regio- and endo-selectivity (both controlled by the sulfoxide), but a...

Reaction of (R)- and (S)-alkanesulfinates of 1,2: 5,6-di-0-isopropylidene-~-glucose (DAG) with met hylsu lfanylmet hyllit hi urn produces their corresponding dit h ioacetal mono-S-oxides with enantiomeric excesses ranging from 95 to 100%. On the other hand, exo-metallation of 3-methyl-4,5- dihydroisoxazoles and their subsequent reaction with (R)- a...