Biomedical subjects

Flavia Vischi Winck

Publications and source records attributed to Flavia Vischi Winck.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

Bridging the Python Training Gap for Bioscientists in Brazil: Improvements and Challenges.

The rapid evolution of high-throughput technologies in biosciences generates vast and diverse datasets, demanding that bioscientists develop advanced data manipulation and analysis skills. Python, with its versatility and powerful libraries, has become a crucial tool for managing these datasets. However, a significant lack of programming training for bioscientists persists in many countries. To address this knowledge gap in Brazil, the Brazilian Python Workshop for Biological Data was introduced several years ago, focusing on fundamental programming concepts and data handling techniques using popular Python libraries. Despite positive feedback from earlier editions, persistent challenges necessitated continuous adaptation to meet the evolving needs of bioscientists. This work describes the advancements implemented in the 2021 and 2022 editions of the workshop and discusses suggestions for its ongoing enhancement. Key innovations were introduced in the workshop's structure and coordination, including new committees and a code of conduct. Feedback forms were updated for real-time adjustments, and the event's reach was expanded to increase geographical diversity. New didactic strategies, such as pair-teaching, code clubs, and the integration of ICTs, were implemented to enhance learning outcomes. Programming best practices and scientific reproducibility were emphasized through talks and hands-on activities guided by PEP8 conventions. Furthermore, scientific dissemination was intensified through an increased social media presence and participation in international events. Finally, we present updated recommendations for students, researchers, and educators interested in organizing similar initiatives.

Brazil↗

PubMed2007

Absence of classical heat shock response in the citrus pathogen Xylella fastidiosa.

The fastidious bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is associated with important crop diseases worldwide. We have recently shown that X. fastidiosa is a peculiar organism having unusually low values of gene codon bias throughout its genome and, unexpectedly, in the group of the most abundant proteins. Here, we hypothesized that the lack of codon usage optimization in X. fastidiosa would incapacitate this organism to undergo quick and massive changes in protein expression as occurs in a classical stress response. Proteomic analysis of the response to heat stress in X. fastidiosa revealed that no changes in protein expression can be detected. Moreover, stress-inducible proteins identified in the closely related citrus pathogen Xanthomonas axonopodis pv citri were found to be constitutively expressed in X. fastidiosa. These proteins have extremely high codon bias values in the X. citri and other well-studied organisms, but low values in X. fastidiosa. Because biased codon usage is well known to correlate to the rate of protein synthesis, we speculate that the peculiar codon bias distribution in X. fastidiosa is related to the absence of a classical stress response, and, probably, alternative strategies for survival of X. fastidiosa under stressfull conditions.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed2003

Proteome analysis of the plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa reveals major cellular and extracellular proteins and a peculiar codon bias distribution.

The bacteria Xylella fastidiosa is the causative agent of a number of economically important crop diseases, including citrus variegated chlorosis. Although its complete genome is already sequenced, X. fastidiosa is very poorly characterized by biochemical approaches at the protein level. In an initial effort to characterize protein expression in X. fastidiosa we used one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry to identify the products of 142 genes present in a whole cell extract and in an extracellular fraction of the citrus isolated strain 9a5c. Of particular interest for the study of pathogenesis are adhesion and secreted proteins. Homologs to proteins from three different adhesion systems (type IV fimbriae, mrk pili and hsf surface fibrils) were found to be coexpressed, the last two being detected only as multimeric complexes in the high molecular weight region of one-dimensional electrophoresis gels. Using a procedure to extract secreted proteins as well as proteins weakly attached to the cell surface we identified 30 different proteins including toxins, adhesion related proteins, antioxidant enzymes, different types of proteases and 16 hypothetical proteins. These data suggest that the intercellular space of X. fastidiosa colonies is a multifunctional microenvironment containing proteins related to in vivo bacterial survival and pathogenesis. A codon usage analysis of the most expressed proteins from the whole cell extract revealed a low biased distribution, which we propose is related to the slow growing nature of X. fastidiosa. A database of the X. fastidiosa proteome was developed and can be accessed via the internet (URL: www.proteome.ibi.unicamp.br).

Antioxidants↗