Isabel García

Bio: Isabel García is an academic researcher from Spanish National Research Council. The author has contributed to research in topics: Colloidal gold & Nectar. The author has an hindex of 23, co-authored 73 publications receiving 1949 citations. Previous affiliations of Isabel García include Complutense University of Madrid & University of Zaragoza.

Glyconanoparticles as multifunctional and multimodal carbohydrate systems

Abstract: The quest for the construction of multivalent carbohydrate systems, with precise geometries that are highly efficient in interacting with carbohydrate binding proteins, has been a goal of synthetic chemists since the discovery of the multivalent nature of carbohydrate-mediated interactions. However, the control of the spatial and topological requirements for these systems is still a challenge. Glyconanoparticles (GNPs) are sugar-coated gold, iron oxide or semiconductor nanoparticles with defined thiol-ending glycosides that combine the multivalent presentation of carbohydrates (glycoclusters) with the special chemico-physical properties of the nano-sized metallic core. The possibility of attaching different types of carbohydrates and other molecules (such as luminescent probes, peptides, and magnetic chelates) onto the same gold nanoparticle in a controlled way (multifunctional GNPs), as well as modifying the core in order to obtain glyconanoparticles with magnetic or fluorescence properties (multimodal GNPs) makes this multivalent glyco-scaffold suitable for carrying out studies on carbohydrate-mediated interactions and applications in molecular imaging. In this review, we focus mainly on the rational design of glyconanoparticles as scaffolds for combining different ligands and survey the most recent examples of glyconanoparticles as both multivalent carbohydrate systems and probes for molecular imaging.

Cellular Uptake of Nanoparticles versus Small Molecules: A Matter of Size.

Abstract: ConspectusThe primary function of the cell membrane is to protect cells from their surroundings. This entails a strict regulation on controlling the exchange of matter between the cell and its environment. A key factor when considering potential biological applications of a particular chemical structure has to do with its ability to internalize into cells. Molecules that can readily cross cell membranes are frequently needed in biological research and medicine, since most therapeutic entities are designed to modulate intracellular components. However, the design of molecules that do not penetrate cells is also relevant toward, for example, extracellular contrast agents, which are most widely used in clinical diagnosis.Small molecules have occupied the forefront of biomedical research until recently, but the past few decades have seen an increasing use of larger chemical structures, such as proteins or nanoparticles, leading to unprecedented and often unexpectedly novel research. Great achievements have be...

Invisible floral larcenies: microbial communities degrade floral nectar of bumble bee-pollinated plants

Abstract: The ecology of nectarivorous microbial communities remains virtually unknown, which precludes elucidating whether these organisms play some role in plant-pollinator mutualisms beyond minor commensalism. We simultaneously assessed microbial abundance and nectar composition at the individual nectary level in flowers of three southern Spanish bumble bee-pollinated plants (Helleborus foetidus, Aquilegia vulgaris, and Aquilegia pyrenaica cazorlensis). Yeasts were frequent and abundant in nectar of all species, and variation in yeast density was correlated with drastic changes in nectar sugar concentration and composition. Yeast communities built up in nectar from early to late floral stages, at which time all nectaries contained yeasts, often at densities between 10(4) and 10(5) cells/mm3. Total sugar concentration and percentage sucrose declined, and percentage fructose increased, with increasing density of yeast cells in nectar. Among-nectary variation in microbial density accounted for 65% (H. foetidus and A. vulgaris) and 35% (A. p. cazorlensis) of intraspecific variance in nectar sugar composition, and 60% (H. foetidus) and 38% (A. vulgaris) of variance in nectar concentration. Our results provide compelling evidence that nectar microbial communities can have detrimental effects on plants and/or pollinators via extensive nectar degradation and also call for a more careful interpretation of nectar traits in the future, if uncontrolled for yeasts.

Glycans as biofunctional ligands for gold nanorods: stability and targeting in protein-rich media.

Abstract: Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) has become the gold standard for stabilization of plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) in biofluids, because it prevents aggregation while minimizing unspecific interactions with proteins. Application of Au NPs in biological environments requires the use of ligands that can target selected receptors, even in the presence of protein-rich media. We demonstrate here the stabilizing effect of low-molecular-weight glycans on both spherical and rod-like plasmonic NPs under physiological conditions, as bench-marked against the well-established PEG ligands. Glycan-coated NPs are resistant to adsorption of proteins from serum-containing media and avoid phagocytosis by macrophage-like cells, but retain selectivity toward carbohydrate-binding proteins in protein-rich biological media. These results open the way toward the design of efficient therapeutic/diagnostic glycan-decorated plasmonic nanotools for specific biological applications.

Nanoparticles as Nonviral Gene Delivery Vectors

Abstract: Gene therapy, as therapeutic treatment to genetic or acquired diseases, is attracting much interest in the research community, leading to noteworthy developments over the past two decades. Although this field is still dominated by viral vectors, nonviral vectors have recently received an ever increasing attention in order to overcome the safety problems of their viral counterpart. This review presents the biological aspects involved in the gene delivery process and explores the recent developments and achievements of nonviral gene carriers.

Fast parallel algorithms for short-range molecular dynamics

Abstract: Three parallel algorithms for classical molecular dynamics are presented. The first assigns each processor a fixed subset of atoms; the second assigns each a fixed subset of inter-atomic forces to compute; the third assigns each a fixed spatial region. The algorithms are suitable for molecular dynamics models which can be difficult to parallelize efficiently—those with short-range forces where the neighbors of each atom change rapidly. They can be implemented on any distributed-memory parallel machine which allows for message-passing of data between independently executing processors. The algorithms are tested on a standard Lennard-Jones benchmark problem for system sizes ranging from 500 to 100,000,000 atoms on several parallel supercomputers--the nCUBE 2, Intel iPSC/860 and Paragon, and Cray T3D. Comparing the results to the fastest reported vectorized Cray Y-MP and C90 algorithm shows that the current generation of parallel machines is competitive with conventional vector supercomputers even for small problems. For large problems, the spatial algorithm achieves parallel efficiencies of 90% and a 1840-node Intel Paragon performs up to 165 faster than a single Cray C9O processor. Trade-offs between the three algorithms and guidelines for adapting them to more complex molecular dynamics simulations are also discussed.

Biological applications of magnetic nanoparticles

Abstract: In this review an overview about biological applications of magnetic colloidal nanoparticles will be given, which comprises their synthesis, characterization, and in vitro and in vivo applications. The potential future role of magnetic nanoparticles compared to other functional nanoparticles will be discussed by highlighting the possibility of integration with other nanostructures and with existing biotechnology as well as by pointing out the specific properties of magnetic colloids. Current limitations in the fabrication process and issues related with the outcome of the particles in the body will be also pointed out in order to address the remaining challenges for an extended application of magnetic nanoparticles in medicine.

Supported metal nanoparticles on porous materials. Methods and applications.

Abstract: Nanoparticles are regarded as a major step forward to achieving the miniaturisation and nanoscaling effects and properties that have been utilised by nature for millions of years. The chemist is no longer observing and describing the behaviour of matter but is now able to manipulate and produce new types of materials with specific desired physicochemical characteristics. Such materials are receiving extensive attention across a broad range of research disciplines. The fusion between nanoparticle and nanoporous materials technology represents one of the most interesting of these rapidly expanding areas. The harnessing of nanoscale activity and selectivity, potentially provides extremely efficient catalytic materials for the production of commodity chemicals, and energy needed for a future sustainable society. In this tutorial review, we present an introduction to the field of supported metal nanoparticles (SMNPs) on porous materials, focusing on their preparation and applications in different areas.

Photochemical Reactions as Key Steps in Organic Synthesis

Abstract: 2.3. [4 + 4] Cycloadditions 1058 2.4. Photocycloadditions of Aromatic Compounds 1058 2.4.1. Benzene Derivatives 1058 2.4.2. Condensed Aromatic Compounds 1060 3. Photochemical Rearrangements 1061 4. Cyclizations 1064 4.1. Pericyclizations 1064 4.2. Norrish−Yang Reaction 1066 5. Photochemical Extrusion of Small Molecules 1067 6. Photochemical Electron Transfer 1068 6.1. Photochemical Electron-Transfer Reactions with a Catalytic Sensitizer 1068