United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)/United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/World Bank/World Health Organization (WHO) implemented the Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) program with excellent results; however, due to current challenges, this active program requires new and innovative solutions. Nowadays, Aedes aegyptis-borne diseases can be added among neglected diseases. Surveillance and control must be considered owing to a great risk of infection with dengue, chikungunya and zika viruses. Although investigations on several vaccines are in progress, new insights in term of development of drugs that evade from resistance are of paramount importance. Nanobiotechnology appears as one of the most innovative strategy in the search of new uses for old pharmaceuticals or in the development of innovative and intelligent nanomedicines for neglected diseases. Liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, polymeric nanoparticles, metallic nanoparticles, quantum dots, carbon dots and carbon nanotubes were the focus of the current advances. In this direction, we have focused this overview on new advances in diagnostic assays as nanobiosensors, antivirus and nanoinsecticides on Aedes aegyptis control.

α-L-rhamnosidase plays a key role in grape juice and derived beverages processing by enhancing the aroma and in citric juices by removing bitterness. The aim of this work was to study and partially characterize marine microorganisms from different coastal areas of the Beagle Channel and intestinal contents of benthic organisms with α-L-rhamnosidase activity. A total of 10 microorganisms were selected because of their proper growth in MMB supplemented with rhamnose as the sole carbon source, at 8 and 20 °C. According to the quantitative determination of the α-L-rhamnosidase activity, G33 isolate showed the highest activity values at 37 °C (411.7 U.L-1), followed by F6 isolate at 30 °C (250.2 U.L-1). Molecular identification methods classified the isolates F6 and G33 as Serratia and Pseudomonas genera respectively. The results showed that α-L-rhamnosidase enzymes from Serratia sp. F6 and Pseudomonas sp. G33 strains are promising to be used in biotechnological strategies.

Las α-L-ramnosidasas desempeñan un rol clave en jugos de uvas y bebidas derivadas aumentando su aroma; y en jugos cítricos eliminando su amargor. El objetivo del trabajo fue el estudio y caracterización parcial de microorganismos marinos procedentes de diferentes zonas costeras del Canal de Beagle y de contenidos intestinales de organismos bentónicos con actividad α-L-ramnosidasa. A partir de 58 aislamientos cultivados en medio mineral de Brunner (MMB) con ramnosa, fueron seleccionados 10 microorganismos por presentar buen crecimiento a 8 y 20 ºC. A través de la determinación cuantitativa de la actividad α-L-ramnosidasa, se demostró que los aislamientos F6 y G33 presentaron los mayores valores de actividad a 30 °C (250,2 U.L-1) y a 37 °C (411,7 U.L-1). Los aislamientos seleccionados fueron identificados molecularmente como pertenecientes a los géneros Serratia y Pseudomonas. Los resultados de este trabajo indican que las enzimas α-L-ramnosidasas presentes en las cepas Serratia sp. F6 y Pseudomonas sp. G33 tienen un uso potencial en procesos biotecnológicos.

Background: In the past decade, considerable attention has been paid for the development of novel strategies for the synthesis of different kind of nano-objects. Most of the current strategies are usually working by the use physical or chemical principles to develop a myriad of nano-objects with multiple applications. Main fields of nanotechnology applications range from catalysis, micro- and nano-electronics (semiconductors, single electrons transistors), non-linear optic devices, photo-electrochemistry to biomedicine, diagnostics, foods and environment, chemical analysis and others. Results: Two main avenues for nanoparticles synthesis: cell-free extract and cell cultivation have been reported. The state of art of both biotechnological approaches for different type nanoparticles are reviewed in this work. Conclusions: Nanotechnology is a revolutionary field just at its onset, the trend in the next decades being its integration with the green chemistry approach. Several strategies involving exhaustive strain selection, cultivation modes, recombinant gene expression, metabolic engineering, protein re-design and re-engineering, and predictive modeling will allow to create nanobioreactors, a new nanobiotechnology arena with a high potential impact in many fields.