The Delledonne lab operates in the Biotechnology Department of the University of Verona, which consists of an interdisciplinary expert group belonging to the following disciplines; Plant Molecular Biology, Plant Physiology, Plant Genetics, Biochemistry and Chemistry. From 2007 a Centre for Functional Genomics (founded by Cariverona foundation) has been established as a core facility for high throughput gene expression analysis and genome wide sequence characterization. The Centre implements the most advanced technologies with 3 different microarray platforms and a massive parallel sequencing platform.The Department possesses all the necessary equipment and facilities to develop science at high level.
Molecular and biochemical characterization of nitric oxide signaling functions in plant-microbe interaction
The group leader Massimo Delledonne has 10 years post-doctoral experience in plant molecular biology and biotechnology. During the last few years he focussed on the plant hypersensitive disease resistance response and found that plant cells accumulate nitric oxide (NO), which co-operates with reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) in the induction of hypersensitive cell death, and functions independently of such intermediates in the induction of defence related genes. He then investigated the role of different ROI in modulating NO signalling through the cell death pathway and demonstrated that the rates of production and dismutation of O2- generated during the oxidative burst play a crucial role in the modulation and integration of NO/H2O2 signalling in the hypersensitive response. Long term goal of Delledonne lab is to understand the plant disease resistance mechanisms modulated by NO. In particular, the group is now focusing on: i) the mechanisms regulating NO level in plant; ii) the identification and characterization of key genes and signalling mechanisms that operate downstream of NO accumulation; iii) the disease resistance mechanisms based on NO-mediated signals, which are involved in the hypersensitive cell death and in the establishment of systemic acquired resistance. 
Last Updated: 2011-07-06 |
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