The course "Plant Biochemistry" is part of the Plant Physiology training activities of the Master of Science in Biology for Molecular, Cellular and Patho-physiological Research. This course is focused on both specific plant metabolic pathways and bioactive plant secondary metabolites. In particular, the course provides knowledge on specific aspects of 1) regulation of primary and secondary metabolism in plant-environment/organism interactions; 2) defence mechanisms in response to environmental stress; 3) bio-signalling pathways; 3) bioactive molecules: functional roles and applications.
teacher profile teaching materials
PLANT RESPONSES AGAINST ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSES: effects of biotic/abiotic stresses and principal pollutants on primary and secondary metabolism. Climate change, phenotypic plasticity and integrated defense responses to multiple stresses. Regulated enzymes at the interface between primary and secondary metabolism. Metabolic plasticity: metabolic pathways modulation in response to changes in environmental conditions. Environmental effects on production and accumulation of secondary metabolites and bioactive compounds.
CELL SIGNALING. Intracellular and intercellular signaling pathways during defense responses. Coordination of responses in different organs. Systemic responses. Signaling pathways between perception sites and response sites. Occurrence of propagating electrical signals in plants: the new frontiers of plant physiology. The action potential in plants and the rapid long-distance leaf-to-leaf. root-to-shoot and shoot-to-root signaling.
BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS: FUNCTIONAL ROLES AND APPLICATIONS.
Chemical basis of plant–environment communication. Officinal plants and bioactive compounds. Flavonoids, carotenoids and alkaloids: functional aspect and application in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and nutraceutical fields. Food supplements, dyes and additives. Essential oils. Mother tinctures. In vitro production of bioactive compounds by cell and tissues cultures. Bio-transformations, bioreactors and fermenters. Biotechnological approaches.
2) Molecole Bioattive delle piante. Massimo Maffei; Published by the author.
3) Biologia delle Piante. Vol 2: Interazioni con l’ambiente e Domesticazione. Smith A. M. et al.; Zanichelli.
4) Articoli scientifici e lezioni in power point fornite dal docente
The professor receives every day by appointment via e-mail: alessandra.cona@uniroma3.it
Mutuazione: 20410526 Biochimica vegetale in Biologia per la ricerca molecolare, cellulare e fisiopatologica LM-6 CONA ALESSANDRA
Programme
INTRODUCTORY LESSONS: Primary and secondary metabolism. Biosynthetic pathways of phenolics, terpenoids, nitrogen-containing compounds (alkaloids, cyanogenic glycosides, glucosinolates). Key enzymes of the mail metabolic pathways and homeostatic regulation (transcriptional, allosteric, redox and post-translational regulation: the example of the ADP-Glucose Pyrophosphorylase). Herbicide-target enzymes.PLANT RESPONSES AGAINST ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSES: effects of biotic/abiotic stresses and principal pollutants on primary and secondary metabolism. Climate change, phenotypic plasticity and integrated defense responses to multiple stresses. Regulated enzymes at the interface between primary and secondary metabolism. Metabolic plasticity: metabolic pathways modulation in response to changes in environmental conditions. Environmental effects on production and accumulation of secondary metabolites and bioactive compounds.
CELL SIGNALING. Intracellular and intercellular signaling pathways during defense responses. Coordination of responses in different organs. Systemic responses. Signaling pathways between perception sites and response sites. Occurrence of propagating electrical signals in plants: the new frontiers of plant physiology. The action potential in plants and the rapid long-distance leaf-to-leaf. root-to-shoot and shoot-to-root signaling.
BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS: FUNCTIONAL ROLES AND APPLICATIONS.
Chemical basis of plant–environment communication. Officinal plants and bioactive compounds. Flavonoids, carotenoids and alkaloids: functional aspect and application in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and nutraceutical fields. Food supplements, dyes and additives. Essential oils. Mother tinctures. In vitro production of bioactive compounds by cell and tissues cultures. Bio-transformations, bioreactors and fermenters. Biotechnological approaches.
Core Documentation
1) Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Plants. Buchanan et al.; John Wiley & Sons Inc2) Molecole Bioattive delle piante. Massimo Maffei; Published by the author.
3) Biologia delle Piante. Vol 2: Interazioni con l’ambiente e Domesticazione. Smith A. M. et al.; Zanichelli.
4) Articoli scientifici e lezioni in power point fornite dal docente
The professor receives every day by appointment via e-mail: alessandra.cona@uniroma3.it
Type of delivery of the course
Lecture-based course. The lessons will be supported by videos and will also be implemented by consulting specific international databases and web sites.Type of evaluation
Option 1: Oral exam on the whole program Option 2: Oral exam on the fuctional roles of the biactive compounds (point 4 of the program) and preparation of a written essay and a power point oral presentation on a topic proposed by the student (point 1,2,3 of the program).