Systems biology, ‘Omics, proteases, plant-pathogen interactions, grapevine
Vitis vinifera (grapevine)
• Transcriptomics: microarray, RNA-seq, real time PCR • Proteomics: 2D-DIGE, shotgun proteomics, proteogenomics • Metabolomics: untargeted metabolomics; pathway analysis • Biochemistry: recombinant protein expression and purification
My group is dedicated to the study of plant-pathogen interactions through a systems biology approach. We have been focused on several ‘Omics approaches (transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics) that were combined in an integrative analysis to exploit processes and mechanism linked to plant resistant to biotic stressors. In the plant-pathogen field we collaborate with several national international groups, namely Dr. Günther Buchholz, Head of grapevine biotechnology department at RLP AgroScience/AlPlanta-Institute for Plant Research; Dr. Eva Zyprian at the Institute for grapevine breeding - Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI) Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants; Dr. Maria Céu Machado at Centro de Investigação das Ferrugens do Cafeeiro (CIFC) -Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA) - Universidade de Lisboa (ULisboa); Dr. Jorge Cunha at the Portuguese Grapevine Ampleographic field - INIAV. In the MS, proteomics and metabolomics field, we collaborate with several research groups, namely Prof. Peter Roepstorff’s at Southern Denmark University; Prof. Carlos Cordeiro and Dr. Marta Sousa Silva at Science Faculty of Lisbon University; Dr. Ana Varela Coelho at ITQB/Universidade Nova de Lisboa and Prof. Robert Verpoorte at Leiden University. We also collaborate with other research groups on recombinant protein expression (Dr. Rita Abranches at ITQB/Universidade Nova de Lisboa and Prof. Andreas Schaller at Hohenheim University (specialist on plant subtilases) and bioinformatics within Lisbon University.
Our first approach was to perform a high throughput analysis using several ‘Omics to characterize grapevine resistance mechanisms towards pathogenic fungi. We have identified resistance associated candidates and mechanisms. Within the resistance associated candidates we have identified a serine protease (subtilase) that may be linked to immune priming events. We have further characterized grapevine subtilase gene family and are currently analyzing these candidates by recombinant protein production, expression analysis and epigenetic control. Moreover, we are also analyzing lipid associated signalling events (lipidomics analysis by Gas chromatography, thin layer chromatography, FTICR-MS) on the grapevine-fungi pathosystem and have correlated these events with subtilases. We have also other projects on the characterization of the metabolome modulation in grapevine resistance to biotic stress. TARGETS: Resistance-associated genes, proteins, metabolites
Our first approach was to perform a high throughput analysis using several ‘Omics to characterize grapevine resistance mechanisms towards pathogenic fungi. We have identified resistance associated candidates and mechanisms. Within the resistance associated candidates we have identified a serine protease (subtilase) that may be linked to immune priming events. We have further characterized grapevine subtilase gene family and are currently analyzing these candidates by recombinant protein production, expression analysis and epigenetic control. Moreover, we are also analyzing lipid associated signalling events (lipidomics analysis by Gas chromatography, thin layer chromatography, FTICR-MS) on the grapevine-fungi pathosystem and have correlated these events with subtilases. We have also other projects on the characterization of the metabolome modulation in grapevine resistance to biotic stress.