Traditional Approaches and Emerging Biotechnologies in Grapevine Virology

Environmental changes and global warming may promote the emergence of unknown viruses, whose spread is favored by the trade in plant products. Viruses represent a major threat to viticulture and the wine industry. Their management is challenging and mostly relies on prophylactic measures that are intended to prevent the introduction of viruses into vineyards. Besides the use of virus-free planting material, the employment of agrochemicals is a major strategy to prevent the spread of insect vectors in vineyards. According to the goal of the European Green Deal, a 50% decrease in the use of agrochemicals is expected before 2030. Thus, the development of alternative strategies that allow the sustainable control of viral diseases in vineyards is strongly needed. Here, we present a set of innovative biotechnological tools that have been developed to induce virus resistance in plants. From transgenesis to the still-debated genome editing technologies and RNAi-based strategies, this review discusses numerous illustrative studies that highlight the effectiveness of these promising tools for the management of viral infections in grapevine. Finally, the development of viral vectors from grapevine viruses is described, revealing their positive and unconventional roles, from targets to tools, in emerging biotechnologies

Studies on the aetiology of kiwifruit decline: interaction between soil-borne pathogens and waterlogging

Aims: In 2012, Italian kiwifruit orchards were hit by a serious root disease of unknown aetiology (kiwifruit decline, KD) that still causes extensive damage to the sector. While waterlogging was soon observed to be associated with its outbreak, the putative role of soil microbiota remains unknown. This work investigates the role of these two factors in the onset of the disease. Methods: Historical rainfall data were analysed to identify changes that might explain KD outbreak and mimic the flooding conditions required to reproduce the disease in a controlled environment. A greenhouse experiment was thus designed, and vines were grown in either unsterilized (U) or sterilized (S) soil collected from KD-affected orchards, and subjected (F) or not (N) to artificial flooding. Treatments were compared in terms of mortality rate, growth, and tissue modifications. Results: KD symptoms were only displayed by FU-treated vines, with an incidence of 90%. Ultrastructural observations detected tyloses and fibrils in the xylem vessels of all plants, irrespective of the treatment. Phytopythium vexans and Phytopythium chamaehyphon, isolated from roots of FU plants, emerged as the associated microorganisms. Conclusions: We succeeded in reproducing KD under controlled conditions and confirmed its association with both waterlogging and soil-borne microorganism(s)

Vitamin A, cancer treatment and prevention: The new role of cellular retinol binding proteins

Retinol and vitamin A derivatives influence cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis and play an important physiologic role in a wide range of biological processes. Retinol is obtained from foods of animal origin. Retinol derivatives are fundamental for vision, while retinoic acid is essential for skin and bone growth. Intracellular retinoid bioavailability is regulated by the presence of specific cytoplasmic retinol and retinoic acid binding proteins (CRBPs and CRABPs). CRBP-1, the most diffuse CRBP isoform, is a small 15 KDa cytosolic protein widely expressed and evolutionarily conserved in many tissues. CRBP-1 acts as chaperone and regulates the uptake, subsequent esterification, and bioavailability of retinol. CRBP-1 plays a major role in wound healing and arterial tissue remodelling processes. In the last years, the role of CRBP-1-related retinoid signalling during cancer progression became object of several studies. CRBP-1 downregulation associates with a more malignant phenotype in breast, ovarian, and nasopharyngeal cancers. Reexpression of CRBP-1 increased retinol sensitivity and reduced viability of ovarian cancer cells in vitro. Further studies are needed to explore new therapeutic strategies aimed at restoring CRBP-1-mediated intracellular retinol trafficking and the meaning of CRBP-1 expression in cancer patients' screening for a more personalized and efficacy retinoid therapy

Relevamiento e identificación de los fondos documentales y museológicos de la Capilla/Museo Padre Angel Buodo

El artículo informa acerca de las actividades realizadas por un grupo conformado por investigadores de la UNLPam e integrantes de la Asociación Pampeana de Conservación de Patrimonio Cultural para el relevamiento e identificación de los fondos documentales y museológicos de la Capilla/Museo Padre Angel Buodo, ubicada en las cercanías de la localidad de General Acha (departamento Utracán, La Pampa). Se destaca la importancia de los fondos documentales allí conservados y la urgencia de las acciones necesarias para su presentación.Fil: Rodríguez, Ana María. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Humanas. Instituto de Estudios Sociohistóricos; ArgentinaFil: Luchesse, Mónica G.. Asociación Pampeana de Conservación de Patrimonio Cultural; ArgentinaFil: Salomon Tarquini, Celia Claudia. Universidad Nacional de la Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Humanas. Instituto de Estudios Históricos y Sociales de La Pampa. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Confluencia. Instituto de Estudios Históricos y Sociales de La Pampa; Argentin