Transgenic Approach for Functional Analysis of Genes Associated with Desiccation Tolerance in Resurrection Plants

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Sugar ratios, glutathione redox status and phenols in the resurrection species Haberlea rhodopensis and the closely related non-resurrection species Chirita eberhardtii

Because of their unique tolerance to desiccation, the so-called resurrection plants can be considered as excellent models for extensive research on plant reactions to environmental stresses. The vegetative tissues of these species are able to withstand long dry periods and to recover very rapidly upon re-watering. This study follows the dynamics of key components involved in leaf tissue antioxidant systems under desiccation in the resurrection plant Haberlea rhodopensis and the related non-resurrection species Chirita eberhardtii. In H. rhodopensis these parameters were also followed during recovery after full drying. A well-defined test system was developed to characterise the different responses of the two species under drought stress. Results show that levels of H2O2 decreased significantly both in H. rhodopensis and C. eberhardtii, but that accumulation of malondialdehyde was much more pronounced in the desiccation-tolerant H. rhodopensis than in the non-resurrection C. eberhardtii. A putative protective role could be attributed to accumulation of total phenols in H. rhodopensis during the late stages of drying. The total glutathione concentration and GSSG ⁄GSH ratio increased upon complete dehydration of H. rhodopensis. Our data on soluble sugars suggest that sugar ratios might be important for plant desiccation tolerance. An array of different adaptations could thus be responsible for the resurrection phenotype of H. rhodopensis.status: publishe

Unintended effects of a Phytophtora-resistant cisgenic potato clone on the potato aphid Macrosiphum euphorbiae and its parasitoid Aphidius ervi

Genetically modified (GM) plants may show unintended differences compared to the original varieties, due to the modification process. Such differences might in some cases affect non-target organisms linked to the crop into an agro-ecosystem. In this paper, we aimed to study interactions of two blight-resistant GM potato clones with the aphid species Macrosiphum euphorbiae Thomas, a non-target arthropod frequently feeding on potato plants and one of the major pests of that crop. One of the potato events used in our experiments caused an increased fertility of the aphids in the first generation, and consequently, a positive effect on the growth of the aphid population was estimated. When a second generation of the aphid was reared on potato leaves of the same GM event, differences in aphid fertility were no longer observed. Behavioural studies conducted in a wind tunnel using the aphid parasitoid Aphidius ervi Haliday indicated that neither of the two tested GM varieties had a significant effect on the attractiveness of potato plants towards the parasitoid. In planta tests proved to be sensitive protocols to detect unintended effects on a non-target arthropod; experimental results, however, indicate that these effects are not expected to be biologically relevant in this tritrophic system, if these GM events become available for commercial use in the future

A holistic approach to resurrection plants. Haberlea rhodopensis. – A case study

Recent environmental changes challenge world agriculture and reconfirm the importance of wild flora as useful source of valuable traits. Due to their extreme desiccation tolerance, the so called Resurrection plants are extensively studied and characterized. The Bulgarian endemic species Haberlea rhodopensis, apart from its typical resurrection capacity is very interesting also as a potential source of bioactive compounds with putative application in pharmacology, veterinary medicine and cosmetics. Here we discuss our approaches to Haberlea in the frames of the NSF funded project DO02-105 Centre for sustainable development of plant and animal genomics.status: publishe

Structural Transformation to Attain Responsible BIOSciences (STARBIOS2): protocol for a Horizon 2020 funded European multicenter project to promote responsible research and innovation

Background: Promoting Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is a major strategy of the “Science with and for Society” work program of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. RRI aims to achieve a better alignment of research and innovation with the values, needs, and expectations of society. The RRI strategy includes the “keys” of public engagement, open access, gender, ethics, and science education. The Structural Transformation to Attain Responsible BIOSciences (STARBIOS2) project promotes RRI in 6 European research institutions and universities from Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Poland, and the United Kingdom, in partnership with a further 6 institutions from Brazil, Denmark, Italy, South Africa, Sweden, and the United States.Objective: The project aims to attain RRI structural change in 6 European institutions by implementing action plans (APs) and developing APs for 3 non-European institutions active in the field of biosciences; use the implementation of APs as a learning process with a view to developing a set of guidelines on the implementation of RRI; and develop a sustainable model for RRI in biosciences.Methods: The project comprises interrelated research and implementation designed to achieve the aforementioned specific objectives. The project is organized into 6 core work packages and 5 supporting work packages. The core work packages deal with the implementation of institutional APs in 6 European institutions based on the structural change activation model. The supporting work packages include technical assistance, learning process on RRI-oriented structural change, monitoring and assessment, communication and dissemination, and project management.Results: The project is funded by Horizon 2020 and will run for 4 years (May 2016-April 2020). As of June 2018, the initial phase has been completed. The participating institutions have developed and approved APs and commenced their implementation. An observation tool has been launched by the Technical Assistance Team to collect information from the implementation of APs; the Evaluation & Assessment team has started monitoring the advancement of the project. As part of the communication and dissemination strategy, a project website, a Facebook page, and a Twitter account have been launched and are updated periodically. The International Scientific Advisory Committee has been formed to advise on the reporting and dissemination of the project’s results.Conclusions: In the short term, we anticipate that the project will have a considerable impact on the organizational processes and structures, improving the RRI uptake in the participating institutions. In the medium term, we expect to make RRI-oriented organizational change scalable across Europe by developing guidelines on RRI implementation and an RRI model in biosciences. In the long term, we expect that the project would help increase the ability of research institutions to make discoveries and innovations in better alignment with societal needs and values

Structural transformation to attain responsible BIOSciences (STARBIOS2)

Promoting Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is a major strategy of the "Science with and for Society" work program of the European Union's Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. RRI aims to achieve a better alignment of research and innovation with the values, needs, and expectations of society. The RRI strategy includes the "keys" of public engagement, open access, gender, ethics, and science education. The Structural Transformation to Attain Responsible BIOSciences (STARBIOS2) project promotes RRI in 6 European research institutions and universities from Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Poland, and the United Kingdom, in partnership with a further 6 institutions from Brazil, Denmark, Italy, South Africa, Sweden, and the United States