08211 - Plant Ecophysiology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will acquire a critical and in-depth vision of the main themes of plant ecophysiology concerning photosynthesis, metabolism, plant-soil, plant-light, and plant-atmosphere relationships, as well as physiological elements of biotic/abiotic stresses and defence plant responses. Therefore, the student will be able to critically evaluate the physiological state of plants and to understand the mechanisms of functioning and adaptation to the environment, also taking advantage of an intensive experimental laboratory.

Course contents

The soil and the water. Radical absorption. Transpiration. Stomata: organization, function and regulatory mechanims. Essential nutritive elements and nutrient deficiencies. Membrane transport, aquaporins and proton pumps. Mycorrhizae.

Nitrogen assimilation. Absorption and reduction of ammonium nitrate. Ammonium assimilation. The nitrogen cycle. Carnivorous plants.

Sulfur assimilation. The sulfur cycle. Absorption and reduction of sulfate. Sulfur assimilation. Synthesis of sulfur compounds (e.g. methionine and glutathione).

Photosynthesis (light phase). Light. Chloroplasts. Photosynthetic pigments: chlorophylls, carotenoids and ficobiliproteins. Photosystems. Structure and functioning of the photosystem II. Cytochrome b6f and cycle Q. Structure and function of photosystem I. ATP synthase of chloroplasts. Scheme Z. Non-cyclic photosynthetic transport. Evolution of photosynthesis and photosynthetic organisms.

Photosynthesis (metabolism). Carbon metabolism. RubisCO: structure, reactions, and regulation. Calvin-Benson cycle and light/dark control. Photorespiration. Mechanisms of CO2 concentration. C4/CAM plants: metabolism and anatomy. Metabolic relationships between starch and sucrose. Biosynthesis of sucrose, amylose and amylopectin. Sink-source relationships.

Light as an environmental signal: photomorphogenesis and photoreceptors. Phytochromes: molecular features, activation and signal transduction. Escape from the shadow. Cryptocromes and phototropins.

Hormones: general concepts and biosynthesis. Deepening of the signaling and regulatory pathways of gene expression mediated by the auxin and abscissic acid (ABA).

Secondary metabolites: classification and main physiological roles. Artemisinin: biosynthesis and use in bio-farming.



Laboratory (1 CFU)

Purification of chloroplasts from leaf material of different origin. Extraction of photosynthetic pigments and spectrophotometric determination of the content of chlorophylls and carotenoids. Measurement of proteins (Bradford method) and separation of chloroplastic proteins by gel electrophoresis. Calculations and final considerations.

Readings/Bibliography

Rascio N, Carfagna S, Esposito S, La Rocca N, Lo Gullo MA, Trost P, Vona V (2017) Elementi di Fisiologia vegetale. EdiSES .

Teaching methods

The course (5 CFU) will be held by conducting lectures accompanied by the projection of images and slides (power point). The teacher is available for any questions and clarifications both during and at the end of the lesson. The part of the laboratory will include a introductory lesson in which the experimental protocol will be explained and all students will perform the experimental activity individually. The laboratory ends with a comparative analysis of the data collected by each student.

Assessment methods

The exam consists of an oral test where questions will be asked to the candidates concerning the course content and the experimental activity.

Teaching tools

The course will take place in classrooms equipped with PC projection. All lessons will be carried out with the help of power point presentations. The files of the power point presentations will be made available to the students at the end of the course. The laboratory course will take place in a single-workstation, equipped with centrifuges, spectrophotometers and electrophoretic cells.

Office hours

See the website of Mirko Zaffagnini