PICTURE
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Biology of Mycorrhizal Interactions
Staff
- Bonfante Paola (Member)
- Genre Andrea (Member)
- Lanfranco Luisa (Member)
- Martino Elena (Member)
- Perotto Silvia (Member)
Contacts
Activity
The research group focuses its interest on diverse aspects of mycorrhizal interactions, the widespread beneficial symbioses between plants and soil fungi.
In the context of current global challenges (ecosystem conservation, sustainable agriculture, development of plants for future needs) mycorrhizas may be crucial actors.
Since the foundation, in 1975, of the Center for the Study of Soil Mycology, our group integrates staff from the local section of the Institute for Plant Protection - CNR: Valeria Bianciotto, Raffaella Balestrini, Erica Lumini, Antonietta Mello, Stefano Ghignone, Antonella Faccio, Valentina Fiorilli, Lucia Allione
Our major research lines are:
- Genomics and Functional genomics in mycorrhizal fungi (Tuber melanosporum, T. magnatum, Glomus intraradices, Gigaspora margarita, Oidiodendron maius, Tulasnella calospora)
- Cellular and molecular interactions between plants and mycorrhizal fungi, with particular attention to signaling and colonization processes Systemic effects of mycorrhizal fungi on plant traits
- Biology of endobacteria living in AM fungi, with particular attention to Candidatus Glomeribacter gigasporarum and Mollicutes-related endobacteria.
- Biodiversity of mycorrhizal fungi
- Biology of the rhizosphere
Our expertise covers genomics, transcriptomics, metagenomics, bioinformatics; cellular and molecular biology; optical, confocal and electron microscopy; laser microdissection; in situ hybridization; genetic transformation; in vitro cultures.
We collaborate with several research groups inside and outside Europe Projects