RESEARCH FELLOW
giusy.dattoma(AT)ipsp.cnr.it
publications: Orcid
personal details and research activity: People
Curriculum Vitae
I got a master’s degree in Cell and Molecular Biology at Università degli Studi di Bari. During my internship I worked on the use of VIGS (virus-induced gene silencing) as a biotechnological tool for the functional analysis of genes, dealing with the role of pectinamethylesterase gene silencing in TMV infections.
At the same university, I earned a post-degree specialization in product and process innovation for the food industry and, in collaboration with the CNR Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection in Bari, I obtained a PhD degree in Biodiversity, Agriculture and Environment, discussing a thesis entitled “Xylella fastidiosa ‘De Donno’ strain: pathogenicity, genetic diversity and insights into host-pathogen interaction”
Later, I continued my experience in CNR-IPSP laboratories, where I took part in several research activities triggered by the phytosanitary emergency due to the introduction of Xylella fastidiosa in Apulia. In addition to gaining good practice with diagnosis, isolation in pure culture and manipulation of the bacterium, I worked on the characterization of Xylella fastidiosa isolates by MLST aiming to study their genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships. I have been active in investigating the biological traits of the bacterium, mainly focusing on the analysis of diffusible factors involved in Quorum sensing and the expression of virulence traits such as biofilm production and motility.
In recent years, I have dedicated efforts to the optimization of techniques for early diagnosis of Xylella fastidiosa, also through the application of advanced molecular tools. I mainly carry out activities aiming at the study of Xylella-host interaction, by the analysis and validation of transcriptomics and ionomics data, the use of model plants to investigate mechanisms and genes involved in plant defense, and the use of mutagenesis protocols for the functional analysis of bacterial genes. More recently, I have been interested in identifying novel viral isolates in ornamental crops and investigating marker genes and miRNAs associated with grapevine response to viral infections.