Molcell

Molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating the functions of plants and associated living organisms (MOLCELL)

MOLCELL is the research activity (AR) to which “fundamental” research belongs to, either free or funded, aimed at increasing the level of knowledge of molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the functioning, diversification, evolution and functional interactions of living organisms.

The main research subjects are the plants (agro-forestry or model) and other living organisms that interact with them both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, including other plants, fungi, viruses and viroids, bacteria and phytoplasmas, insects, nematodes and yeasts.

MOLCELL research exploits and integrates multidisciplinary approaches to study a) the metabolism and the functions of nucleic acids, including the regulation of gene expression, RNA silencing, epigenetics, DNA stability, repair and modification and the functional study of genomes; b) the biology of studied organisms; c) the development and the differentiation of cells or vegetative and reproductive organs; d) the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying plant life, microorganisms and their coexistence.

MOLCELL also includes plant biotechnology activities, such as the homologous and heterologous expression of proteins (vaccines, regulatory proteins, enzymes, bioactive molecules) or nucleic acids (RNAi, viral vectors) in eukaryotes or prokaryotes cells, tissues or organs in a transient or constitutive way.

Keywords: pathogenesis, epigenetics, RNA/DNA biology, RNAi, cell biology, biotechnology.