PFG – Plant Functional Genomics

Rui Malhó

The Plant Functional Genomics Group aims to pursue an integrated, systematic view on the physiological, cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for plant morphogenetic traits – Phenomics – aiming its understanding and the translation of fundamental science to applications (“lab-to-field” pipeline).

PFG is organized in four research teams, each headed by a PI. Two of these teams are based at FCUL, one at Univ Minho (UM) and one at UTAD. Each team explores inter-dependent scientific aims within the group’s overall research objectives, contributing towards the development of a coherent research program in the area of plant biology and biotechnology.

The research developed by the four teams can be clustered in four main topics to which all teams contribute: (1) Cell Signalling & Trafficking, (2) Molecular Cell Physiology, (3) Stress responses, (4) Green biotechnology.

Specific lines of interest are: (a) mechanisms of plant fertilization, (b) control of fruit ripening, (c) plant-pathogen and plant-ectomycorrizha interaction, (d) responses to organic and inorganic pollutants, (e) drought stress responses and (f) protein sorting and secretion.

PFG members are mainly associated with BioISI thematic line of Biotechnology but cooperative interactions for integrative research within the thematic lines of Biomedicine, Biophysics and Bioinformatics are part of the group’s aims and activities.

Team

PFG Group Members: 45

Post Docs: 8

PhD Students: 11

Academic staff: 17

Recent Publications

Using Rapid Chlorophyll Fluorescence Transients to Classify Vitis Genotypes

Marques da Silva J, Figueiredo A, Cunha J, Eiras-Dias JE, Silva S, Vanneschi L, Mariano P (2020) Plants 9(2), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9020174

Enabling reusability of plant phenomic datasets with MIAPPE 1.1

Papoutsoglou et al. (2020) New Phytologist 227: 260-273; https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.16544

RNA editing in inflorescences of wild grapevine unveils association to sex and development

Ramos MJN, Faísca-Silva D, Coito JL, Cunha J, Silva HG, Viegas W, Costa MMR, Amâncio S, Rocheta M (2020). bioRxiv 2020.03.03.974626; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.03.03.974626.

Isolation and characterization of a new MATE gene located in the same chromosome arm of the aluminium tolerance (Alt1) rye locus

Santos E, Matos M, Benito C (2020). Plant Biology 22, 691–700; https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.13107.

Editorial: Polyamines in Plant Biotechnology, Food Nutrition, and Human Health

Alcázar R, Fortes AM, Tiburcio AF (2020) Front. Plant Sci. 11:120; https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.00120.

Impact of plant genotype and plant habitat in shaping bacterial pathobiome: a comparative study in olive tree

Mina D, Pereira JA, Lino-Neto T, et al. (2020) Sci Rep 10, 3475; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-60596-0.