PFG – Plant Functional Genomics

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.

Research team

Group Leader: Rui Malhó rmmalho@fc.ul.pt

Recent Publications

SNP Detection in Pinus pinaster Transcriptome and Association with Resistance to Pinewood Nematode

Modesto I, Inácio V, Novikova P, Carrasquinho I, Van de Peer Y, Miguel CM (2022) SNP Detection in Pinus pinaster Transcriptome and Association with Resistance to Pinewood Nematode. Forests, 13(6), 946. doi: 10.3390/f13060946

Aneuploids and its increment on diversity of Lippia alba polyploid complex: genetic aspects and origin

Lopes JML, Campos VR, Reis AC, Matos EM, Azevedo ALS, Machado AM, Grazul RM, Viccini LF (2022) Molecular mechanisms of Cystic Fibrosis - how mutations lead to misfunction and guide therapy complex: genetic aspects and origin. Molecular Biology Reports, , . doi: 10.1007/s11033-022-07599-4

Ocean Acidification Alleviates Dwarf Eelgrass (Zostera noltii) Lipid Landscape Remodeling under Warming Stress

Duarte B, Repolho T, Paula JR, Caçador I, Matos AR, Rosa R (2022) Ocean Acidification Alleviates Dwarf Eelgrass (Zostera noltii) Lipid Landscape Remodeling under Warming Stress. Biology, 11, 780. doi: 10.3390/biology11050780

LipidTOX: A fatty acid-based index efficient for ecotoxicological studies with marine model diatoms exposed to legacy and emerging contaminants

Duarte B, Feijão E, Franzitta M, Duarte IA, Carvalho RC, Cabrita MT, Marques JC, Caçador I, Fonseca V, Matos AR (2022) LipidTOX: A fatty acid-based index efficient for ecotoxicological studies with marine model diatoms exposed to legacy and emerging contaminants. Ecological Indicators, 139, 108885. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.108885

The grapevine aspartic protease gene family: characterization and expression modulation in response to Plasmopara viticola

Figueiredo L, Santos RB, Figueiredo A (2022) The grapevine aspartic protease gene family: characterization and expression modulation in response to Plasmopara viticola. Journal of Plant Research, 135, 501-515. doi: 10.1007/s10265-022-01390-z

SUMO E3 ligase SIZ1 connects sumoylation and reactive oxygen species homeostasis processes in Arabidopsis

Castro PH, Couto D, Santos MA, Freitas S, Lourenço T, Dias E, Huguet S, Marques da Silva J, Tavares RM, Bejarano ER, Azevedo Herlander (2022) SUMO E3 ligase SIZ1 connects sumoylation and reactive oxygen species homeostasis processes in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology, , . doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiac085