CONICET PhD fellow
Director: Maria Elena Alvarez
E-mail: jrtorres@fcq.unc.edu.ar
PhD Thesis Topic
Role of DNA glycosylase MBD4 in genetic and epigenetic alterations induced by biotic stress in Arabidopsis
The overall objective of this project is to study the epigenetic basis of the defenses of Arabidopsis against phytopathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst), analyzing the role of DNA glycosidase MBD4 in the induction thereof. Knowing that in the condition of infection, MBD4 is necessary to relax the chromatin chromocenters (CCs), therefore the specific objectives are analyze whether the enzyme releases repressive marks this chromatin arise, and if it affects the expression of transposons and defense genes against Pst. To develop these objectives the following studies will be made:
1. cytological analysis repressive epigenetic marks in CCs of wild plants and mutants MBD4 treated with Pst, SA and ROS.
2. Expression and molecular analysis of repressive epigenetic marks of transposons (Phone) in plants MBD4 wild and mutant treated with Pst, SA / or ROS.
3. Transcriptome MBD4 mutants treated with Pst, SA / or ROS.