Andrea Moglia

Università degli Studi di Torino | UNITO · Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences

Cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM) or cavernoma is a major vascular disease of genetic origin, whose main phenotypes occur in the central nervous system, and is currently devoid of pharmacological therapeutic strategies. Cavernomas can remain asymptomatic during a lifetime or manifest with a wide range of symptoms, including recurrent headaches,...

Climate change is deeply impacting the food chain production, lowering quality and yield. In this context, the international scientific community has dedicated many efforts to enhancing resilience and sustainability in agriculture. Italy is among the main European producers of several fruit trees; therefore, national research centers and universiti...

Among the New Plant Breeding Techniques (NPBTs), the CRISPR/Cas9 system represents a useful tool for target gene editing, improving the traits of the plants rapidly. This technology allows targeting one or more sequences simultaneously, as well as introducing new genetic variations by homology-directed recombination. However, the technology of CRIS...

Phytophthora infestans, the causal agent of late blight (LB) in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), is a devastating disease and a serious concern for plant productivity. The presence of susceptibility (S) genes in plants facilitates pathogen proliferation; thus, disabling these genes may help provide a broad-spectrum and durable type of tolerance/re...

Avena sativa L. is a wholegrain cereal and an important edible crop. Oats possesses high nutritional and health promoting values and contains high levels of bioactive compounds, including a group of phenolic amides, named avenanthramides (Avns), exerting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EG...

Gene editing has already proved itself as an invaluable tool for the generation of mutants for crop breeding, yet its ultimate impact on agriculture will depend on how crops generated by gene editing technologies are regulated, and on our ability to characterize the impact of mutations on plant phenotype. A starting operational strategy for evaluat...

Castanea sativa is an important tree nut species worldwide, highly appreciated for its multifunctional role, in particular for timber and nut production. Nowadays, new strategies are needed to achieve plant resilience to diseases, climate change, higher yields, and nutritional quality. Among the new plant breeding techniques (NPBTs), the CRISPR/Cas...

Capsicum annuum L. is one of the most cultivated Solanaceae species, and in the open field, water limitation leading to drought stress affects its fruit quality, fruit setting, fruit size and ultimately yield. We identified stage-specific and a common core set of differentially expressed genes, following RNA-seq transcriptome analyses of a breeding...

CRISPR/Cas9 has emerged as the most important tool for genome engineering due to its simplicity, design flexibility, and high efficiency. This technology makes it possible to induce point mutations in one or some target sequences simultaneously, as well as to introduce new genetic variants by homology-directed recombination. However, this approach...

In the Medicago genus, triterpene saponins are a group of bioactive compounds extensively studied for their different biological and pharmaceutical properties. In this work, the CRISPR/Cas9-based approach with two single-site guide RNAs was used in Medicago truncatula (barrel medic) to knock-out the CYP93E2 and CYP72A61 genes, which are responsible...

Castanea sativa is one of the main multipurpose tree species valued for its timber and nuts. This species is susceptible to two major diseases, ink disease and chestnut blight, caused by Phytophthora spp. and Cryphonectria parasitica, respectively. The loss-of-function mutations of genes required for the onset of pathogenesis, referred to as plant...

BACKGROUND Crops are exposed to recurrent and acute drought stress episodes during their vegetative and reproductive cycles, and these episodes are increasingly frequent due to ongoing climate change. Sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum), alias bell pepper, is one of the most widely cultivated vegetables and is grown in open fields worldwide. Here we ass...

Polyphenol oxidases (PPOs) catalyze the oxidization of polyphenols, which in turn causes the browning of the eggplant berry flesh after cutting. This has a negative impact on fruit quality for both industrial transformation and fresh consumption. Ten PPO genes (named SmelPPO1 - 10 ) were identified in eggplant thanks to the recent availability of a...

Here we focus on the highly conserved MYB-bHLH-WD repeat (MBW) transcriptional complex model in eggplant, which is pivotal in the transcriptional regulation of the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway. Through a genome-wide approach performed on the recently released Eggplant Genome (cv. 67/3) previously identified, and reconfirmed by us, members belon...

Here we focus on the highly conserved MYB-bHLH-WD repeat (MBW) transcriptional complex model in eggplant, which is pivotal in the transcriptional regulation of the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway. Through a genome-wide approach performed on the recently released Eggplant Genome (cv. 67/3) previously identified, and reconfirmed by us, members belon...

DNA methylation through the activity of cytosine-5-methyltransferases (C5-MTases) and DNA demethylases plays important roles in genome protection as well as in regulating gene expression during plant development and plant response to environmental stresses. In this study, we report on a genome-wide identification of six C5-MTases (SmelMET1, SmelCMT...

Traditional European medicine has attributed to globe artichoke, as well as to its close relatives cultivated and wild cardoons, many beneficial properties to treat chronic liver diseases, jaundice, hepatitis and arteriosclerosis. Indeed, globe artichoke is a source of bio-active compounds, such as caffeoylquinic acid derivatives (chlorogenic acid...

Plant tissue culture techniques have made significant contributions to the advance of agricultural sciences in recent times, and today, they constitute an indispensable tool in modern agriculture. In particular, micropropagation is one of the most widely used techniques for rapid vegetative in vitro propagation. This chapter aims to review advances...

Avenanthramides (Avns), polyphenols found exclusively in oats, are emerging as promising therapeutic candidates for the treatment of several human diseases, including colon cancer. By engineering a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain, we previously produced two novel phenolic compounds, N-(E)-p-coumaroyl-3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (Yeast avenanthramide...

Oat ( Avena sativa ) is a cereal known since antiquity as a useful grain with abundant nutritional and health benefits. It contains distinct molecular components with high antioxidant activity, such as tocopherols, tocotrienols, and flavanoids. In addition, it is a unique source of avenanthramides, phenolic amides containing anthranilic acid and hy...

The intracellular scaffold KRIT1/CCM1 is an established regulator of vascular barrier function. Loss of KRIT1 leads to decreased microvessel barrier function and to the development of the vascular disorder Cerebral Cavernous Malformation (CCM). However, how loss of KRIT1 causes the subsequent deficit in barrier function remains undefined. Previous...

Changes to the cytosine methylation status of DNA, driven by the activity of C5 methyltransferases (C5-MTases) and demethylases, exert an important influence over development, transposon movement, gene expression and imprinting. Three groups of C5-MTase enzymes have been identified in plants, namely MET (methyltransferase 1), CMT (chromomethyltrans...

Conserved motifs in the globe artichoke demethylases (1, 2, 3). Motif 1 included Perm-CXXC (PF15629) domain, motif 2 included HhH-GPD (PF00730), while motif 3 included part of the RRM DME (PF15628). (TIF)

Protein models of the globe artichoke DRM-like proteins. Their three dimensional structures have been compared to that of A. thaliana AtDRM2. MTase domains are highlighted in green and BAH domains in purple. (TIF)

Primer sequences used in the qRT-PCR assays. (DOCX)

Conserved motifs in the globe artichoke C5-MTases. (TIF)

Protein models of the globe artichoke demethylase-like proteins. Their three dimensional structures have been compared to that of A. thaliana AtDME. RRM DME domains are highlighted in orange, Perm-CXXC domains in light blue and HhH-GPD domains in magenta. (TIF)

Demethylase sequences used for tree construction. A. thaliana and S. lycopersicum sequences have also been used for searching for globe artichoke homologs. (DOCX)

Methyltransferase sequences used for tree construction. A. thaliana and S. lycopersicum sequences have also been used for searching for globe artichoke homologs. (DOCX)

The technology in which a gene(s) is moved between unrelated species has been termed ‘genetic transformation,’ ‘gene technology,’ or ‘genetic engineering.’ Its result is a ‘genetically modified (GM) organism.’ The principal GM food crops grown commercially to date are herbicide-tolerant and insecticide-producing soybean, maize, and canola (oilseed...

Globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. var. scolymus) is a rich source of compounds promoting human health (phytonutrients), among them caffeoylquinic acids (CQAs), mainly represented by chlorogenic acid (CGA), and dicaffeoylquinic acids (diCQAs). The enzymes involved in their biosynthesis belong to the large family of BAHD acyltransferases. Follow...

The recently acquired genome sequence of globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) has been used to catalog the genome’s content of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. More than 177,000 perfect SSRs were revealed, equivalent to an overall density across the genome of 244.5 SSRs/Mbp, but some 224,000 imperfect SSRs were also identified. A...

The bracts of the globe artichoke inflorescence vary in their pigmentation and the extent of fleshy thorn development. Here, a genetic analysis of these two traits is presented, based on a pre-existing and well-characterized mapping population derived from a cross between a globe artichoke variety and a cultivated cardoon. While both traits appeare...

Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been proven to be a valuable tool for the expression of plant metabolic pathways. By engineering a S. cerevisiae strain with two plant genes (4cl-2 from tobacco and hct from globe artichoke) we previously set up a system for the production of two novel phenolic compounds, N-(E)-p-coumaroyl-3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (Yea...

Tomato, like other Solanaceous species, accumulates high levels of anti-oxidant caffeoylquinic acids (CQAs), which are strong bioactive molecules and protect plants against biotic and abiotic stresses. Among these compounds, the monocaffeoylquinic acids (e.g. chlorogenic acid, CGA) and the dicaffeoylquinic acids (diCQAs) have been found to possess...

The dietary value of many plant polyphenols lies in the protection given against degenerative pathologies. Their in planta role is associated with the host's defense response against biotic and abiotic stress. The polyphenol content of a given plant tissue is strongly influenced by the growing environment, but is also genetically determined. Plants...

Globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. var. scolymus) provides a rich dietary source of bio-active compounds derived from phenylpropanoid metabolism, notably caffeoylquinic acids (CQAs) and flavonoids. Micropropagation techniques have been established for this species, but in vitro cultures have not yet been extended to generate an efficient system...

Plant secondary metabolites are highly evolved compounds performing different functions, and have been widely exploited from food to medicine. A constant supply of phenols, a class of secondary metabolites, provides preventive and defensive mechanisms to reduce the risk of chronic diseases in human beings; among them mono- and di-caffeoylquinic aci...

Recent in vitro, in vivo, and theoretical experiments strongly suggest that sugar-(like) molecules counteract oxidative stress by acting as genuine reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers. A concept was proposed to include the vacuole as a part of the cellular antioxidant network. According to this view, sugars and sugar-like vacuolar compounds wo...

Micropropagation techniques have been widely applied in globe artichoke (C. cardunculus L. var. scolymus), however, efficient protocols for the establishment of in vitro callogenesis and organogenesis, a pre-requisite for Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation, have not been set up so far. We developed an efficient protocol for callus induct...

Globe artichoke leaves are highly rich in phenolic acids, in particular chlorogenic acid and dicaffeoylquinic acids. The latter are of particular interest since they can exert a stronger antioxidant activity, due to the presence of two adjacent hydroxyl groups on each of their phenolic rings. Plant tissue and cell cultures have been widely exploite...

Globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus L., Asteraceae) is a perennial crop traditionally consumed as a vegetable in the Mediterranean countries and rich in nutraceutically and pharmaceutically active compounds, including phenolic and terpenoid compounds. Its bitter taste is caused by its high content of sesquiterpene lactones (STLs), suc...

Plant secondary metabolites are highly evolved compounds performing different functions, and have been widely exploited from food to medicine. A constant supply of phenols, a class of secondary metabolites, provides preventive and defensive mechanisms to reduce the risk of chronic diseases in human beings; among them mono-and di-caffeoylquinic acid...

Plants respond to ultraviolet stress inducing a self-defence through the regulation of specific gene family members. The UV acclimation is the result of biochemical and physiological processes, such as enhancement of the antioxidant enzymatic system and accumulation of UV-absorbing phenolic compounds (e.g. flavonoids). Globe artichoke is an attract...

The caffeoylquinic acid (CQA) biosynthesis pathway in plants is not fully understood, but the BAHD superfamily, a large class of acyl-CoA-dependent acyltransferases, may represent an interesting group for the isolation of enzymes playing a key role. Globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) represents a relevant model species for studying...

Phenolic esters like chlorogenic acid play an important role in therapeutic properties of many plant extracts. We aimed to produce phenolic esters in baker's yeast, by expressing tobacco 4CL and globe artichoke HCT. Indeed yeast produced phenolic esters. However, the primary product was identified as N-(E)-p-coumaroyl-3-hydroxyanthranilic acid by N...

Here, we report the first leaf proteome analysis for globe artichoke. Three protein extraction protocols were tested and a reproducible Mg/NP-40-based method was established. Ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (RuBisCO) is a highly abundant leaf protein, and its presence masks co-localizing, less abundant proteins. To remove RuBisCO fro...

Globe artichoke represents a natural source of phenolic compounds with dicaffeoylquinic acids along with their biosynthetic precursor chlorogenic acid (5-caffeoylquinic acid) as the predominant molecules. We report the isolation and characterization of a full-length cDNA and promoter of a globe artichoke p-coumaroyl ester 3'-hydroxylase (CYP98A49),...