Partner 4. Bioquimica y biologia molecular

Universidad de Córdoba, Alfonso XIII, 13, 14071 Córdoba, Spain

Prof. Emilio Fernandez Reyes, E-mail: bb1feree@uco.es  

http://www.uco.es/

The group in the University of Córdoba has been working on the biochemical-genetics and molecular biology of NO3- assimilation in Chlamydomonas for the last twenty years. This work has allowed the cloning of a dozen genes and the study of their function in this pathway, so that Chlamydomonas has become one of the photosynthetic eukaryotic systems where the NO3- assimilation pathway is better understood. As a result of the work of this team, a transformation system was set up in Chlamydomonas, the first high affinity NO3- transporter (NRT2) and the first plastidic nitrite transporter were identified and their function demonstrated, mutant strains deficient in these systems were characterised, and genes involved in negative signalling by ammonium were tagged and the corresponding mutants characterised.

The staff of Partner 4 (using Chlamydomonas) has experience in training pre-doctoral and post-doctoral researchers. In the last five years, we have received several post-doctoral researchers in our group, and the staff has advised and supervised four PhD thesis, which were presented in the University of Córdoba and got the maximal qualification. Three more PhD thesis are presently being finished and will be presented within the next 1-2 years.

Pre-doctoral researchers at the University of Córdoba attend the training PhD program of ”Experimentation in Biosciences” which provides, in the first year, scientific and technical training in Biochemical Methods, Molecular Biology Methods, Cell Biology Methods, Biotechnology, and Scientific Research, and during the second year particular training in specific laboratory techniques.

Participating scientists:

• Prof. Emilio Fernandez

• Prof. Aurora Galván

• María Isabel Macías

• David González

• Vicente Mariscal