Helenice Mercier

• Abstract

  Guzmania monostachia is an epiphytic bromeliad with tank and C3-CAM facultative metabolism that survives to intensive environmental variations such as the intermittency of water and nutrient availabilities. Previous researches of our group have shown that this bromeliad is inducible to CAM in water scarcity and under low N availability and can revert to C3 when rehydrated. Considering its…

  Exploring the physiological and molecular aspects of Guzmania monostachia (Bromeliaceae): studying the functional pathways of photosynthesis and nutrient responses., AP.R

• Abstract

  We are requesting funding for a project entitled “Improving the efficiency of water and nitrogen use by crop plants". This project would consist of two annual components: one visit each year by a postgraduate student from USP to Oxford and one visit each year by the two main researches (from São Paulo to Oxford and from Oxford to São Paulo). Reflecting this structure, the aims of the proj…

  Improving the efficiency of water and nitrogen use by crop plants, AP.R SPRINT

• Abstract

  Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) is one of the three possible pathways of atmospheric carbon (CO2) assimilation via photosynthesis. CAM plants have higher water use efficiency, representing an important physiological adaptation that allows these plants to occupy habits characterized by intermittent water availability, such as the epiphytic niche. This project has a major goal to study t…

  Competence for Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) expression in epiphytic bromeliad: signaling, modulation of expression, transcriptional profile and interaction with the nitrogen metabolism, AP.TEM

(Only some records are available in English at this moment)

• Abstract

  The Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) allows the assimilation of CO2 with a greater water use efficiency rather than the C3 and C4 metabolisms. In the epiphytic C3-CAM facultative bromeliad Guzmania monostachia (Bromeliaceae, Tillandsioideae), the C3 maximizes its growth under favorable environmental conditions, while CAM is manifested in stressful conditions. Since different nitrogen so…

  Nitrogen metabolism and its interaction with the Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) in Guzmania monostachia (Bromeliaceae): a physiological and molecular approach, BP.PD

• Abstract

  Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are formed in reactions to the metabolism, such as photosynthesis and respiration, and act as signalling molecules that regulate many cellular processes such as growth, development and plant's response to stress. CAM plants have the capacity to deal with highly changing environments due to the flexibility of reversible morphological and physiological adaptati…

  ROS and antioxidants in Guzmania monostachia: induction of CAM is a defence strategy to alleviate oxidative stress?, BP.PD

• Abstract

  Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) is an adaptation characterized mainly by fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide at night by the enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC). Due to the closure of stomata during the day, the water use efficiency of CAM plants is higher than that of plants that carry out C3 or C4 photosynthesis, allowing the colonization of more xeric environments. CAM …

  Characterization of the capacity to induce CAM in plants of Vriesea gigantea (Bromeliaceae) under water deficit, BP.MS

(Only some records are available in English at this moment)

• Abstract

  Organic molecules can be the main input of nitrogen for plants in environments where inorganic nitrogen sources are limited, such as epiphytic habitat. Recent studies conducted in our laboratory at IBUSP have shown a high capacity of Vriesea gigantea plants to absorb urea by their leaves, making this bromeliad an excellent model to study urea metabolism. Nevertheless, urea uptake and assi…

  Analysis of urea assimilation in Vriesea gigantea (Bromeliaceae) plants with low urease activity: is mandatory the urea hydrolysis for its assimilation?, BE.EP.DR

• Abstract

  Urea has been characterized as a very important nitrogen and carbon source to bromeliads. Recent studies conducted in our laboratory at IBUSP have shown a high preference of Vriesea gigantea plants for urea. For some plant species, urea transport through aquaporins has already been described.Three foliar aquaporin genes, VgPIP1,2; VgPIP1,5 and VgTIP2, have been recently cloned from urea-t…

  Analysis of urea transport through aquaporins of Vriesea gigantea (Bromeliaceae) by heterologous expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes, BE.EP.DR