Director
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Dr. Humberto Fabio Causin JTP ded. exclusiva D.B.B.E. causin@nullbg.fcen.uba.ar |
The main goal of this line of research is to increase our understanding about the physiological processes involved in the regulation of senescence and the proteolytic activity during shading, in leaves of wheat and other crops. In the case of wheat, the removal of blue light (350-450 nm) is sufficient to induce senescence and alterations in the oxidative metabolism and proteolytic activity when leaves are exposed to shading stress. In particular, the reduction of blue light involves changes in the endogenous levels of cytokinins (CKs), H2O2, as well as in the metabolism of calcium ions. There is also evidence that maintaining a suitable activity of the enzyme catalase plays an important role in the senescence delaying effect of blue light. The analysis of the regulatory role of these and other factors by means of studies at the biochemical and molecular level are the backbone of our research group.