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Although the production of most of the current medicines is based on chemical synthesis, more than 25% of the current prescribed drugs contains at least one active ingredient of plant origin (Kaufman et al 1999). Examples of important... more
Although the production of most of the current medicines is based on chemical synthesis, more than 25% of the current prescribed drugs contains at least one active ingredient of plant origin (Kaufman et al 1999). Examples of important plant-derived pharmaceuticals include the antitumoral taxol and vinblastine, the antimalarial drug quinine and artemisinin, the analgesical morphine and codeine. In addition, it has been estimated that more than 80% of the world’s population in developing countries depends primarily on herbal medicine for basic healthcare needs (Vines 2004). There is also a revival of traditional medicine in developed countries and an increase in the use of herbal remedies. The world market of herbal medicines, including herbal and raw material, has been estimated to have an annual growth rate between 5–15%. Total global herbal drug market is estimated as US 62 billion and it is expected to grow to US 62 billion and it is expected to grow to US 5 trillion by the year 2050 (Joshi et al. 2004). At same time, there is a growing concern on loss of genetic diversity since about 75% of the 50,000 different medicinal plant species in use are collected from the wild (Edwards 2004). Moreover, to rely solely on wild spontaneous plants as a production system can be extremely dangerous, as shown recently by severe shortage problems of the antimalarial artemisinin (Scheindlin 2005). Additionally, bioactive plant compounds are produced generally at very low amount and, often, it is not economically convenient to extract them from natural sources.
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Research Interests: Metabolism, Plant Biology, Adaptation, Stress, Cell Culture, and 13 morePotato, Stress response, Water Stress, Soil sciences, Thermal acclimation, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Cell Cultures, Polyethylene Glycol, Acclimatization, Enzyme activity, Cell Survival, Murashige and Skoog, and Cell Suspension Culture
Gene expression in nongreen plastids is largely uncharacterized. To compare gene expression in potato (Solanum tuberosum) tuber amyloplasts and leaf chloroplasts, amounts of transcripts of all plastid genes were determined by... more
Gene expression in nongreen plastids is largely uncharacterized. To compare gene expression in potato (Solanum tuberosum) tuber amyloplasts and leaf chloroplasts, amounts of transcripts of all plastid genes were determined by hybridization to plastome arrays. Except for a few genes, transcript accumulation was much lower in tubers compared with leaves. Transcripts of photosynthesis-related genes showed a greater reduction in tubers compared with leaves than transcripts of genes for the genetic system. Plastid genome copy number in tubers was 2- to 3-fold lower than in leaves and thus cannot account for the observed reduction of transcript accumulation in amyloplasts. Both the plastid-encoded and the nucleus-encoded RNA polymerases were active in potato amyloplasts. Transcription initiation sites were identical in chloroplasts and amyloplasts, although some differences in promoter utilization between the two organelles were evident. For some intron-containing genes, RNA splicing was ...
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... the products of which have been associated with the ability of plants to cope with stressful conditions (see SKRIVER EL MUNDY ... These genotypes have been characterized as unable to accumulate ABA, as a result of non complementing... more
... the products of which have been associated with the ability of plants to cope with stressful conditions (see SKRIVER EL MUNDY ... These genotypes have been characterized as unable to accumulate ABA, as a result of non complementing mutations (RICK, 1980) which block ABA ...
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Research Interests:
Potato Research 42 (1999) 333 - 351 Tolerance to abiotic stresses in potato plants: a molecular approach ANTONELLA LEONE, ANTONELLO COSTA, FEDERICA CONSIGLIO, IMMACOLATA MASSARELLI, EMILIA DRAGONET-I'I, MONICA DE PALMA... more
Potato Research 42 (1999) 333 - 351 Tolerance to abiotic stresses in potato plants: a molecular approach ANTONELLA LEONE, ANTONELLO COSTA, FEDERICA CONSIGLIO, IMMACOLATA MASSARELLI, EMILIA DRAGONET-I'I, MONICA DE PALMA and STEFANIA GRILLO ...