STAFF

DEA (France) Alicia Arias (Head, Researcher Category 4, IIBCE)
PhD Elena Fabiano (Researcher Category 3, IIBCE)
MSc Federico Battistoni* (Associated Researcher Category 2, IIBCE)
BSc Federico Rosconi
PhD Francisco Noya (Associated Researcher Category 3, IIBCE)
MSc Leonardo De La Fuente* (Associated Researcher Category 1, IIBCE)
BSc Leticia Quagliotto (Associated Researcher Category 2, IIBCE)
BSc María Lis Yanes
MSc Natalia Bajsa (Associated Researcher Category 2, IIBCE; Teaching Assistant Category 1, School of Sciences, Universidad de la República)
BSc Patricia Vaz
BSc Raúl Platero (Associated Researcher Category 1, IIBCE)

* Nowadays abroad developing PhD studies.
Pregraduated students:

Gastón Azziz
Luciana Hannibal
Marcela González
Melina Jaureguy
Silvia Bentancor
Vanesa Amarelle

RESEARCH TOPICS

The main research activities of the Laboratory are addressed to unravel the mechanisms that govern microorganisms-plant-soil interactions, with major emphasis in plant growth promoting microorganisms. The complexity of this theme demands/involves several methodological approaches which include analytical chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology and ecology. The two most developed areas are: 1) improvement of plant growth by biological control of fungal pathogens, under the supervision of Alicia Arias, and 2) study of iron and manganese homeostasis in bacteria which colonize plant tissues, under the supervision of Elena Fabiano. Recently, a new study subject has arisen in order to revise the biodiversity of native microorganisms in soils under different agricultural management.

REFEREED PUBLICATIONS

1) NATIONAL JOURNALS

Pérez, C., L. De La Fuente, A. Arias y N. Altier. Uso de Pseudomonas fluorescentes nativas para el control de enfermedades de implantación en Lotus corniculatus. Agrociencias, 5:41-47

2) INTERNATIONAL JOURNALS

De La Fuente, L., L. Thomashow, D. Weller, N. Bajsa, L. Quagliotto, and A. Arias. Pseudomonas fluorescens UP61 isolated from birdsfoot trefoil rhizosphere produces multiple antibiotics and exerts a broad spectrum of biocontrol activity. European Journal of Plant Pathology (in press).

Platero, R., M. Jaureguy, F. Battistoni, and E. Fabiano. Mutations in sit B and sit D genes affect manganese growth requirements in Sinorhizobium meliloti . FEMS Microbiology Letters 218: 65-70.

Battistoni, F., R. Platero, R. Duran, C. Cerveñansky, J. Battistoni, A. Arias and E. Fabiano. Identification of an iron-regulated outer membrane protein (ShmR) able to bind hemin in Sinorhizobium meliloti. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 68: 5877-5881.

De La Fuente, L., L. Quagliotto, N. Bajsa, E. Fabiano, N. Altier and A. Arias. Inoculation with Pseudomonas fluorescens biocontrol strains does not affect the symbiosis between rhizobia and forage legumes. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 34:545-548.

Battistoni, F., R. Platero, F. Noya, A. Arias and E. Fabiano. Intracellular Fe content influences nodulation competitiveness of Sinorhizobium meliloti strains as inocula of alfalfa. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 34: 593-597.

TEACHING AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES

As Associated Unit of the School of Sciences (Universidad de la República), the lab annually teaches 120 hours in the Biochemistry course for the Degree in Biology and Biochemistry students, and receives school delegations as an extension activity. Since 1999, we have organized 3 post-grade courses and participated as invited speaker in others, trained 4 graduated and 5 undergraduated students, supervised 3 finished MSc thesis and other 4 in course. Furthermore, 4 researchers have travelled abroad for short training stays, other 5 for international courses, and 4 foreign trainees were received.

SERVICES

Determination of bacterial population numbers in soil.

RESEARCH GRANTS

1) “Iron uptake systems in native rhizobia: a contribution to the improvement of an autosustainable agriculture”. Supported by International Foundation for Sciences. Supervisor: Elena Fabiano.

2) "Reduction of the chemical inputs in a vegetable crop by the use of beneficial rhizospheric microorganisms". Supported by European Union Coordinator: Philippe Lemanceau (INRA-Dijon, France). Supervisor in Uruguay: Alicia Arias.

3) “Identificación y purificación de receptores para la leghemoglobina presentes en rizobio” (Identification and purification of rhizobia leghemoglobin receptors). Supported by Fondo “Profesor Clemente Estable”, DINACYT. Supervisor: Elena Fabiano.

4) “Native fluorescent Pseudomonas as biocontrol agents of alfalfa seedling diseases”. Supported by International Foundation for Sciences. Supervisor: Leonardo De La Fuente.

5) "Desarrollo de una tecnología para el control biológico de enfermedades de implantación en leguminosas forrajera” (Development of a technology for the biological control of seedling diseases in forage legumes). Supported by BID-INIA. Supervisor: Alicia Arias.

6) Development of molecular tools for engineering/selection of more effective endophytic bacterial diazotroph of rice. Supported by RITE (Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth). Supervisor: Paul Gill.

7) Identificación de proteínas de membrana externa y de membrana peribacteroidea relacionadas con el metabolismo del hierro en Sinorhizobium meliloti 242 (Identification of outer membrane and peribacteroideal membrane proteins related to iron metabolisms in Sinorhizobium meliloti 242). Supported by Fondo Profesor “Clemente Estable”, DINACYT. Supervisor: Federico Battistoni.

8) “Caracterización de una colección de Pseudomonas fluorescentes para el control biológico de enfermedades de implantación en alfalfa” (Characterization of a fluorescent Pseudomonas collection for biological control of seedling diseases in alfalfa) Supported by Fondo Fondo “Profesor Clemente Estable”, DINACYT. Supervisor: Nora Altier (INIA-Las Brujas).

9) ¿Cómo se regula la expresión del sistema de transporte de manganeso SitABC y cuál es la función de la proteína reguladora Fur en la interacción simbiótica Sinorhizobium meliloti – Medicago sativa? (How does the expression of manganese transport system SitABC is regulated and which is the function of regulator protein Fur in the symbiotic interaction Sinorhizobium meliloti – Medicago sativa?). Supported by CSIC for young researchers. Supervisor: Raúl Platero.

10) “Estudio de la regulación post-transcripcional de la homeostasis de hierro en Sinorhizobium meliloti” (Study of post-transcriptional regulation of iron homeostasis in Sinorhizobium meliloti). Supported by Fondo Profesor “Clemente Estable”. Supervisor: Francisco Noya.

11) “Evaluación de la biodiversidad en suelos bajo diferentes sistemas de producción” (Evaluation of biodiversity in soils under different production systems) (2004-2006). Approved in December 2003. Supported by Programa de Desarrollo Tecnológico-DINACYT. Supervisor: Alicia Arias.