• Istituto di Biologia e Patologia Molecolari


Tel :Studio: 0649912922 lab: +390649912319
Fax :
patrizia.brunetti@cnr.it
PATRIZIA BRUNETTI
Researcher

Istitute of Molecular Biology and Pathology - National Research Council
c\/o Department of Biology and Biotecnology - Charles Darwin- Sapienza University of Rome
Istituto di Fisiologia Generale CU026, stanza 1 lab 6 - Universit\u00e0 di Roma La Sapienza - P.le A.Moro 5, 00185 Roma

My main research line focuses on the mechanisms of tolerance and accumulation of heavy metals and arsenic (As) in model species and in hyperaccumulators, that can be used to remediate contaminated soils. The role of phytochelatins (PCs) in heavy metal tolerance has been investigated in Arabidopsis and tobacco plants.  We have investigated the involvement of the ABC transporter MRP3 in the compartmentalization of As-PCs and complexes into the vacuole. 

Current research interests include:
  • Investigating the role of some essential transporter, involved in root-to-shoot translocation of As, in hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata (role of different marker genes of As accumulation, role of Phosphate transporter genes in As uptake).
  • Study of phytoextraction potential of Pteris vittata plants grown in natural contaminated fields and development of As monitoring strategies to follow arsenic and heavy metals, in plant tissue by using non invasive and rapid XRF/HSI imaging tools.

 

A second research line focuses on the study of the hormonal control of late stamen development in the model species Arabidopsis thaliana

Current research interests include:
  • investigating the role of Auxin during Solanum Lycopersicum (tomato) late stamen development.
  

 

 

PATENT. "Modulo di fitodepurazione, e impianto comprendente tale modulo" ("Phytodepuration module"), RIF: CNR Patent Application No. 102021000021266 registered on 05-08-2021. 

ANTENOZIO ML, CAPOBIANCO G, COSTANTINO P, VAMERALI T, BONIFAZI G, SERRANTI S, BRUNETTI P*, CARDARELLI M. 2022. Arsenic accumulation in Pteris vittata: Time course, distribution, and arsenic-related gene expression in fronds and whole plantlets. Environ Pollut. 309:119773. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119773. *Corrisponding author

CAPOBIANCO G, BONIFAZI G, SERRANTI S, MARABOTTINI R, ANTENOZIO ML, CARDARELLI M, BRUNETTI P*, AND STAZI SR. 2022 A Green Approach Based on Micro-X-ray Fluorescence for Arsenic, Micro- and Macronutrients Detection in Pteris vittate. Water, 14, 2202; doi.org/10.3390/w14142202. *Corrisponding author 

ANTENOZIO ML, GIANNELLI G, MARABOTTINI R, BRUNETTI P, ALLEVATO E, MARZI D, CAPOBIANCO G, BONIFAZI G, SERRANTI S, VISIOLI G, STAZI SR, CARDARELLI M. 2021. Phytoextraction efficiency of Pteris vittata grown on a naturally As-rich soil and characterization of As-resistant rhizosphere bacteria. SCIENTIFIC REPORT, ISSN: 1479-0378, doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-86076-7 

MARZI D, ANTENOZIO ML, VERNAZZARO S, SETTE C, VESCHETTI E, LUCENTINI L, DANIELE G, BRUNETTI P*, CARDARELLI M. 2021. Advanced Drinking Groundwater As Phytofiltration by the Hyperaccumulating Fern Pteris vittata. WATER, vol. 13, ISSN: 2073-4441, doi: 10.3390/w13162187 - *Corrisponding author 
 
Ghelli R*, Brunetti P*, Napoli N*, De Paolis A, Cecchetti V, Tsuge T, Serino G, Matsui M, Mele G, Rinaldi G, Palumbo GA, Barozzi F, Costantino P, Cardarelli M. 2018. A newly identified flower-specific splice variant of AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR8 regulates stamen elongation and endothecium lignification in arabidopsis. Plant Cell. 30(3):620-637. doi: 10.1105/tpc.17.00840.


Capobianco G , Brunetti P, Bonifazi G , Costantino P , Cardarelli M, and Serranti S “The use of µ-XRF combined with a multivariate approach to determine element variation and distribution in tobacco seedlings exposed to arsenate.” Spectrochimica Acta B, 2018, 147: 132-140 /doi.org/10.1016/j.sab.2018.05.029

Cecchetti V, Celebrin D, Napoli N, Ghelli R, Brunetti P, Costantino P, Cardarelli M. 2017. An auxin maximum in the middle layer controls stamen development and pollen maturation in Arabidopsis.  New Phytol. 213(3):1194-1207. doi: 10.1111/nph.14207. 

Zanella L, Fattorini L, Brunetti P, Roccotiello E, Cornara L, D'Angeli S, Della Rovere F, Cardarelli M, Barbieri M, Sanità di Toppi L, Degola F, Lindberg S, Altamura MM, Falasca G.Planta. 2016 Overexpression of AtPCS1 in tobacco increases arsenic and arsenic plus cadmium accumulation and detoxification. Planta ;243(3):605-22. doi: 10.1007/s00425-015-2428-8. 

Brunetti P, Zanella L, De Paolis A, Di Litta D, Cecchetti V, Falasca G, Barbieri M, Altamura MM, Costantino P and Cardarelli M. 2015. Cadmium-inducible expression of the ABC-type transporter AtABCC3 increases phytochelatin-mediated cadmium tolerance in Arabidopsis; J Exp Bot. 66(13):3815-29. doi: 10.1093/jxb/erv185. 

Cecchetti V*, Brunetti P*, Napoli N, Fattorini L, Altamura MM, Costantino P, Cardarelli M. 2015 ABCB1 and ABCB19 auxin transporters have synergistic effects on early and late Arabidopsis anther development. J Integr Plant Biol. 57(12):1089-98. doi: 10.1111/jipb.12332. 

Cecchetti V, Altamura MM, Brunetti P, Petrocelli V, Falasca G, Ljung K, Costantino P, and Cardarelli M. 2013 Auxin Controls Arabidopsis Anther Dehiscence by Regulating Endothecium Lignification and Jasmonic Acid Biosynthesis. Plant J. 74(3):411-22. doi: 10.1111/tpj.12130. 

Lombardi R, Donini M, Villani ME, Brunetti P, Fujiyama K, Kajiura H, Paul M, Ma JK, Benvenuto E. 2012. Production of different glycosylation variants of the tumour-targeting mAb H10 in Nicotiana benthamiana: influence on expression yield and antibody degradation. Transgenic Res.  21(5):1005-21. doi: 10.1007/s11248-012-9587-1. 

Brunetti P, Zanella L, Proia A, De Paolis A, Falasca G, Altamura MM, Sanità di Toppi L, Costantino P, Cardarelli M. 2011. Cadmium tolerance and phytochelatin content of Arabidopsis seedlings over-expressing the phytochelatin synthase gene AtPCS1. J Exp Bot. 62(15):5509-19. doi: 10.1093/jxb/err228.   

Lombardi R, Villani ME, Di Carli M, Brunetti P, Benvenuto E and Donini M. 2010. Optimisation of the purification process of a tumour-targeting antibody produced in N. benthamiana using vacuum-agroinfiltration. Transgenic Res.19(6):1083-97. doi: 10.1007/s11248-010-9382-9. Epub 2010 Mar 15. 

Villani ME, Morgun B, Brunetti P, Marusic C, Lombardi R, Pisoni I, Bacci C, Desiderio A, Benvenuto E, Donini M. 2009.Plant pharming of a full-sized, tumour-targeting antibody using different expression strategies. Plant Biotechnol J. 7(1):59-72. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7652.2008.00371.x. 
 
 
Dr Maura Cardarelli
PhD Roberta Ghelli
PhD Davide Marzi
PhD student Maria Luia Antenozio

Current positions 

• 2018-present: Research scientist -III level, IBPM CNR
Previous positions 

• 2017-2018: Research scientist -III level, IBPM CNR, TD Research Area: Plant Molecules for environmental technologies and improvement of life. (Supervisor Dr Maura Cardarelli).

• 2016: Post Doctoral fellowship – Sapienza, University of Rome – IBPM CNR Project title: Role of Arabidopsis thaliana roots in the heavy metal uptake. (Supervisor Dr Maura Cardarelli, Prof. Sabrina Sabatini).
• 2014-2015: Post-doctoral Research Grant, Supported by Accademia dei Lincei - Project title: Role of ARF6 and ARF8 in the development of reproductive organs in higher plants. (Supervisor Dr Maura Cardarelli)
• 2010-2013: Post-Doctoral Research Grant, Sapienza University of Rome – IBPM CNR - Research Areas:

Mechanisms of tolerance and accumulation of heavy metal(loid)s (Cd, As) in model species.

Role of Auxin in the development of reproductive organs in higher plants. (Supervisor Dr Maura Cardarelli)
• 2008: Research fellowship, Floramiata spa Laboratory, funded by Province of Siena – Project title:” High-scale production and characterization of diagnostic and therapeutic antibodies expressed in transgenic plants”. 

• 2004-2007: PhD Student – Plant genetic and genomic section - ENEA, Casaccia, Anguillara, (RM) (Supervisor Dr Eugenio Benvenuto/ Dr. Marcello Donini)
Education and training

• 2008: PhD in Plant Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome Thesis title: “In plant production of an antimicrobial peptide”

• 2007: Training on preparation and transformation tecniques of Nicotiana tabacum Protoplasts, by pulse-chase analysis University of Warwick - Dep. of Biological Sciences  - (Supervisor Prof. Lorenzo Frigerio)
• 2004: Degree in Biological Sciencies, molecular biology field, cum laude. Thesis Title ”Neisseria Meningitidis proteome” (Supervisor: Prof. M. Eugenia Schininà)

• 2002 Erasmus Project exchange: Ecole Normale Superieure, Lyon, France / 

Prof. Albert Epstein Laboratories CNRS, Universitè C. Bernarde, Lyon, France – 2 months.

Acquisition of Electrophoretic technics – Discussion of thre thesis “Interaction between herpes simplex virus type1 protein ICP0 and cellular histone deacetylases and acetyltransferases”.

GRANTS

-2022-2024 “Programma sperimentale di interventi per l’adattamento ai cambiamenti climatici in ambito urbano” CUP: D81B21004740001. Bando D.D. 117-2021– Ministero della Transizione Ecologica (MiTE), Italia. PI for IBPM-CNR

-2021-2023 Regione Lazio, PROGETTI DI GRUPPI DI RICERCA Green Economy Conoscenza e cooperazione per unnuovo modello di sviluppo ”La felce Pteris vittata: una strategia green per eliminare l’arsenico dalle acque potabili” CUP B85F21001660002 - Team member for IBPM-CNR

-2018-2021 Regione Lazio, PROGETTI DI GRUPPI DI RICERCA Green Economy Conoscenza e cooperazione per un nuovo modello di sviluppo ‘Una tecnologia innovativa che ottimizza l’uso delle felci per la detossificazione di suoli contaminati da arsenico’ CUP B56C18000870002”- Team member for IBPM-CNR

-2019 EUREKA! ROMA – REMEDIATION Project – Art Science and Environment Research, promoted by Climate Art Project and funded by Roma Capitale – Team member

-2017-2018 Structural Funds, alternance training PON–TUTOR

-Research Fellowship funded by Province of Siena N.Prot 47897- Project “PLANTIGEN”, “Messa a punto di sistemi di Purificazione su Larga scala di ANTIcorpi destinati ad uso diagnostico e terapeutico, espressi in piante GENeticamente modificate, e loro caratterizzazione funzionale” at Floramiata lab (Piancastagnai, Si) – PI

OTHER 

ID_Codes:
Scopus ID: 25924248300
ORCID: 0000-0002-7213-795X
Web of Science Researcher ID: AAW-6272-2020
ERC Sectors: LS9_7; LS9_8; LS1_9; LS2_7

SCIENTIFIC INDICATORS
h-index= 11 (Citations 536, 16 Documents; Scopus)

Editorial Activity:
Ad hoc reviewer and special Guest Editor for scientific journals.

Awards:
“Start cup Lazio” 2020 Edition –Regional competition for the selection of the best business ideas with high technological content. Team name: "Green Clean Biotech", Group Leader.
-4th place, for the project “Impianto pilota per la fitodepurazione di acque ad uso umano contaminate da arsenico, mediante l’uso della felce Pteris vittata - HYDRO FERN; Patent n. 102021000021266 filed from CNR on 05.08.202
-Access to the Business Plan Competition organized by PNICube PNI - Premio Nazionale per l’Innovazione   30/11/20 and 4/12/20
-Regione Lazio Special Prize.
-Social Innovation Special Mention

Academic Activities
Contract professor in “Biotecnologie vegetali” course –6 CFU of Bachelor’s degree in Biotecnologie Agroindustriali 2020-2021 - Dept. of Biology and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome.
Contract professor in "Biotecnologie per la medicina l'agricoltura e l'ambiente"-3 CFU Master's degree 2021-2022

ORAL COMUNICATION AT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS

Brunetti P. “Advanced drinking groundwater As phytofiltration by the hyperaccumulating fern Pteris vittate”. International Congress, “8th European Bioremediation Conference” 12-17 June 2022, Chania, Greece.

Brunetti P. Pteris vittata: una felce per una gestione più sostenibile dell’acqua”. National Congress “Bonifica, recupero ambientale e sviluppo del territorio: esperienze a confronto sul fitorimedio e sul phytomanagement” organized by Arpa Umbria, RemTech expò, Università degli studi della Tuscia, CNR, for the event “Isola Prossima”, at Arpa Umbria, Terni - Via Carlo Alberto dalla Chiesa, 32, 09/09/2022, Terni, Italy

Brunetti, P. “Le analisi del suolo presso la Riserva Naturale Valle dell’Aniene: acquisire, elaborare, divulgare i dati sugli inquinanti”. National Congress “Soil and air REMEDIATION through plants” Remediation Project, organized by the Cultural Association Climate Art Project, with the support of Comune di Roma 14/05/2019, Roma.

Brunetti P., Conte A., Allevato E., Stazi S.R., Antenozio M.L., Passatore L., Cardarelli M. “Progetto REMEDIATION: un esempio di gestione sostenibile che unisce arte e scienza”. National Congress: INCONTRO PUBBLICO del CONTRATTO di FIUME TEVERE da Castel Giubileo alla foce, 30-09-2019, Roma.

Brunetti, P. Stazi S.R., Cardarelli M. “Una tecnologia che ottimizza l’uso delle piante per risanare suoli contaminati da As”. National Congress: “Vetralla le pietre e l’olio” organized by Lazio Roll of Geologist, supported by Provincia di Viterbo, Regione Lazio and ARSIAL. 24/11/2018, Vetralla (VT), Italy.

Brunetti P., De Paolis A., Zanella L., Proia A., Falasca G., Altamura MM., Sanità di toppi L., Costantino P., Cardarelli M. The role of phytochelatin overproduction and of the putative vacuolar transporter MRP3 in Cd tolerance of Arabidopsis and tobacco plants. Proceedings of the 53rd italian Society of Agricultural Genetics Annual Congress.16/19 September 2009 Torino, Italy.