• Istituto di Biologia e Patologia Molecolari


Tel :+390649912392
Fax :+39064440812
maura.cardarelli@uniroma1.it
MAURA CARDARELLI
Senior Researcher

Istitute of Molecular Biology and Pathology - National Research Council
Department of Biology and Biotecnology - Charles Darwin
Sapienza University of Rome - Istituto Fisiologia Generale I\u00b0piano, stanza 6 e 11 - P.Le A.Moro 5 00185 Roma

The main focus of the research carried out in the lab is on the hormonal control of late stamen development in the model species Arabidopsis thaliana. Late stamen development consists of three simultaneous developmental processes: pollen maturation, anther dehiscence and filament elongation. We have demonstrated that auxin peaks during the initial stage of late development and that subsequently its concentration declines. The auxin peak is responsible for promoting filament elongation, whereas the subsequent decrease in auxin concentration triggers pollen maturation and anther dehiscence. As jasmonic acid (JA) controls positively anther dehiscence, we are currently investigating the interaction of auxin with jasmonic acid to control the anther dehiscence process. The ultimate goal is to understand how the cross talk between different hormones regulates late stamen development. 

The other research line in the lab 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 are currently investigating the involvement of the ABC transporter MRP3 in the compartmentalization of As- PCs and complexes into the vacuole.

Failla M.C., Maimone F., De Paolis A., Costantino P. and Cardarelli M. The non conserved region of cucumopine-type Agrobacterium rhizogenes  T-DNA is responsible for hairy root induction. PLANT MOL. BIOL. 15, 747-753 (1990)

 

Capone I., Frugis G., Costantino P. and Cardarelli M. Expression in different populations of cells of the root meristem is controlled by different domains of the rolB  promoter. PLANT MOL. BIOL. 25, 681-689 (1994)

 

Serino G., Clerot D., Brevet J., Costantino P. and Cardarelli M. rol genes of Agrobacterium rhizogenes cucumopine strain: sequence, effects and pattern of expression”. PLANT MOL. BIOL. 26, 415-422 (1994)

 

Bellincampi D., Cardarelli M., Zaghi D., Serino G., Salvi G., Gatz Christiane, Cervone F., Altamura M.M., Costantino P., De Lorenzo G. Oligogalacturonides prevent rhizogenesis in rolB tranformed tobacco explants by inhibiting auxin-induced expression of the rolB gene. PLANT CELL 8, 477-487 (1996)

 

Cardarelli M., Serino G., Campanella L., Ercole P., De Cicco Nardone F., Alesiani O. and Rossiello F.Antimitotic effects of usnic acid on different biological systems CMLS 53, 667-672 (1997)

 

Cecchetti V., Marsilio S., Pomponi M., Altamura M.M., Pezzotti M., D’Angelo S., Tornielli G.B., Costantino P. and Cardarelli M. Expression of rolB in tobacco Flowers affects the coordinated processes of anther dehiscence and style elongation. PLANT JOURNAL, 38, 512-525 (2004)

 

Pomponi M., Censi V., Di Girolamo V., De Paolis A., di Toppi L.S., Aromolo R., Costantino P.  and Cardarelli M. Overexpression of Arabidopsis phytochelatin synthase in tobacco plants enhances Cd(2+) tolerance and accumulation but not translocation to the shoot. PLANTA 223(2):180-90 (2006)

 

Cecchetti V., Altamura M.M., Serino G., Pomponi M., Falasca G., Costantino P. and Cardarelli M. ROX1, a gene induced by rolB is involved in procambial cell proliferation and xylem differentiation in tobacco stamen PLANT JOURNAL 49, 27-37 (2007)

 

Cecchetti V., Altamura M.M., Falasca G., Costantino P. and Cardarelli M. Auxin Regulates Arabidopsis Anther Dehiscence, Pollen Maturation, and Filament Elongation PLANT CELL 20, 1760-1774 (2008)

 Brunetti P, Zanella L, Proia A, De Paolis A, Falasca G, Altamura M.M, Sanità di Toppi L, Costantino P, Cardarelli M.  Cadmium tolerance and phytochelatin content of Arabidopsis seedlings over-expressing the phytochelatin synthase gene AtPCS1.(2011) JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 62 (15): 5509-19 


Cecchetti V, Altamura MM, Brunetti P, Petrocelli V, Falasca G, Ljung K, Costantino P, and Cardarelli M Auxin controls arabidopsis anther dehiscence by regulating endothecium lignification and jasmonic acid biosynthesis.(2013) PLANT JOURNAL 74, 411-422


M Cardarelli, V Cecchetti Auxin polar transport in stamen formation and development: how many actors? (2014)  FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE, 5:333

-Brunetti P, Zanella L, De Paolis A, Di Litta D, Cecchetti V, Falasca G, Altamura MM, CostantinoP, Cardarelli M (2015). Cadmium-inducible expression of the ABC-type transporter AtABCC3increases phytochelatin-mediated cadmium tolerance in Arabidopsis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY, vol. 66, 3815-3829

-Cecchetti V, Brunetti P, Napoli N, Fattorini L, Altamura M., Costantino P, Cardarelli M (2015).ABCB1 and ABCB19 auxin transporters have synergistic effects on early and late Arabidopsis anther development.
JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY, 57 5:333


 -Zanella L, FattoriniL, BrunettiP, Roccotilello E, Cornara L, D’Angeli S, Della Rovere F, CardarelliM, Barbieri M, Sanità Di Toppi L, Degola F, Lindberg S, Altamura MM, Falasca G (2016) Overexpression of AtPCS1 in tobacco increases arsenic and arsenic plus cadmium accumulation and detoxification. PLANTA, 243(3):605-22

 
-Cecchetti V, Celebrin D, Napoli N, Ghelli R, Brunetti P, Costantino P, and Cardarelli M (2017) An auxin maximum in the middle layer is necessary for stamen and pollen maturation in Arabidopsis. 
NEW PHYTOLOGIST, 213(3):1194-1207. 


 



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, and Cardarelli M (2018). A Newly Identified Flower-Specific Splice Variant of AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR8 Regulates Stamen Elongation and Endothecium Lignification in Arabidopsis. THE PLANT CELL  30(3):620-637. doi: 10.1105/tpc.17.00840.
 
Published Edit Delete
 

Failla M.C., Maimone F., De Paolis A., Costantino P. and Cardarelli M. The non conserved region of cucumopine-type Agrobacterium rhizogenes  T-DNA is responsible for hairy root induction. PLANT MOL. BIOL. 15, 747-753 (1990)

 

Capone I., Frugis G., Costantino P. and Cardarelli M. Expression in different populations of cells of the root meristem is controlled by different domains of the rolB  promoter. PLANT MOL. BIOL. 25, 681-689 (1994)

 

Serino G., Clerot D., Brevet J., Costantino P. and Cardarelli M. rol genes of Agrobacterium rhizogenes cucumopine strain: sequence, effects and pattern of expression”. PLANT MOL. BIOL. 26, 415-422 (1994)

 

Bellincampi D., Cardarelli M., Zaghi D., Serino G., Salvi G., Gatz Christiane, Cervone F., Altamura M.M., Costantino P., De Lorenzo G. Oligogalacturonides prevent rhizogenesis in rolB tranformed tobacco explants by inhibiting auxin-induced expression of the rolB gene. PLANT CELL 8, 477-487 (1996)

 

Cardarelli M., Serino G., Campanella L., Ercole P., De Cicco Nardone F., Alesiani O. and Rossiello F.Antimitotic effects of usnic acid on different biological systems CMLS 53, 667-672 (1997)

 

Cecchetti V., Marsilio S., Pomponi M., Altamura M.M., Pezzotti M., D’Angelo S., Tornielli G.B., Costantino P. and Cardarelli M. Expression of rolB in tobacco Flowers affects the coordinated processes of anther dehiscence and style elongation. PLANT JOURNAL, 38, 512-525 (2004)

 

Pomponi M., Censi V., Di Girolamo V., De Paolis A., di Toppi L.S., Aromolo R., Costantino P.  and Cardarelli M. Overexpression of Arabidopsis phytochelatin synthase in tobacco plants enhances Cd(2+) tolerance and accumulation but not translocation to the shoot. PLANTA 223(2):180-90 (2006)

 

Cecchetti V., Altamura M.M., Serino G., Pomponi M., Falasca G., Costantino P. and Cardarelli M. ROX1, a gene induced by rolB is involved in procambial cell proliferation and xylem differentiation in tobacco stamen PLANT JOURNAL 49, 27-37 (2007)

 

Cecchetti V., Altamura M.M., Falasca G., Costantino P. and Cardarelli M. Auxin Regulates Arabidopsis Anther Dehiscence, Pollen Maturation, and Filament Elongation PLANT CELL 20, 1760-1774 (2008)

 Brunetti P, Zanella L, Proia A, De Paolis A, Falasca G, Altamura M.M, Sanità di Toppi L, Costantino P, Cardarelli M.  Cadmium tolerance and phytochelatin content of Arabidopsis seedlings over-expressing the phytochelatin synthase gene AtPCS1.(2011) JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 62 (15): 5509-19 


Cecchetti V, Altamura MM, Brunetti P, Petrocelli V, Falasca G, Ljung K, Costantino P, and Cardarelli M Auxin controls arabidopsis anther dehiscence by regulating endothecium lignification and jasmonic acid biosynthesis.(2013) PLANT JOURNAL 74, 411-422


M Cardarelli, V Cecchetti Auxin polar transport in stamen formation and development: how many actors? (2014)  FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE, 5:333

-Brunetti P, Zanella L, De Paolis A, Di Litta D, Cecchetti V, Falasca G, Altamura MM, CostantinoP, Cardarelli M (2015). Cadmium-inducible expression of the ABC-type transporter AtABCC3increases phytochelatin-mediated cadmium tolerance in Arabidopsis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY, vol. 66, 3815-3829

-Cecchetti V, Brunetti P, Napoli N, Fattorini L, Altamura M., Costantino P, Cardarelli M (2015).ABCB1 and ABCB19 auxin transporters have synergistic effects on early and late Arabidopsis anther development.
JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY, 57 5:333


 -Zanella L, FattoriniL, BrunettiP, Roccotilello E, Cornara L, D’Angeli S, Della Rovere F, CardarelliM, Barbieri M, Sanità Di Toppi L, Degola F, Lindberg S, Altamura MM, Falasca G (2016) Overexpression of AtPCS1 in tobacco increases arsenic and arsenic plus cadmium accumulation and detoxification. PLANTA, 243(3):605-22

 
-Cecchetti V, Celebrin D, Napoli N, Ghelli R, Brunetti P, Costantino P, and Cardarelli M (2017) An auxin maximum in the middle layer is necessary for stamen and pollen maturation in Arabidopsis. 
NEW PHYTOLOGIST, 213(3):1194-1207. 


 



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, and Cardarelli M (2018). A Newly Identified Flower-Specific Splice Variant of AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR8 Regulates Stamen Elongation and Endothecium Lignification in Arabidopsis. THE PLANT CELL  30(3):620-637. doi: 10.1105/tpc.17.00840.
 
Published Edit Delete
 

Valentina Cecchetti, Post-doc

Patrizia Brunetti, Post-Doc

Roberta Ghelli, PhD Student


Within IBPM

•Prof. Paolo Costantino, Dip. Biologia e Biotecnologie, Sapienza Università di Roma, Italy

With other institutions

•Prof. Giovanna Serino,  Sapienza Università di Roma, Italy

•Dr. Angelo De Paolis  ISPA-CNR, Lecce, Italy

•Prof. Tomohiko Tsuge Kyoto University , Japan

 

Doctoral degree received, cum laude, in 1980 from the University of Rome "La Sapienza" at the Dept. Genetica e Biologia Molecolare. Thesis topic: Agrobacterium tumefaciens RNA polymerase: a new purification procedure and a study of the stable binding site on the homologous deoxyribonucleic acid”.

April 1983 to August 1990: Working at the IBPM (formally Centro di Studio per gli Acidi Nucleici CNR), Università “La Sapienza “di Roma, with a fellowship from the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche. In collaboration with Prof. Paolo Costantino evaluated physiological and molecular aspects of plant tumor induction by the soil bacterium Agrobacterium rhizogenes. 

September 1990- June 2007: Research scientist at the IBPM CNR, Sapienza Universita' di Roma. 

July 2007 onward: Senior scientist at the IBPM CNR, Sapienza Universita' di Roma. She coordinates two projects: (1) the role of auxin in the development of reproductive organs in higher plant and (2) study of the mechanisms of tolerance and accumulation of heavy metals in model species.

1997-2010 Adjunct associate professor of Molecular Biology at Sapienza Universita' di Roma, Latina campus. From 2011- Adjunct associate professor of Molecular Biology at Sapienza Universita' di Roma, Roma campus

From 2009 to 2013 she has been a Management Committee member of the COST actionFA0903: ‘Harnessing Plant Reproduction for Crop Improvement’

She has published 35 papers, participated as enrolled speaker at a number of national and international symposia, and has been a referee for Plant Journal, Transgenic research, Planta.