Francesca Secchi

Mercer Fellow, Zwieniecki Lab

1300 Centre Street
Boston, MA 02131
Fax: 617.384.6596
Email
Website

Education

PhD University of Turin, Italy
MS University of Turin, Italy

Research Interests

The goal of my research is to understand the principles of the biological function of vascular systems in plants. My current research is focused on embolism formation and refilling. Embolism is an inevitable occurrence for many vascular plants. At any given moment, even in non-stressed plants, there is a pool of embolized conduits that effectively reduce a plant’s capacity to transport water. The temporal dynamics of xylem transport capacity suggests that many plant species are capable of removing air from embolized vessels, and the notion of refilling—although still controversial—has become more accepted as a paradigm for understanding how plant vascular systems function. Using molecular, physiological, and biophysical approaches, I hope to increase our understanding of the refilling process.

Publications

• Secchi F. and M.A. Zwieniecki (2012). Analysis of xylem sap from functional (non-embolized) and non-functional (embolized) vessels of Populus nigra – chemistry of refilling. Plant Physiology [Abstract]
• Secchi F., Gilbert M.E., and M.A. Zwieniecki (2011). Transcriptome response to embolism formation in stems of Populus trichocarpa provides insight into signaling and biology of refilling. Plant Physiology 157: 1419-1429. [Abstract]
• Secchi, F. and M.A. Zwieniecki. 2010. Sensing embolism in xylem vessels: the role of sucrose as a trigger for refilling. Plant Cell and Environment 34(3): 514–524.
• Secchi, F. and M.A. Zwieniecki. 2010. Patterns of PIP gene expression in Populus trichocarpa during recovery from xylem embolism suggest a major role for the PIP1 aquaporin subfamily as moderators of refilling process. Plant Cell and Environment 33(8): 1285-1297
• Secchi, F., B. MacIver, M.L. Zeidel, and M.A. Zwieniecki. 2009. Functional analysis of putative genes encoding thePIP2 water channel subfamily in Populus trichocarpa. Tree Physiology 29(11): 1467-1477.
• Pou, A., J. Flexas, M.D. Alsina, J. Bota, C. Carambula, F. de Herralde, J. Galmés, C. Lovisolo, M. Jiménez, M. Ribas-Carbó, D. Rusjan, F. Secchi, M. Tomàs, Z. Zsófi, and H. Medrano. 2008. Adjustments of water-use efficiency by stomatal regulation during drought and recovery in the drought-adapted Vitis hybrid Richter-110 (V. berlandieri × V. rupestris). Physiologia Plantarum 134(2): 313-323.
• Lovisolo, C., Secchi, F., A. Nardini, S. Salleo, T. Caruso, and A. Schubert. 2007. Expression of PIP1 and PIP2 aquaporins is enhanced in olive dwarf genotypes and is related to root and leaf hydraulic conductance. Physiologia Plantarum 130(4): 543-551.
• Secchi, F., C. Lovisolo, and A. Schubert. 2007. Expression of OePIP2.1 aquaporin gene and water relations of Olea europaea twigs during drought stress and recovery. Annals of Applied Biology 150(2): 163-167.
• Secchi, F., C. Lovisolo, N. Uehlein, R. Kaldenhoff, and A. Schubert. 2007. Isolation and functional characterization of three aquaporins from olive (Olea europaea L.). Planta 225(2): 381-39.