It is well-known that nature has a calming effect on us. However, this does not mean that plants themselves are not subject to stress. Too low or too high temperature, salinity, inadequate ion concentrations (abiotic stressors, i.e. of non-living origin), but also pests or pathogens (biotic stressors - animate stressors, e.g. nematodes) - all cause plants to live under constant stress, which in turn affects their production efficiency. Research conducted by Dr. Maria Isabel Nogues Gonzalez from the National Research Council (CNR) with partners from the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences (Prof. Miłosz Ruszkowski and his team) will allow us to gain new knowledge on the metabolic and functional role of different forms of enzymes (isoforms), and thus increase resistance to environmental stresses.

In this context, a joint project between CNR and PAS aims to characterise the 7 SHMT isoforms present in a model plant (Arabidopsis thaliana). CNR, in collaboration with the Department of Biochemistry of La Sapienza University in Rome, is responsible for studies aimed at determining the catalytic activity of specific isoforms. In turn, Polish colleagues are involved in structural studies of proteins.