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Research activities
1. Biochemistry and functions of Ascorbic Acid (AA) This topic has been my main area of research over almost 20 years, starting with my MSc and PhD studies, both supervised by Prof. Oreste Arrigoni. Most interesting results obtained in these years deal with the role of the AA system in the growth and development of different organisms (algae, mosses, and higher plants). These aspects are not directly related to the popular antioxidant function of AA.
2. Science Communication; Science and Literature – Bridging the “two cultures”
In the last few decades, the lack of adequate communication on the newest achievements in (plant) biology has raised a barrier between science and the general public. This made the already existing separation between science and other aspects of human knowledge (“The two cultures”) even worse. I’m trying to find different ways to tackle this problem, mainly by promoting contacts with school teachers and students, proposing new approaches to teaching. I also have an interest in those Italian novelists (such as Italo Calvino and Primo Levi) who also wrote about science (including biology!). |
Selected publications
De Tullio MC (2007) Beyond the antioxidant: the double life of vitamin C. in “Water-soluble Vitamins” (O. Stanger, editor), Springer (in press).
De Tullio MC, Ciraci S, Liso R, Arrigoni O (2007) Ascorbic acid oxidase is dynamically regulated by light and oxygen. A tool for oxygen management in plants? J Plant Physiol 164:39-46
Grano A, De Tullio MC (2007) Ascorbic acid as a sensor of oxidative stress and a regulator of
gene expression: The Yin and Yang of vitamin C. Med Hypot. 69:953-954
Attolico AD, De Tullio MC (2006) Increased ascorbate content delays flowering in long-day grown Arabidopsis thaliana (Heyn.). Plant Physiol Biochem, 44:462-466
Barth C, De Tullio MC, Conklin P (2006) The role of ascorbic acid in the control of flowering time and the onset of senescence, J Exp Bot 57: 1657-1665
Liso R, De Tullio MC, Ciraci S, Balestrini R, La Rocca N, Bruno L, Chiappetta A, Bitonti MB, Bonfante P, Arrigoni O (2004) Localization of ascorbic acid, ascorbic acid oxidase and glutathione in roots of Cucurbita maxima L. J Exp Bot, 55: 2589-2597
De Tullio MC, Liso R, Arrigoni O (2004) Ascorbic acid oxidase: an enzyme in search of a role. Biol Plant, 48: 161-166
De Tullio MC, Arrigoni O (2004) Hopes, disillusions and more hopes from vitamin C. Cell Mol Life Sci, 60: 109-119
De Tullio MC (2004) How does ascorbic acid prevent scurvy? A survey of the non-antioxidant functions of vitamin C. In Vitamin C, its functions and biochemistry in animals and plants, pp. 159-172, Smirnoff N., May J. and Asard H. (eds.), Bios Scientific Publishers, Oxford, U.K.
De Tullio MC, Arrigoni O (2003) The ascorbic acid system in seeds: to protect and to serve. Seed Sci Res, 13: 249-260
Arrigoni O, De Tullio MC (2002) Ascorbic acid: much more than just an antioxidant. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1569: 1-9
De Tullio MC, Paciolla C, Arrigoni O (2002) Identification and functional analysis of proteins sharing dehydroascorbate reductase activity. Biol Plant, 44: 246-248
Paciolla C, De Tullio MC, Chiappetta A, Bitonti MB, Innocenti AM, Liso R, Arrigoni O (2001) Short- and long-term effects of dehydroascorbate in Lupinus albus and Allium cepa roots. Plant Cell Physiol, 42: 857-863
Arrigoni O, De Tullio MC (2000) The role of ascorbic acid in cell metabolism: between gene-directed functions and unpredictable chemical reactions. J. Plant Physiol, 157: 481-488
De Tullio MC, Paciolla C, Dalla Vecchia F, Rascio N, D'Emerico S, De Gara L, Liso R, Arrigoni O (1999) Changes in onion root development induced by the inhibition of peptidyl-prolyl hydroxylase and influence of the ascorbate system on cell division and elongation. Planta, 209: 424-434
Brugnoli E, Scartazza A, De Tullio MC, Monteverdi MC, Lauteri M, Augusti A (1998) Zeaxanthin and non-photochemical quenching in sun and shade leaves of C3 and C4 plants. Physiol Plant, 104: 727-734
De Tullio MC, De Gara L, Paciolla C, Arrigoni O (1998) Dehydroascorbate-reducing proteins in maize are induced by the ascorbate biosynthesis inhibitor lycorine. Plant Physiol Biochem, 36: 433-440
Morell S, Follmann H, De Tullio M, Haeberlein I (1997) Dehydroascorbate and dehydroascorbate reductase are phantom indicators of oxidative stress in plants. FEBS Lett, 414: 567-570 |
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Contacts:
Università degli Studi dei Bari, Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Vegetale, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italia
Tel. +39 080 5442157- 080 5442170 E-mail detullio@botanica.uniba.it |
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Short CV
MSc in Biology (1991), PhD in Plant Physiology (1995).
Working experiences:
(1995) Grant of the National Research Council of Italy - Institute for Agroforestry, Porano, Italy. Supervisor: Dr. Enrico Brugnoli
(1997-1999) Post-doctoral fellowship, Institute of Botany, University of Bari, Italy. Supervisor: Prof. Oreste Arrigoni
(1998) FEBS short-term fellowship, Dept of Biochemistry, University of Kassel, Germany. Supervisors: Prof. Hartmut Follmann, Dr. Ingo Häberlein
(1999) Post-doc, Dept. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Supervisor: Prof. Pim Mager
(2000) Royal Society-Accademia dei Lincei post-doc fellowship, Dept. Plant Biochemistry, University of London, Royal Holloway College, Egham, UK. Supervisor: Prof. Paul Bolwell
(2001-present) Permanent staff member, Faculty of Sciences, University of Bari, Italy.
(2007) - Recipient of a Fulbright grant for a 6-month stay at UC Berkeley, USA.
Teaching experience: Classes in Plant Morphology and Physiology, Plant Developmental Biology, Biology of Algae, Techniques in Plant Biology, Plant Biotechnology, Science Teaching. |
Publications on science teaching-science communication
De Tullio MC (1999) Comunità e comunicazione: dinamiche dell’aggregazione di organismi viventi. In AA.VV. Intorno alla comunità: considerazioni interdisciplinari su “ciò che é comune”. Bari, Giuseppe Laterza Editore.
De Tullio MC (2002) La primavera arriva come un… ordine. Villaggio Globale anno V n. 17.
De Tullio MC (2002) Disseminating plant biology: how and what for? FESPB alert n.2 (9)
De Tullio MC (2004) Percorsi didattici di biologia vegetale per la scuola media inferiore: meglio prevenire che curare. Inf. Bot. Ital. 36: 574-575
De Tullio MC, Roberto R (2004) Informing the public on the risks and benefits of plant biotechnologies: the role of teacher training and the importance of new teaching tools. Plant Biology 2004, Meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists, Orlando (FL, USA) July 2004.
De Tullio M (2005) Darwin, l’evoluzione dei vegetali ed i loro adattamenti all’ambiente. pp. 77-91 in: DarwinDay 2004-2005. Servizio Editoriale Università di Bari
De Tullio M (2005) Biologia e biotecnologie vegetali per l'aggiornamento degli insegnanti di scuola media: informare 1 per comunicare con 100. pp. 109-112 in: Atti del Convegno "OGM agroalimentari: strategie di comunicazione", Istituto Agrario di S. Michele all'Adige. ISBN 88-7843-005-6
De Tullio MC. (2007) How can literature help science teaching? A practical approach to bridging "the Two Cultures". Plant Biology and Botany 2007, Meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists, Chicago (IL, USA) July 2007. |
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I also play the baroque oboe, and took part to a couple of recordings of operas by Niccolò Piccinni and Egidio Romualdo Duni, Italian composers of the XVIII Century. It is not just hobby: it's passion! |
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Niccolò Piccinni (1728-1800) - Cecchina, ovvero la buona figliola. Recorded live in Bari, Italy, November 2000 |
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Egidio Romualdo Duni (1708-1775) - Giuseppe riconosciuto. Recorded live in Matera, Italy, September 2001 |
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