Job Information
- Organisation/Company
- Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra
- Department
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science
- Research Field
- Agricultural sciences
- Researcher Profile
- First Stage Researcher (R1)
- Country
- Slovakia
- Application Deadline
- Type of Contract
- Not Applicable
- Job Status
- Full-time
- Hours Per Week
- 37,5
- Offer Starting Date
- Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?
- Not funded by an EU programme
- Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?
- No
Offer Description
Heavy metal detoxification mechanisms in lichens with a focus on use in soil phytoremediation.
Supervisor: prof. RNDr. Martin Bačkor, DrSc.
Workplace: Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Slovak University of Agruculture in Nitra
Field of Study: Biotechnology
Study program: Agrobiotechnology
Form of study: full-time/part-time
Language: Slovak
Abstract
The main goal of the proposed topic of the dissertation is the study of the phytoremediation potential of lichens, connected with the understanding of species-specific mechanisms of heavy metal toxicity, or tolerance towards them. Because of the advantages of symbiosis, lichens can grow in habitats where none of the symbionts can survive as an independent organism. Lichens can accumulate heavy metals in amounts that exceed their nutritional requirements, up to 10% of their dry weight. Within the implementation of the topic, changes in the composition of low molecular weight compounds, including cysteine, glutathione and phytochelatins, will be studied, as well as changes in the content of ascorbic acid, which is considered one of the most important antioxidants in cells. Changes in the composition of acids that are part of the Krebs cycle and the production of reactive forms of oxygen and nitrogen will also be analyzed. The expression of selected proteins responding to an excess of heavy metals in the environment (eg heat shock proteins) will be analyzed using Western blotting and RT-PCR techniques.
Mechanizmy detoxikácie ťažkých kovov v lišajníkoch so zameraním na využitie vo fytoremediácii pôd.
Abstrakt
Hlavným cieľom navrhnutej témy dizertačnej práce je štúdium fytoremediačného potenciálu lišajníkov, spojeného s pochopením druhovo špecifických mechanizmov toxicity ťažkých kovov, resp. tolerancie voči nim. Kvôli výhodám symbiózy, lišajníky môžu rásť v biotopoch, kde žiadny zo symbiontov nemôže prežiť ako samostatný organizmus. Lišajníky dokážu akumulovať ťažké kovy v množstvách, ktoré prevyšujú ich nutričné požiadavky, až do 10% ich suchej hmotnosti. V rámci realizácie témy sa budú študovať zmeny v zložení zlúčenín s nízkou molekulovou hmotnosťou, vrátane cysteínu, glutatiónu a fytochelatínov, ako aj zmeny obsahu kyseliny askorbovej, ktorá sa považuje za jeden z najdôležitejších antioxidantov v bunkách. Budú sa analyzovať aj zmeny v zložení kyselín, ktoré sú súčasťou Krebsovho cyklu a produkcii reaktívnych foriem kyslíka a dusíka. Expresia vybraných proteínov reagujúcich na nadbytok ťažkých kovov v prostredí (napr. proteíny tepelného šoku) sa bude analyzovať s využitím techník Western blotting a RT-PCR.
More information about PhD position
Additional research info:martin.backor@uniag.sk
https://fbp.uniag.sk/sk/agrobiotechnol%C3%B3gie-6624/
https://fbp.uniag.sk/sk/phd-stupen/
https://is.uniag.sk/prihlaska/
Requirements
- Research Field
- Agricultural sciences
- Education Level
- Master Degree or equivalent
- Languages
- SLOVAK
- Level
- Good
Additional Information
Work Location(s)
- Number of offers available
- 1
- Company/Institute
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Slovak University of Agruculture in Nitra
- Country
- Slovakia
- City
- Nitra
- Postal Code
- 94976
- Street
- Tr. A. Hlinku 2
- Geofield
Where to apply
- Website
Contact
- State/Province
- Slovakia
- City
- Nitra
- Website
- Street
- Trieda Andreja Hlinku 2
- Postal Code
- 949 76
- martin.backor@uniag.sk