Reference: Graziano Fiorito

Analysis of the behavior of marine organisms and its adaptive plasticity.

It includes apparata for image and video analysis, video recordings, morphological and morpho-functional analysis of the nervous system and other organs and systems.

Classic and basic biological laboratory equipments are also provided.

Systems for the experimentation

• Technologies for the observation and measurement of behavior.
• Systems for the morpho-functional analysis.
• Anterograde and retrograde transport in nerve fibers. Electrophysiology as applied to nervous system.
• Ultrasound and sonography.

Analysis and approaches

• Morfo-functional characterization of neural systems as applied to marine invertebrates.
• Biological, cellular and physiological analysis of learning and memory recall.
• Neural modulation.
• Assessment of variability of behavioral responses.
• Analysis sensory-motor systems.

Equipment

• Ultrasound devices.
• Sliding and rotary microtomes, cryostat.
• Video cameras and video-recording systems (digital and analogue).

Reference: Maria I. Arnone

Laboratory dedicated to the study of embryonic development of marine organisms, including functional analysis of gene regulatory networks.

It includes areas for molecular biology and in situ hybridization, microinjection and electroporation of zygotes.

It also includes classic and basic biological laboratory equipments.

Systems for experiments

DevBio Lab uses different model organisms such as ascidians (Ciona, Molgula), sea urchins (Paracentrotus, Strongylocentrotus), sea stars (Patiria), amfioxus (Branchistoma) and fishes (Danio).

The lab carries it activities in collaboration with units Meda e MaRe for collecting, rearing and keeping these organisms.

Analysis

• Spatial and temporal study of gene expression during embryonic development by in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, Real Time qPCR (in collaboration with Mb&Bi unit), western blots.
• Disruption of gene expression (knock-out, knock-down, overexpression and transgenesis) by microinjection (antisense oligonucleotides, RNA) or elecroporation (DNA).
• gene expression and morphofunctional analysis fenotipi ottenuti.

Equipments

• Systems for microinjection (microscopes, including stereo and inverted microscopes) in sea urchins, sea squirts and fish.
• Electroporation in eukaryotic cells.
• Stereomicroscopes for observation and manipulation of embryos.
• Cells thermostated (at various temperatures) for the culture of embryos and larvae.
• Microscopes equipped with high-resolution cameras for spatial analysis of gene expression.
• Analysis of movement to characterize behavioral phenotypes.

Responsible: Maria Cristina Buia

Activities

The activities of this laboratory are characterized by the application of various and integrated approaches, classical and innovative, which are conducted in mesocosm/laboratory and in the field, to study the adaptive responses of benthic organisms (invertebrates and macrophytes), and their trophic interactions in relation with environmental factors and gradients, climate change and anthropogenic disturbances. The approaches used include the physiology of individual species, the structure of populations and the dynamics of benthic communities and coastal ecosystems, to identify early-warning signals/descriptors at different level of biological complexity, and finalized to a correct management and conservation of the coastal systems and their biodiversity.

Systems for laboratory experiments

• System for automatic culturing of model organisms.
• Thermostatic chambers for rearing and experiments of benthic organisms in axenic conditions.
• Tanks for maintenance and experimentation of benthic organisms in sea-water open systems.

Analysis

• Qualitative and quantitative analyses of benthic samples deriving mainly from hard and soft bottom vegetated habitats, and soft sediments within the continental shelf.
• Biometric and biomass analyses.
• Biological assays and test for bioactive substances.
• Sample preparation for elemental analyses, and for observation at the  scanning and transmission electron microscopy.
• Measurements of environmental variables (Temp., pH, irradiance, dissolved oxygen).
• Measurements of photosynthetic efficiency in macrophytes.

Instrumentation

• Stereomicroscopes, optical microscopes, inverted optical microscope.
• Freezer at -20 °C and refrigerators +4 °C.
• Laminar flow flume and chemical flume.
• Thermostatic cells and chambers.
• Autoclave, ovens, muffle.
• Filtration system.
• Spectophotometer.
• Analytical and technical balance, microbalance.
• Deionizer.
• Liofilizer (deep-dryer).
• Laboratory oxymeter and pH-meter, portable pH-meter.

For scientific underwater use and diving:

• Cameras and video-cameras with underwater dedicated casts.
• Diving-PAM, pH-meters, quantameter, multi-parametric probes.
• Grabs, dredges, corers for sediment and benthos, air-lift sampler, hand-towed net and plankton nets.

Responsible: Raffaella Casotti

Activities

The laboratory of Microbial Ecology carries on research on marine microorganisms (mainly diatoms and autotrophic/heterotrophic picoplankton) studying their diversity, activity and metabolic functions as well as their interactions with the environment, both physical-chemical and biological. The activities are held mainly by direct methods, that is, independent from cultivation, but monospecific cultures are also used to test specific hypotheses or further characterize microorganisms. The fields of activity cover the biological oceanography, ecophysiology and marine ecology in general.
The laboratory also implements the technical and instrumental approaches for the study of microorganisms, mainly as regards the use of flow cytometry for the monitoring of marine plankton and for the development of early warning systems for biological environmental risk.

Experimental systems

• Thermostated cabinets for growing microalgae and bacteria under controlled light and temperature conditions.
• Tanks for experiments on board ships or outdoors for incubations and manipulations of natural plankton communities.

Analysis

• Counts and measurements of optical parameters (scatter and fluorescence) on cells and unicellular organisms by flow cytometry and epifluorescence microscopy.
• Estimates of growth rates and grazing of picoplankton.
• In situ hybridization with oligonucleotide probes for the characterization of bacterial communities.
• Estimates of DNA content of algae and cell lines by flow cytometry (including dynamics of the cell cycle).
• DNA and RNA extraction for metagenomics and metatranscriptomics.
• Analysis of cellular concentrations of picophytoplankton with scanning flow cytometers at high frequency in both laboratory and on board boats.
• Analysis of concentrations and cellular properties of marine bacteria with prototype automatic coloring module.

Instrumentation

• Conventional flow cytometry.
• Scanning flow cytometer with automated sampling module.
• Laminar flow hood.
• Thermostated cabinets for algal and bacterial cultures.
• Epifluorescence microscope with camera.
• Basic instrumentation for laboratory (centrifuges, thermostated baths, pHmeter, filtration rigs, sonicators, refrigerators and freezers).