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Dr Gonzalo Estavillo - Post-Doctoral Research Associate
BSc (UNR-Arg), PhD (UF-USA)

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My current research project at the Pogson lab is the study of plant stress responses, specifically drought tolerance. I obtained my Ph.D. in plant physiology and molecular biology at the University of Florida, US. My thesis under the supervision of Dr. George Bowes described the role of one of the cardinal enzymes, NADP-malic enzyme, in the CO2 assimilation process in Hydrilla, an unusual plant that switches from C3 to C4 photosynthesis, but its leaves do not have Kranz anatomy. During my Ph.D. program, I also taught plant physiology and molecular biology laboratory sections. Before my PhD, I participated in several fellowships in Spain and Argentina, my home country. I started my scientific career in my hometown Rosario, where I studied at the School of Biochemistry (National University of Rosario) and obtained a degree in biotechnology/plant molecular biology.

Contact Details

E: Gonzalo.estavillo@anu.edu.au T: +61 2 6125 2663 F: +612 6125 0313 View my CV

Main Research interests

Molecular biology and biochemistry of drought stress response in plants Carbon concentrating mechanisms Gene regulation

Research Activities

Drought is a major abiotic stress that limits plant growth causing important crop loss [2]. Drought tolerance is achieved in some species by a combination of physiological and biochemical changes that minimize water loss without compromising plant viability. The Arabidopsis mutant alx8 is a gain-of-function mutant that presents drought tolerance compared to the wild type [1]. alx8 also presents lower stomatal conductance and photosynthetic rate, and a three-fold higher abscisic acid (ABA) levels in the leaf than wild type. alx8 was originally identified by a screen for lesions that altered high light-induced expression of the luciferase gene under the regulation of ASCORBATE PEROXIDASE 2 gene promoter. Several genes responsive to drought and high light stress are also up regulated in alx8 mutants. The major goal of this project is to study the basis of drought tolerance in plants that may lead to improved cop traits via genetic engineering or conventional breeding. 1. Rossel JB, Walter PB, Hendrickson L, Chow WS, Poole A, Mullineaux PM, Pogson BJ: A mutation affecting ASCORBATE PEROXIDASE 2 gene expression reveals a link between responses to high light and drought tolerance. Plant, Cell and Environment 29: 269-281 (2005). 2. Vinocur B, Altman A: Recent advances in engineering plant tolerance to abiotic stress: achievements and limitations. Current Opinion in Biotechnology 16: 123-132 (2005).

Publications

Etienne Delannoy, Monique Le Ret, Emmanuelle Faivre-Nitzchke, Gonzalo Estavillo, Marc Bergdol, Barry Pogson, Ian Small, Patrice Imbault and José M. Gualberto (2009) TADA is required for editing of the wobble nucleotide of chloroplast tRNAArg(ACG), which is essential for efficient chloroplast translation and photosynthetic functions. (submitted to Plant Cell) [9.65,0] Etienne H. Meyer, Tiago Tomaz, Adam Carroll, Gonzalo Estavillo, Etienne Delannoy, Sandra Tanz, Ian D. Small, Barry Pogson and A. Harvey Millar (2009) Remodeled respiration in ndusf4 with low phosphorylation efficiency suppresses Arabidopsis germination and growth and alters control of metabolism at night. (submitted to Plant Physiology) [6.38, 0] Wilson, Pip B., Estavillo, Gonzalo M., Field, Katie, Carrol, Adam, Pornsiriwong, Wannarat, Howell, Kate, Lake, Janice A., Millar, Harvey, Caemmerer, Susanne, Pogson, Barry J. (2009) The nucleotidase/phosphatase, SAL1, is a negative regulator of drought tolerance in Arabidopsis. Plant Journal (in press) [6.75, 0] Giraud, E., Ho, L.H.M., Clifton, R., Carroll, A., Estavillo, G., Tan, Y.-F., Howell, K.A., Ivanova, A., Pogson, B.J., Millar, A.H. and Whelan, J. (2008) The Absence of ALTERNATIVE OXIDASE1a in Arabidopsis Results in Acute Sensitivity to Combined Light and Drought Stress. Plant Physiology, 147, 595-610. [6.38, 2] Bowes G, Rao SK, Reiskind JB, Estavillo GM, Rao VS. 2007.Hydrilla: Retrofitting a C3 leaf with a single-cell C4 NADP-ME system. In: Sheehy JE, Mitchell PL, Hardy B, Eds. "Charting New Pathways to C4 Rice. International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños (Philippines), and World Scientific. Pp 275-296. Estavillo G, Rao S, Reiskind J, Bowes G (2007) Characterization of the NADP malic enzyme gene family in the facultative, single-cell C4 monocot Hydrilla verticillata. Photosynthesis Research 94: 43-57 George Bowes, Srinath K. Rao, Julia B. Reiskind, Gonzalo M. Estavillo, and Vidya S. Rao, “Hydrilla: Retrofitting a C3 leaf with a single-cell C4 NADP-ME system” in "Supercharging the Rice Engine", in press. Nathan Bazinet, Srinath K. Rao, Julia Reiskind, Gonzalo M. Estavillo and George Bowes (2003) Differential Expression Studies in Hydrilla verticillata. Journal of Undergraduate Research (Oct.) College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Florida, URL: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/CLAS/jur/1003/bazinetpaper.html. Bowes G, Rao SK, Estavillo GM, Reiskind JB (2002) C4 mechanisms in aquatic angiosperms: comparisons with terrrestrial C4 systems. Functional Plant Biology 29, 379-392. Estavillo GM, Rao SK, Reiskind JB, Bowes G (2000) Molecular studies of an inducible C4-type photosynthetic system: NADP-ME isoforms. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter 18, S21-23.