Elisa Corteggiani Carpinelli

I attended the Graduation Program in Molecular Biology of the University of Padova and I graduated in July 2004 with mark 110/110 e lode.

I carried out the research project for my Degree in the laboratory of Doctor Bergantino, which was part of the research unit of Photosynthesis of Professor Giorgio Giacometti.

The interest of the group was focused on the structural and functional characteristics of various subunits of Photosystem II (figure on the left), and among the others, of those of PsbH, a protein whose function is still somehow elusive. 

During my internship I took charge of the preparation of the vectors for carrying out a two hybrid test in yeast (schematised by the figure on the right). The test was designed to examine the interactions of PsbH with 3 putative protein partners. I also carried out the two hybrid test using the vectors that I had prepared.

The results of my experiments showed that the proteins that I had cloned resulted expressed in the yeast colonies and that the colorimetric test that verifies the interactions between bait and prey proteins worked correctly on my test plates. However the tested interactions between PsbH and the three putative partner proteins were not verified. It is worth noticing that this kind of test rarely gives a conclusive result about protein-protein interactions due to the many variables involved in the process, nevertheless it usually gives important indications.

During this research period I developed expertise with the DNA recombinant techniques and the cloning of proteins for etherologous expression. Most of all I developed a major interest for the study of Photosynthesis.