Ricerc@Sapienza

The freshwater fish species Dormitator latifrons, commonly named the Pacific fat sleeper, is an important food resource in CentralSouth America, yet almost no genetic information on it is available. A cytogenetic analysis of this species was undertaken by standard and molecular techniques (chromosomal mapping of 18S rDNA, 5S rDNA, and telomeric repeats), aiming to describe the karyotype features, verify the presence of sex chromosomes described in congeneric species, and make inferences on chromosome evolution in the genus.

Parodontidae is a relatively small group of Neotropical characiform fishes
consisting of three genera (Apareiodon, Parodon, and Saccodon) with 32 valid
species. A vast cytogenetic literature is available on Apareiodon and Parodon, but
to date, there is no cytogenetic data about Saccodon, a genus that contains only
three species with a trans-Andean distribution. In the present study the karyotype
of S. wagneri was described, based on both conventional (Giemsa staining, Ag-
NOR, C-bands) and molecular (repetitive DNA mapping by fluorescent in situ

Native peptides from sea bass muscle were analyzed by two different approaches: medium-sized peptides by peptidomics analysis, whereas short peptides by suspect screening analysis employing an inclusion list of exact m/z values of all possible amino acid combinations (from 2 up to 4). The method was also extended to common post-translational modifications potentially interesting in food analysis, as well as non-proteolytic aminoacyl derivatives, which are well-known taste-active building blocks in pseudo-peptides.

Recent molecular phylogenetic analyses have shown that the Mugil curema Valenciennes, 1836 species complex includes M. incilis Hancock, 1830, M. thoburni (Jordan & Starks, 1896) and at least four “M. curema” mitochondrial lineages, considered as cryptic species. The cytogenetic data on some representatives of the species complex have shown a high cytogenetic diversity. This research reports the results of cytogenetic and molecular analyses of white mullet collected in Ecuador. The analyzed specimens were molecularly assigned to the Mugil sp.

The research aims to take place actions in order to promote and exploit short supply chains and fishery products at zero food miles, increasing awareness and sustainability levels in this sector. The project is oriented towards future students, parents and teachers. Students are the protagonists of edutainment initiatives and will be leveraged towards parents who will in turn convey the notions to other adults through activities to be carried out together, with media relevance.