Our general objective is to elucidate the characteristics of the metabolic network of potato phenylpropanoids and (poly)-phenols, and to identify nutraceutical effects of these compounds. In this sense, applying different technical approaches of transcriptomics and metabolomics, we work on the characterization of the components of the metabolic network in tubers of different potato varieties. Furthermore we study the biological activities of (poly)-phenols and their mechanisms of action in various systems of medical and agricultural interest. As a line of applied research, we are initiating the development of an antioxidant dietary supplement based on the nanoencapsulated (poly)-phenols from industrial potato skin waste. On the other hand, we are developing a kinetic model of the metabolic network using system biology and apply computational biology for the classification of superfamilies (such as cytochrome P450), involved in this secondary metabolism. This classification is used for the structure-function prediction, in order to obtain fundamental knowledge of several of the enzymes involved in the network.

Financial Support

• Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCyT)
• Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)
• Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP)