Scientists
Marine Biotechnology Department

Tel. +39 081 5833503
Fax: +39 081 984201
e-mail valerio.zupo(at)szn.it
Skype: valzupo

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Research interests

The culture and rearing of marine organisms is fundamental to perform experiments and test hypotheses on the role played by various plant-derived compounds on model invertebrates. We developed several systems to rear and culture larvae and adults of marine invertebrates (one of them is under patent registration) and presently we culture both micro- and macro-algae, besides shrimps, molluscs and other marine invertebrates. Some of these organisms are used to test the effect of secondary metabolites on model invertebrates. In particular, the effect of benthic diatoms living on P. oceanica meadows on the sex reversal of the shrimp Hippolyte inermis is studied. Some compounds present in these diatoms induce an early apoptosis in the testis of the shrimp, eliciting sex reversal. We demonstrated that crude extracts of the diatoms may kill, very selectively, human cancer cells, in vitro. The elucidation of the active compound is still investigated. Finally, some wound-activated secondary metabolites present in various plants may influence the ecology and the behaviour of invertebrates and they are investigated as well, also in view of the ocean acidification processes that modulate the activity of volatile infochemicals. Therefore, the relationships between plant and animals are studied by means of structural and functional studies and the last are investigated taking into account the effect of secondary metabolites as physiology modulators and infochemicals for various invertebrates, especially when their effects might lead to new biotechnologies in the field of human medicine and aquaculture.

Selected Publications

Messina P., DI Filippo M., Gambi M.C., Zupo V. (2005) In vitro fertilization and larval development of Lumbrineris (Scoletoma) impatiens (Claparède) (Polychaeta, Lumbrineridae) of the Gulf of Naples (Italy) finalised to aquaculture. Invertebrate Reproduction and Development  48 (1-3): 31-40.

Messina P., Di Filippo M., Saggiomo F., Piro G., Zupo V. (2006) Tecniche di allevamento in sistema chiuso del policheti da esca Lumbrineris impatiens (Lumbrineridae) e primi dati sull’ecologia trofica. Biologia Marina Mediterranea 13(1): 531-535.

Raniello R., Iannicelli M., Nappo M., Avila C. & Zupo V. (2007) Production of Cocconeis neothumensis (Bacillariophyceae) biomass in batch cultures and bioreactors for biotechnological applications: light and nutrient requirements. Journal of Applied Phycology 19:383-391.

Zupo V, Messina P, Carcaterra A, Aflalo E D., Sagi A (2008) Experimental evidence of a sex reversal process in the shrimp Hippolyte inermis. Invertebrate Reproduction and Development, 52:(1–2) (2008) 93–100.

Zupo V. and Patti F. (2009) Laboratory spawning, larval development and metamorphosis of the marine snail Nassarius reticulatus (Caenogastropoda, Nassariidae). Journal of Invertebrate Reproduction and Development 53(1): 23-31.

Jüttner F., Messina P., Patalano C., Zupo V. (2010) Odour compounds of the diatom Cocconeis scutellum: effects on benthic herbivores living on Posidonia oceanica. Marine Ecology Progress Series Vol. 400: 63–73.

Zupo V. Patalano C., Messina P. (2011) Culture conditions influence the growth dynamics and the production of Cocconeis scutellum Ehrenberg (Bacillariophyta). Journal of Phycology 47, 1433–1444.

Zupo V., Jüttner F., Maibam C., Butera E. and Blom J.F. (2014) Apoptogenic Metabolites in Fractions of the Benthic Diatom Cocconeis scutellum parva. Marine Drugs 2014, 12, 547-567; doi:10.3390/md12010547

Zupo V, Maibam C, Fink P. and von Elert E (2015) Effect of storage on the fatty acid content of foods for post-larvae of the crustacean decapod Hippolyte inermis. Invertebrate Reproduction and Development 1 - 12.  DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07924259.2014.1001498

Book chapters
Zupo V., Pessani D., Lumare D., Lumare L. & Lumare F. (2010) Produzione ed allevamento di larve di crostacei decapodi. In: Socal et al. (Eds), Metodologie di studio del plancton marino. Manuali e Linee Guida 56. ISPRA Publ.: 563-586