Department of Stress Biology

Leader Prof. dr hab. Ireneusz Ślesak

Address

ul. Niezapominajek 21,
30-239 Kraków

Contact

telephone: (+48) 12 4251833 (wew./ext. 158)
faks: (+48) 12 4251844

Scientific staff

PhD students

Mgr Emilia Gula

Research of Department of Stress Biology are focused on the functioning of plants under abiotic and biotic stress. Among the abiotic stress factors, mainly salinity, drought and high irradiance, among the biotic factors – infections with bacterial (Pseudomonas syringae) and fungal (Botrytis cinerea) pathogens, are considered. Stress responses are studied at the whole plant level, as well as cell biology and gene expression. A particular emphasis is placed on the adaptive modifications of C3 photosynthesis and induction of CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism) in relation to stress resistance. The role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the cellular redox status is analyzed in the context of signal transduction pathways, regulation of primary and secondary metabolism and stress protection. Another field of interest is the phylogeny of the antioxidant system and photosynthesis in different groups of organisms and their hypothetical role at the early stages of the evolution.

Publications

Libik-Konieczny M., Hordyńska-Tomsia N., Mazur Z., Zieliński K., Bibro M., Kurczab J., Gerszber A., ..., Waligórski P., Rodziewicz P. 2026

Back to the roots: Cannabis sativa L. root metabolism, microbiomes, and biotechnological potential.

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-026-13955-2

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Gula E., Ostrowska A., Reinartz E., Zeier J., Pociecha E., Tuleja M., Płachno BJ., Niewiadomska E., Libik-Konieczny M. 2026

Pipecolic acid modulates physiological parameters and biotic stress resilience in Mesembryanthemum crystallinum in a photosynthetic mode-dependent manner.

BMC Plant Biology, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-026-09590-8

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Gadzała E., Łuc J., Miszczak R., Sychta K., Urbanová L., Farkasová S., Pilarska M., ..., Kopeć P., et al. 2026

Short-term cadmium and lead exposure in common buckwheat: Metal accumulation, physiological responses, and compositional changes.

Agronomy 16:1781

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Wang Y., Hou C., Rockwell NC., Brzezowski P., Zhang W., Huang X., Fan Q., Wang Y., Grimm B., Lagarias JC., Duanmu D. 2026

Covalent phytobilin adducts of GUN4 implicate a photoprotective mechanism in chlorophyll biosynthesis.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 123:e2533100123

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Pilarska M. 2026

Facultative CAM and photosynthetic electron transport: unravelling the salinity acclimation puzzle in Mesembryanthemum crystallinum.

Frontiers in Plant Science 17:1753517

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Banaś AK. , Grzyb J., Zgłobicki P., Pacak A., Myśliwa-Kurdziel B., Leja K., Kozieradzka-Kiszkurno M., Kłodawska K., Konieczny R., Pilarska M., Niewiadomska E., Bażant A., et al. 2026

GERALT, a cryptochrome/photolyase family protein, is essential for young chloroplast development and function with its importance decreasing in older plants.

Plant and Cell Physiology 62:157–177

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Mazur Z., Ślesak I. 2025

Cyanobacteria under UV radiation: General insights into stress responses

International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26: 10926

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Pilarska M., Wasilewska-Dębowska W., Niewiadomska E. 2025

Salinity-induced changes in the PSII/LHCII phosphorylation and organization of the photosynthetic protein complexes in the halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L

Journal of Plant Physiology, 312: 154567

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Krupinska K., Frank S., Boschian L., Nia M. S., Braun S., Schäfer A., Voigt U., Niewiadomska E., Hause B., Hensel G., Bilger W. 2025

Iron allocation to chloroplast proteins depends on the DNA-binding protein WHIRLY1

Planta, 262: 32

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Woźniak-Chodacka M., Kocurek M., Pilarska M., Niewiadomska E. 2025

Environmental selection underlies distinct distribution patterns of closely related European evening primroses

Scientific Reports, 15: 4436

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Gula E. , Dziurka M. , Hordyńska-Tomsia N., Libik-Konieczny M. 2024

Regulatory effect of pipecolic acid (Pip) on the antioxidant system activity of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum plants exposed to bacterial treatment

Physiologia Plantarum, 176: e14583

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Saja-Garbarz D., Godel-Jędrychowska K., Kurczyńska E., Kozieradzka-Kiszkurno M. , Tuleja M., Gula E. , Skubała K. , Ryś M., Urban K., Kwiatkowska M. , Libik-Konieczny M. 2024

The effect of silicon supplementation and drought stress on the deposition of callose and chemical components in the cell walls of the Brassica napus roots

BMC Plant Biology, 24: 1249

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Wilkens A., Czerniawski P., Bednarek P., Libik-Konieczny M. 2024

ATML1 regulates the differentiation of ER body–containing large pavement cells in rosette leaves of Brassicaceae plants

Plant and Cell Physiology, 65: 1160–1172

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Saja-Garbarz D., Libik-Konieczny M., Janowiak F. 2024

Silicon improves root functioning and water management as well as alleviates oxidative stress in oilseed rape under drought conditions

Frontiers in Plant Science, 15: 1359747

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Pilarska M., Niewiadomska E., Kruk J. 2023

Salinity-induced changes in plastoquinone pool redox state in halophytic Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L.

Scientific Reports, 13: 11160

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Zaffagnini M., Pilarska M., Niewiadomska E. 2023

Editorial: Chloroplast redox state: new insights into stress responses and acclimation

Frontiers in Plant Science, 14: 1234946

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Ziejewska C., Grela A., Lach M., Marczyk J., Hordyńska-Tomsia N., Szechynska-Hebda M., Hebda M. 2023

Eco-friendly zeolites for innovative purification of water from cationic dye and heavy metal ions

Journal of Cleaner Production, 406: 136947

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Pistelli L., Libik-Konieczny M., Hasanuzzaman M. 2023

Editorial: Plant-microbe interactions and their role in salinity tolerance

Frontiers in Plant Science, 14: 1142563

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Klajmon A., Makowska K., Zimny J., Oleszczuk S., Libik-Konieczny M., Sebela M., Gašparíková I., Bąba W., Konieczny R. 2023

Gum Arabic influences the activity of antioxidant enzymes during androgenesis in barley anthers

Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture, 153: 145–157

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Okunlola G.O., Olatunji O.A., Niewiadomska E., Jimoh M.A., Rufai A.B., Ogunkunle C.O. 2023

Foliar application of melatonin alleviates the deleterious effects of drought on the three most cultivated capsicum species in africa

Gesunde Pflanzen, 75: 139–149

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Projects

PHB jako czynnik kształtujący bakteryjną mikrobiotę korzeniową, poprawiający wzrost oraz walory dekoracyjne Philodendron erubescens

2025/09/X/NZ9/01017, 2025 - 2026

Oxidative stress and its role in the regulation of embryogenesis in isolated microspore cultures of triticale (x Triticale Wittm.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

2015/18/M/NZ3/00348, 2016 - 2021

Mutants of barley with disturbances of synthesis and signaling of brassinosteroids in studies of temperature stress

2015/17/B/NZ9/01695, 2016 - 2018

Molecular basis of plant resistance to soil salinity: characterization of NADPH oxidase (RBOH) genes in halophyte Eutral salsugineum

2017/1/X/NZ3/00293 MINIATURA, 2017 - 2018

Engegament of oxidative stress in steviol glycosides biosynthesis in Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plants

2012/05/B/NZ9/01035, 2013 - 2016

Characterisation of antioxidant system and the concentration of gibberellins in Stevia rebaudiana plants regenerated in vitro after transformation with Agrobacterium rhizogenes

2013/09/N/NZ9/01650, 2014 - 2016

The role of hydrogen peroxide in leaf senescence

2011/03/B/NZ9/01619, 2012 - 2015

The chloroplast defence and signalling mechanisms in halophytic plants

633/N-COST/09/2010/0, 2010 - 2012

Physico-chemical indicators of interactions of polyamines with other antioxidants in conditions of drought and salinity stress

556/N-COST/2009/0, 2009 - 2012

Characterisation of MnSODII (MnSODII - like protein) and antioxidant systems in competention and determination to rhizogenesis in Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L in vitro culture

N303 356935, 2008 - 2011

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