Personal Card



Giovanni Checcucci

Research staff

1987: Degree in Natural Sciences at the Univ. of Florence; 1995: PhD in Protistology at the Univ. of Pisa; 1999-2001: JSPS Post-Doc Fellowship at Kochi Univ. (JP); 2001: Permanent position as Researcher at CNR. For 25 years my research has been focused on photosensory biology in aneural organisms, mainly on the photoresponses of the ciliate Blepharisma japonicum. I also studied the effect of ultraviolet radiation and of chemical pollutants on the viability and photosensitivity of microorganisms, and the efficacy of photodynamic therapy on pathogens (Helicobacter pylori). In the last few years I changed field of research, moving to the study of the biogeochemical cycle of Carbon, mainly studying dissolved organic matter in natural waters.

orcid://0000-0002-7960-7168,

Contact:

- Email giovanni.checcucci@cnr.it
- Phone +39-050-3152738
- Location Pisa

Website:

https://www.ladom.it/

Research interests:

- Photosensory Biology in aneural organisms (Principal investigator)

Key publications:

Checcucci, G; Shoemaker, RS; Bini, E; Cerny, R; Tao, NB; Hyon, JS; Gioffre, D; Ghetti, F; Lenci, F; Song, PS (1997) Chemical structure of blepharismin, the photosensor pigment for Blepharisma japonicum. J Am Chem Soc, 119: 5762-5763

Sgarbossa, A; Checcucci, G; Lenci, F (2002) Photoreception and photomovements of microorganisms. Photochem Photobiol Sci, 1: 459-467

Brazard, J; Ley, C; Lacombat, F; Plaza, P; Martin, MM; Checcucci, G; Lenci, F (2008) Primary Photoprocesses Involved in the Sensory Protein for the Photophobic Response of Blepharisma japonicum. J Phys Chem B, 112: 15182-15194

Morici, P; Battisti, A; Tortora, G; Menciassi, A; Checcucci, G; Ghetti, F; Sgarbossa, A (2020) The in vitro Photoinactivation of Helicobacter pylori by a Novel LED-Based Device. Front Microbiol, 11: 283

Retelletti Brogi S; Cossarini G; Bachi G; Balestra C; Camatti E; Casotti R; Checcucci G; Colella S; Evangelista V; Falcini F; Francocci F; Giorgino T; Margiotta F; Ribera d'Alcala M; Sprovieri M; Vestri S; Santinelli C (2022) Evidence of Covid-19 lockdown effects on riverine dissolved organic matter dynamics provides a proof-of-concept for needed regulations of anthropogenic emissions. Science of the Total Environment, 812: 152412

Publications (35):

Evidence of Covid-19 lockdown effects on riverine dissolved organic matter dynamics provides a proof-of-concept for needed regulations of anthropogenic emissions
Brogi, S. Retelletti; Cossarini, G.; Bachi, G.; Balestra, C.; Camatti, E.; Casotti, R.; Checcucci, G.; Colella, S.; Evangelista, V.; Falcini, F.; Francocci, F.; Giorgino, T.; Margiotta, F.; d'Alcala, M. Ribera; Sprovieri, M.; Vestri, S.; Santinelli, C.
Science of the total environment, 2021
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152412

The in vitro Photoinactivation of Helicobacter pylori by a Novel LED-Based Device
Morici, Paola; Battisti, Antonella; Tortora, Giuseppe; Menciassi, Arianna; Checcucci, Giovanni; Ghetti, Francesco; Sgarbossa, Antonella
Frontiers in microbiology, 2020
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00283

Temperature increase inside LED-based illuminators for in vitro aPDT photodamage studies
Battisti A.; Morici P.; Tortora G.; Menciassi A.; Checcucci G.; Ghetti F.; Sgarbossa A.
Results in physics, 2018
DOI: 10.1016/j.rinp.2018.03.032

Main photophysical properties of oxyblepharismin
Storti B.; Checcucci G.; Ghetti F.; Nifosi R.; Bizzarri R.
Biophysical chemistry (Print), 2017
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2017.05.008

Capsulight: an innovative phototherapeutic strategy against severe gastric infections
Morici, P.; Battisti, A.; Ghetti, F.; Checcucci, G.; Sgarbossa, A.
European biophysics journal, 2017
DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.29453.64481

Fluorescence lifetime microscopy reveals the biologically-related photophysical heterogeneity of oxyblepharismin in light-adapted (blue): Blepharisma japonicum cells
Checcucci G.; Storti B.; Ghetti F.; Signore G.; Bizzarri R.
Photochemical & photobiological sciences (Online), 2017
DOI: 10.1039/c7pp00072c

Salt-stress induced changes in the leaf proteome of diploid and tetraploid mandarins with contrasting Na+ and Cl- accumulation behaviour
Podda A., Checcucci G., Mouhaya W., Centeno D., Rofidal V., Del Carratore R., Luro F., Morillon R., Ollitrault P., Maserti B.E.
Journal of plant physiology (Print), 2013
DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2013.03.006

Picosecond Transient Circular Dichroism of the Photoreceptor Protein of the Light-Adapted Form of Blepharisma japonicum
Hache F.; Khuc M.; Brazard J.; Plaza P.; Martin M. M.; Checcucci G.; Lenci F.
Chemical physics letters (Print), 2009
DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2009.10.059

Steady-state and femtosecond photoinduced processes of blepharismins bound to alpha-crystallin
Youssef T. (1), Brazard J. (2), Ley C. (2), Lacombat F. (2), Plaza P.(2), M. Martin M. (2), Sgarbossa A. (3), Checcucci G. (3) and Lenci F. (3)
Photochemical & photobiological sciences (Print), 2008
DOI: 10.1039/b800848e

Primary Photoprocesses Involved in the Sensory Protein for the Photophobic Response of Blepharisma japonicum
J. Brazard; C. Ley; F. Lacombat; P. Plaza; M. M. Martin; G. Checcucci; F. Lenci
The journal of physical chemistry. B, 2008
DOI: 10.1021/jp805815e

Target analysis of primary photoprocesses involved in the oxyblepharismin-binding protein
Plaza P; Mahet M; Martin MM; Checcucci G; Lenci F.
The journal of physical chemistry. B, 2007
DOI: 10.1021/jp0642591

Primary photoprocesses in oxyblepharismin interacting with its native protein partner
Mahet M.; Plaza P.; Martin M. M.; Checcucci G.; Lenci F.
Journal of photochemistry and photobiology. A, Chemistry (Print), 2007
DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2006.06.030

Evidence for ciliary pigment localization in colored ciliates and implications for their photosensory transduction chain: A confocal microscopy study.
Colombetti G, Checcucci G, Lucia S, Usai C, Ramoino P, Bianchini P, Pesce M, Vicidomini G, Diaspro A.
Microscopy research and technique (Print), 2007
DOI: 10.1002/jemt.20508

Spectroscopic study of the chromophore–protein association and primary photoinduced events in the photoreceptor of Blepharisma japonicum
Plaza P.; Mahet M.; Martin Monique M.; Angelini N.; Malatesta M.; Checcucci G.; Lenci F.
Photochemical & photobiological sciences (Print), 2005
DOI: 10.1039/b417086e

Circular Dichroism of the Photoreceptor Pigment Oxyblepharismin
Pieroni O.; Plaza P.; Mahet M.; Angelini N.; Checcucci G.; Malatesta M.; Martin M.M.; Lenci F.
Photochemistry and photobiology, 2005
DOI: 10.1562/2005-04-28-RN-504

Hypothetical photosensory structure and transduction in ciliated protozoan, Blepharisma
Kida A., Hase M., Tokumori D., Takada Y., Yasuda M., Kotsuki H., Checcucci G., Matsuoka T.
Trends in Photochemistry & Photobiology, 2003

Photoreception and photomovements of microorganisms
Sgarbossa, Antonella and Checcucci, Giovanni and Lenci, Francesco
Photochemical & photobiological sciences (Print), 2002
DOI: 10.1039/B110629E

Studies on the photoreceptor pigment-protein complex of the ciliate Blepharisma japonicum
Checcucci G., Takada Y., Matsuoka T.
Memoirs of the Faculty of Science, Kochi University. Series D, Biology, 2001

Primary stages in photosignal transduction leading to step-up photophobic response in the unicellular eukaryote Blepharisma japonicum
Kida A., Takada Y., Kotsuki H., Tokumori D., Checcucci G., Matsuoka T.
Microbios, 2001

Analyses of structure of photoreceptor organelle and blepharismin-associated protein in unicellular eukaryote Blepharisma
Matsuoka T., Tokumori D., Kotsuki H., Ishida M., Matsushita M., Kimura S., Itoh T., Checcucci G.
Photochemistry and photobiology, 2000
DOI: 10.1562/0031-8655(2000)0720709AOSOPO2.0.CO2

Action Spectra for UVB Impacts on Blepharisma japonicum Motility and Photobehavior
Checcucci, Giovanni and Sgarbossa, Antonella and Gioffré, Domenico and Lenci, Francesco and Ghetti, Francesco
Photochemistry and photobiology, 1999
DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1999.tb05310.x

Electron transfer fluorescence quenching of Blepharisma japonicum photoreceptor pigments
Angelini, N (Angelini, N); Quaranta, A (Quaranta, A); Checcucci, G (Checcucci, G); Song, PS (Song, PS); Lenci, F (Lenci, F)
Photochemistry and photobiology, 1998
DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1998.tb05297.x

UVB monochromatic action spectrum for the inhibition of photosynthetic oxygen production in the green alga Dunaliella salina
Ghetti F., Fuoco S., Checcucci G.
Photochemistry and photobiology, 1998
DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1998.tb09681.x

Chemical structure of blepharismin, the photosensor pigment for Blepharisma japonicum
Checcucci G., Shoemaker R.K., Bini E., Cerny R., Tao N., Hyon J.-S., Gioffré D., Ghetti F., Lenci F., Song P.-S.
Journal of the American Chemical Society (Print), 1997

Sensory perception and transduction of UV-B radiation by the ciliate Blepharisma japonicum
Francesco Lenci and Giovanni Checcucci and Francesco Ghetti and Domenico Gioffrè and Antonella Sgarbossa
Biochimica et biophysica acta. G, General subjects (Print), 1997
DOI: 10.1016/S0304-4165(97)00005-6

Effects of UV-B irradiation on motility and photoresponsiveness of the coloured ciliate Blepharisma japonicum
Antonella Sgarbossa and Sabina Lucia and Francesco Lenci and Domenico Gioffré and Francesco Ghetti and Giovanni Checcucci
Journal of photochemistry and photobiology. B, Biology (Print), 1995
DOI: 10.1016/1011-1344(94)07070-5

Effects of UVB irradiation on pigment systems and photomotile responses of the colored ciliate Blepharisma japonicum
Sgarbossa A., Lucia S., Lenci F., Gioffré D., Ghetti F., Checcucci G.
Médecine. Biologie. Environnement, 1994

Action spectra of the photophobic response of blue and red forms of Blepharisma japonicum
Checcucci G., Damato G., Ghetti F., Lenci F.
Photochemistry and photobiology, 1993
DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1993.tb02938.x

Photosensory transduction in ciliates. Role of intracellular pH and comparison between Stentor Coeruleus and Blepharisma japonicum
Fabczak H., Fabczak S., Song P.-S., Checcucci G., Ghetti F., Lenci F.
Journal of photochemistry and photobiology. B, Biology (Print), 1993

A laser flash photolysis study of the triplet states of the red and the blue forms of Blepharisma japonicum pigment
Ghetti F., Checcucci G., Lenci F., Heelis P.F.
Journal of photochemistry and photobiology. B, Biology (Print), 1992

New trends in photobiology: Photosensitized reactions as primary molecular events in photomovements of microorganisms
Ghetti F., Checcucci G., Lenci F.
Journal of photochemistry and photobiology. B, Biology (Print), 1992

A videomicroscopic study of the effect of a singlet oxygen quencher on Blepharisma japonicum photobehavior
Checcucci G., Lenci F., Ghetti F., Song P.-S.
Journal of photochemistry and photobiology. B, Biology (Print), 1991

Biophysical and cellular effects of microwaves interacting with plant tissues
Bacci M.; Checcucci A.; Checcucci G.; Palandri M. R.
Journal of microwave power, 1985

Microwave drying of herbarium specimens
Bacci M.; Checcucci A.; Checcucci G.; Palandri M. R.
Taxon, 1985

Crioconservazione di reni di suino: studio degli effetti delle diverse velocità e tecniche di congelamento
Nicita G., Checcucci A., DiLollo S., Dami A., Checcucci G., Tosto A., Paoletti C., Cicciolla C.
Florence j. of surgery, 1985