SummaryInfection of a plant by a pathogen induces a variety of defense responses that imply the a... more SummaryInfection of a plant by a pathogen induces a variety of defense responses that imply the action of several signaling molecules, including salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene (E). Here we describe the role of ETHYLENE‐RESPONSE‐FACTOR1 (ERF1) as a regulator of ethylene responses after pathogen attack in Arabidopsis. The ERF1 transcript is induced on infection by Botrytis cinerea, and overexpression of ERF1 in Arabidopsis is sufficient to confer resistance to necrotrophic fungi such as B. cinerea and Plectosphaerella cucumerina. A positive co‐operation between E and SA pathways was observed in the plant response to P. cucumerina. Infection by Pseudomonas syringae tomato DC3000, however, does not affect ERF1 expression, and activation of ethylene responses by ERF1 overexpression in Arabidopsis plants reduces tolerance against this pathogen, suggesting negative crosstalk between E and SA signaling pathways, and demonstrating that positive and negative interactions between both pathways can be established depending on the type of pathogen.
Plant essential oils (EOs) are gaining interest as biopesticides for crop protection. EOs have be... more Plant essential oils (EOs) are gaining interest as biopesticides for crop protection. EOs have been recognized as important ingredients of plant protection products including insecticidal, acaricidal, fungicidal, and nematicidal agents. Considering the growing importance of EOs as active ingredients, the domestication and cultivation of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) to produce chemically stable EOs contributes to species conservation, provides the sustainability of production, and decreases the variations in the active ingredients. In addition to these direct effects on plant pests and diseases, EOs can induce plant defenses (priming effects) resulting in better protection. This aspect is of relevance considering that the EU framework aims to achieve the sustainable use of new plant protection products (PPPs), and since 2020, the use of contaminant PPPs has been prohibited. In this paper, we review the most updated information on the direct plant protection effects of EOs, fo...
Se aislo el segundo miembro de la familia de peptidos antimicrobianos vegetales al que se denomin... more Se aislo el segundo miembro de la familia de peptidos antimicrobianos vegetales al que se denomino snakin-2, a partir de tuberculo de patata, el peptido es activo in vitro frente a bacterias y hongos fitopatogenos y su expresion se regula por herida, acido abcisico y tras la infeccion con diferentes patogenos, los resultados le encuadran formando parte de las barreras de defensa inducibles y constitutivas de patata. Se estudiaron las snakin en Arabidopsis, encontrandose 14 miembros de esta familia. Los resultados las implican en la defensa de esta planta ya que su expresion se ve regulada tras la infeccion por patogenos y son muy similares a las snakin previamente descritas en patata. Se caracterizo el papel en defensa del factor transcipcional ERF1 en Arabidopsis thaliana. Se analizo la resistencia de varias lineas transgenicas que sobre-expresaban este factor, encontrandose que dicha sobre-expresion confiere una mayor resistencia de las plantas frente a patogenos como Fusarium oxy...
Visualization plays a relevant role for discovering patterns in big sets of data. In fact, the mo... more Visualization plays a relevant role for discovering patterns in big sets of data. In fact, the most common way to help a human with a pattern interpretation is through a graphic. In 2D/3D virtual environments for procedural training the student interaction is more varied and complex than in traditional e-learning environments. Therefore, the visualization and interpretation of students’ behaviors becomes a challenge. This motivated us to design the visualization of a collective student model built from student logs taken from 2D/3D virtual environments for procedural training. This paper presents the design decisions that enable a suitable visualization of this model to instructors as well as a web tool that implements this visualization and is intended: to help instructors to improve their own teaching; and to enhance the tutoring strategy of an Intelligent Tutoring System. Then, this paper illustrates, with three detailed examples, how this tool can be used to those educational purposes. Next, the paper presents an experiment for validating the utility of the tool. In this experiment we show how the tool can help to modify the tutoring strategy of a 3D virtual laboratory. In this way, it is shown that the proposed visualization of the model can serve to improve the performance of students in 2D/3D virtual environments for procedural training.
Evolution of the Protein Synthesis Machinery and Its Regulation, 2016
In the last decade, different studies have highlighted the importance translational control in pl... more In the last decade, different studies have highlighted the importance translational control in plant development and in response to environmental cues. Although most translation factors are conserved in plants, our current knowledge about translation regulation in this kingdom is still scarce. This chapter will outline the mechanisms controlling the selective translation of mRNAs under different abiotic stresses and developmental conditions in several eukaryotic model systems, discussing whether similar or specific mechanisms exist in plants.
Potassium Solubilizing Microorganisms for Sustainable Agriculture, 2016
Mycorrhizae have been key living microorganisms in the plant colonization of terrestrial environm... more Mycorrhizae have been key living microorganisms in the plant colonization of terrestrial environments. The crucial roles of mycorrhizae are to provide plant nutrition and stress resistance for plant growth and development. Potassium (K+) shows important functions in different metabolic processes and physiological functions and is the third crucial component of most crop fertilizers (after nitrogen and phosphorus). This chapter discusses the current state of knowledge about the role of mycorrhizal symbiosis in the release, solubilization, and transport of potassium from the soil to plants. Improved metagenomic analyses and the availability of transcriptome data provide promising tools for studying fungal weathering and the mycorrhizal contributions to K+ solubilization and K+ transport to plants. Additionally, some benefits of mycorrhizal potassium uptake in plants are described.
The AM fungi interact with Azospirillum directly by providing niche and/or habitat or indirectly ... more The AM fungi interact with Azospirillum directly by providing niche and/or habitat or indirectly by modifying host plant morphophysiology. This communication in soil can be beneficial for both the microorganisms and the host plant. The Azospirillum inoculation is more successful and more profitable when other microorganisms are co-inoculated with Azospirillum. The inoculation consortia apparently work better when VAM fungi are incorporated. So far, observational techniques and morphophysiological analysis techniques have been developed but nonspecifically for this microbial interaction. New co-inoculation methods and polymicrobial formulations with stable, effective, multifunctional, and eco-friendly characteristics are technically demanding.
Some receptor-like kinases (RLK) control plant development while others regulate immunity. The Ar... more Some receptor-like kinases (RLK) control plant development while others regulate immunity. The Arabidopsis ERECTA (ER) RLK regulates both biological processes. To discover specific components of ER-mediated immunity, a genetic screen was conducted to identify suppressors of erecta (ser) susceptibility to Plectosphaerella cucumerina fungus. The ser1 and ser2 mutations restored disease resistance to this pathogen to wild-type levels in the er-1 background but failed to suppress er-associated developmental phenotypes. The deposition of callose upon P. cucumerina inoculation, which was impaired in the er-1 plants, was also restored to near wild-type levels in the ser er-1 mutants. Analyses of er cell walls revealed that total neutral sugars were reduced and uronic acids increased relative to those of wild-type walls. Interestingly, in the ser er-1 walls, neutral sugars were elevated and uronic acids were reduced relative to both er-1 and wild-type plants. The cell-wall changes found in ...
The plant fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum (Fox) is the causal agent of root rot or wilt diseas... more The plant fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum (Fox) is the causal agent of root rot or wilt diseases in several plant species, including crops such as tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), banana (Musa sapientum) and asparagus (Asparagus officinalis). Colonization of plants by Fox leads to ...
HOPs (HSP70–HSP90 organizing proteins) are a highly conserved family of HSP70 and HSP90 co-chaper... more HOPs (HSP70–HSP90 organizing proteins) are a highly conserved family of HSP70 and HSP90 co-chaperones whose role in assisting the folding of various hormonal receptors has been extensively studied in mammals. In plants, HOPs are mainly associated with stress response, but their potential involvement in hormonal networks remains completely unexplored. In this article we describe that a member of the HOP family, HOP3, is involved in the jasmonic acid (JA) pathway and is linked to plant defense responses not only to pathogens, but also to a generalist herbivore. The JA pathway regulates responses to Botrytis cinerea infection and to Tetranychus urticae feeding; our data demonstrate that the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) hop3-1 mutant shows an increased susceptibility to both. The hop3-1 mutant exhibits reduced sensitivity to JA derivatives in root growth assays and downregulation of different JA-responsive genes in response to methyl jasmonate, further revealing the relevance of H...
SummaryInfection of a plant by a pathogen induces a variety of defense responses that imply the a... more SummaryInfection of a plant by a pathogen induces a variety of defense responses that imply the action of several signaling molecules, including salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene (E). Here we describe the role of ETHYLENE‐RESPONSE‐FACTOR1 (ERF1) as a regulator of ethylene responses after pathogen attack in Arabidopsis. The ERF1 transcript is induced on infection by Botrytis cinerea, and overexpression of ERF1 in Arabidopsis is sufficient to confer resistance to necrotrophic fungi such as B. cinerea and Plectosphaerella cucumerina. A positive co‐operation between E and SA pathways was observed in the plant response to P. cucumerina. Infection by Pseudomonas syringae tomato DC3000, however, does not affect ERF1 expression, and activation of ethylene responses by ERF1 overexpression in Arabidopsis plants reduces tolerance against this pathogen, suggesting negative crosstalk between E and SA signaling pathways, and demonstrating that positive and negative interactions between both pathways can be established depending on the type of pathogen.
Plant essential oils (EOs) are gaining interest as biopesticides for crop protection. EOs have be... more Plant essential oils (EOs) are gaining interest as biopesticides for crop protection. EOs have been recognized as important ingredients of plant protection products including insecticidal, acaricidal, fungicidal, and nematicidal agents. Considering the growing importance of EOs as active ingredients, the domestication and cultivation of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) to produce chemically stable EOs contributes to species conservation, provides the sustainability of production, and decreases the variations in the active ingredients. In addition to these direct effects on plant pests and diseases, EOs can induce plant defenses (priming effects) resulting in better protection. This aspect is of relevance considering that the EU framework aims to achieve the sustainable use of new plant protection products (PPPs), and since 2020, the use of contaminant PPPs has been prohibited. In this paper, we review the most updated information on the direct plant protection effects of EOs, fo...
Se aislo el segundo miembro de la familia de peptidos antimicrobianos vegetales al que se denomin... more Se aislo el segundo miembro de la familia de peptidos antimicrobianos vegetales al que se denomino snakin-2, a partir de tuberculo de patata, el peptido es activo in vitro frente a bacterias y hongos fitopatogenos y su expresion se regula por herida, acido abcisico y tras la infeccion con diferentes patogenos, los resultados le encuadran formando parte de las barreras de defensa inducibles y constitutivas de patata. Se estudiaron las snakin en Arabidopsis, encontrandose 14 miembros de esta familia. Los resultados las implican en la defensa de esta planta ya que su expresion se ve regulada tras la infeccion por patogenos y son muy similares a las snakin previamente descritas en patata. Se caracterizo el papel en defensa del factor transcipcional ERF1 en Arabidopsis thaliana. Se analizo la resistencia de varias lineas transgenicas que sobre-expresaban este factor, encontrandose que dicha sobre-expresion confiere una mayor resistencia de las plantas frente a patogenos como Fusarium oxy...
Visualization plays a relevant role for discovering patterns in big sets of data. In fact, the mo... more Visualization plays a relevant role for discovering patterns in big sets of data. In fact, the most common way to help a human with a pattern interpretation is through a graphic. In 2D/3D virtual environments for procedural training the student interaction is more varied and complex than in traditional e-learning environments. Therefore, the visualization and interpretation of students’ behaviors becomes a challenge. This motivated us to design the visualization of a collective student model built from student logs taken from 2D/3D virtual environments for procedural training. This paper presents the design decisions that enable a suitable visualization of this model to instructors as well as a web tool that implements this visualization and is intended: to help instructors to improve their own teaching; and to enhance the tutoring strategy of an Intelligent Tutoring System. Then, this paper illustrates, with three detailed examples, how this tool can be used to those educational purposes. Next, the paper presents an experiment for validating the utility of the tool. In this experiment we show how the tool can help to modify the tutoring strategy of a 3D virtual laboratory. In this way, it is shown that the proposed visualization of the model can serve to improve the performance of students in 2D/3D virtual environments for procedural training.
Evolution of the Protein Synthesis Machinery and Its Regulation, 2016
In the last decade, different studies have highlighted the importance translational control in pl... more In the last decade, different studies have highlighted the importance translational control in plant development and in response to environmental cues. Although most translation factors are conserved in plants, our current knowledge about translation regulation in this kingdom is still scarce. This chapter will outline the mechanisms controlling the selective translation of mRNAs under different abiotic stresses and developmental conditions in several eukaryotic model systems, discussing whether similar or specific mechanisms exist in plants.
Potassium Solubilizing Microorganisms for Sustainable Agriculture, 2016
Mycorrhizae have been key living microorganisms in the plant colonization of terrestrial environm... more Mycorrhizae have been key living microorganisms in the plant colonization of terrestrial environments. The crucial roles of mycorrhizae are to provide plant nutrition and stress resistance for plant growth and development. Potassium (K+) shows important functions in different metabolic processes and physiological functions and is the third crucial component of most crop fertilizers (after nitrogen and phosphorus). This chapter discusses the current state of knowledge about the role of mycorrhizal symbiosis in the release, solubilization, and transport of potassium from the soil to plants. Improved metagenomic analyses and the availability of transcriptome data provide promising tools for studying fungal weathering and the mycorrhizal contributions to K+ solubilization and K+ transport to plants. Additionally, some benefits of mycorrhizal potassium uptake in plants are described.
The AM fungi interact with Azospirillum directly by providing niche and/or habitat or indirectly ... more The AM fungi interact with Azospirillum directly by providing niche and/or habitat or indirectly by modifying host plant morphophysiology. This communication in soil can be beneficial for both the microorganisms and the host plant. The Azospirillum inoculation is more successful and more profitable when other microorganisms are co-inoculated with Azospirillum. The inoculation consortia apparently work better when VAM fungi are incorporated. So far, observational techniques and morphophysiological analysis techniques have been developed but nonspecifically for this microbial interaction. New co-inoculation methods and polymicrobial formulations with stable, effective, multifunctional, and eco-friendly characteristics are technically demanding.
Some receptor-like kinases (RLK) control plant development while others regulate immunity. The Ar... more Some receptor-like kinases (RLK) control plant development while others regulate immunity. The Arabidopsis ERECTA (ER) RLK regulates both biological processes. To discover specific components of ER-mediated immunity, a genetic screen was conducted to identify suppressors of erecta (ser) susceptibility to Plectosphaerella cucumerina fungus. The ser1 and ser2 mutations restored disease resistance to this pathogen to wild-type levels in the er-1 background but failed to suppress er-associated developmental phenotypes. The deposition of callose upon P. cucumerina inoculation, which was impaired in the er-1 plants, was also restored to near wild-type levels in the ser er-1 mutants. Analyses of er cell walls revealed that total neutral sugars were reduced and uronic acids increased relative to those of wild-type walls. Interestingly, in the ser er-1 walls, neutral sugars were elevated and uronic acids were reduced relative to both er-1 and wild-type plants. The cell-wall changes found in ...
The plant fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum (Fox) is the causal agent of root rot or wilt diseas... more The plant fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum (Fox) is the causal agent of root rot or wilt diseases in several plant species, including crops such as tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), banana (Musa sapientum) and asparagus (Asparagus officinalis). Colonization of plants by Fox leads to ...
HOPs (HSP70–HSP90 organizing proteins) are a highly conserved family of HSP70 and HSP90 co-chaper... more HOPs (HSP70–HSP90 organizing proteins) are a highly conserved family of HSP70 and HSP90 co-chaperones whose role in assisting the folding of various hormonal receptors has been extensively studied in mammals. In plants, HOPs are mainly associated with stress response, but their potential involvement in hormonal networks remains completely unexplored. In this article we describe that a member of the HOP family, HOP3, is involved in the jasmonic acid (JA) pathway and is linked to plant defense responses not only to pathogens, but also to a generalist herbivore. The JA pathway regulates responses to Botrytis cinerea infection and to Tetranychus urticae feeding; our data demonstrate that the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) hop3-1 mutant shows an increased susceptibility to both. The hop3-1 mutant exhibits reduced sensitivity to JA derivatives in root growth assays and downregulation of different JA-responsive genes in response to methyl jasmonate, further revealing the relevance of H...
Uploads
Papers by Marta Berrocal-lobo