Instituto Universitario Mixto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas

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New C-21 Delta(20) pregnanes, inhibitors of mitochondrial respiratory chain, from Indopacific octocoral Carijoa sp
(Elsevier, 2004-10-04) Ciavatta, M. Letizia; López Gresa, María Pilar; Manzo, Emiliano; Gavagnin, Margherita; Wahidulla, Solimabi; Cimino, Guido; Instituto Universitario Mixto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas; Dpto. de Biotecnología; Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural
[EN] Two new compounds, pregnanes 1 and 2, the known pregnane 3 and a series of known chlorinated prostanoids (4¿9) have been isolated from the Indian octocoral Carijoa sp. Their structures have been elucidated by spectroscopic methods, mainly by 1D and 2D NMR. The new compounds were potent inhibitors of the mitochondrial respiratory chain.
Tomato trichomes are deadly hurdles limiting the establishment of Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae)
(Elsevier, 2021-06) Paspati, Angeliki; Rambla Nebot, Jose Luis; López Gresa, María Pilar; Arbona, Vicent; Gómez-Cadenas, Aurelio; Granell Richart, Antonio; González-Cabrera, Joel; Urbaneja, Alberto; Instituto Universitario Mixto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas; Dpto. de Biotecnología; Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural; European Commission; Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad
[EN] Amblyseius swirskii is a predatory mite widely used for the control of very important pest species, such as whiteflies and thrips, in organic farming and conventional agriculture. However, this species cannot establish on tomato crops, probably due to the toxic effects of plant trichomes and their exudates. We evaluated tomato plants for effects on: a) A. swirskii preference mediated by plant volatiles, b) A. swirskii development, predation capacity and reproductive performance, c) the dispersal and survival of mites as affected by stem trichomes, and d) mite survival as a function of secondary metabolites secreted by tomato trichomes. The results showed that A. swirskii mites which gained experience foraging on tomato plants, tend to avoid them. The survival of A. swirskii eggs and juveniles on tomato leaves was not different from that on sweet pepper. However, adult survival was significantly lower when tested on whole plants. This was ostensibly due to the impact of trichomes and their secondary metabolites that are abundant on the stems and which negatively impacted mite dispersal on the plant. Among the secondary metabolites detected in tomato trichomes, the strongest negative effects were associated with acyl sugars. Acyl sugars were highly toxic to the mites and also, physically accumulated on their bodies after walking on tomato stems. Altogether, our results reveal why A. swirskii is not an efficient biocontrol agent on tomato crops.
Fruit flesh volatile and carotenoid profile analysis within the Cucumis melo L. species reveals unexploited variability for future genetic breeding
(John Wiley & Sons, 2018-08) Esteras Gómez, Cristina; Rambla Nebot, Jose Luis; Sánchez, G.; López Gresa, María Pilar; González-Mas, M.C.; Fernández-Trujillo, J.P.; Belles Albert, José María; Granell Richart, Antonio; Picó Sirvent, María Belén; Instituto Universitario Mixto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas; Dpto. de Biotecnología; Instituto Universitario de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana; Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural; Generalitat Valenciana; European Regional Development Fund; Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia
[EN] BACKGROUNDAroma profile and carotenoids content of melon flesh are two important aspects influencing the quality of this fruit that have been characterized using only selected genotypes. However, the extant variability of the whole species remains unknown. RESULTSA complete view of the volatile/carotenoid profiles of melon flesh was obtained analyzing 71 accessions, representing the whole diversity of the species. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography were used to analyze 200 volatile compounds and five carotenoids. Genotypes were classified into two main clusters (high/low aroma), but with a large diversity of differential profiles within each cluster, consistent with the ripening behavior, flesh color and proposed evolutionary and breeding history of the different horticultural groups. CONCLUSIONOur results highlight the huge amount of untapped aroma diversity of melon germplasm, especially of non-commercial types. Also, landraces with high nutritional value with regard to carotenoids have been identified. All this knowledge will encourage melon breeding, facilitating the selection of the genetic resources more appropriate to develop cultivars with new aromatic profiles or to minimize the impact of breeding on melon quality. The newly characterized sources provide the basis for further investigations into specific genes/alleles contributing to melon flesh quality. (c) 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Transgenic tomato plants overexpressing tyramine N-hydroxycinnamoyltransferase exhibit elevated hydroxycinnamic acid amide levels and enhanced resistance to Pseudomonas syringae
(American Phytopathological Society, 2014-10) Campos Beneyto, Laura; Lisón Párraga, María Purificación; López Gresa, María Pilar; Rodrigo Bravo, Ismael; Zacarés Sanmartín, Laura; Conejero Tomás, Vicente; Belles Albert, José María; Instituto Universitario Mixto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas; Dpto. de Biotecnología; Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural; Generalitat Valenciana; Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
[EN] Hydroxycinnamic acid amides (HCAA) are secondary metabolites involved in plant development and defense that have been widely reported throughout the plant kingdom. These phenolics show antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal activities. Hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA: tyramine N-hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (THT) is the key enzyme in HCAA synthesis and is induced in response to pathogen infection, wounding, or elicitor treatments, preceding HCAA accumulation. We have engineered transgenic tomato plants overexpressing tomato THT. These plants displayed an enhanced THT gene expression in leaves as compared with wild type (WT) plants. Consequently, leaves of THT-over-expressing plants showed a higher constitutive accumulation of the amide coumaroyltyramine (CT). Similar results were found in flowers and fruits. Moreover, feruloyltyramine (FT) also accumulated in these tissues, being present at higher levels in transgenic plants. Accumulation of CT, FT and octopamine, and noradrenaline HCAA in response to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato infection was higher in transgenic plants than in the WT plants. Transgenic plants showed an enhanced resistance to the bacterial infection. In addition, this HCAA accumulation was accompanied by an increase in salicylic acid levels and pathogenesis-related gene induction. Taken together, these results suggest that HCAA may play an important role in the defense of tomato plants against P. syringae infection.
Sample Processing for the Analysis of Polar and Semi-polar Compounds using a LC-MS
(Universitat Politècnica de València, 2019-03-07T13:51:20Z) López Gresa, María Pilar; Caballero Vizcaino, M Teresa; Instituto Universitario Mixto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas; Dpto. de Biotecnología; Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural
Extraction of polar secondary metabolites from tomato leaves and preparation for analysis of the extract by liquid chromatography.
Two copper complexes from two novel naphthalene-sulfonyl-triazole ligands: Different nuclearity and different DNA binding and cleavage capabilities
(Elsevier, 2013-08) Hernandez-Gil, Javier; Ferrer, Sacramento; Cabedo Escrig, Nuria; López Gresa, María Pilar; Castineiras, Alfonso; Lloret, Francesc; Instituto Universitario Mixto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas; Dpto. de Biotecnología; Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural; Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
[EN] Two novel naphthalene-sulfonyl-triazole ligands, 5-amino-N1-(naphthalen-3-ylsulfony1)-1,2,4-triazole (anstrz) and 3,5-diamino-N1-(naphthalen-3-ylsulfony1)-1,2,4-triazole (danstrz), purposely designed to interact with DNA, have been prepared for the first time and then fully characterized by H-1, C-13 NMR and IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. The crystal structures of two copper complexes of these derivatives, i.e. [Cu(anstrz)(4)(NO3)(2)]center dot 4CH(3)OH (1), mononuclear, and [Cu(danstrz)(mu-OAc)(2)](2)center dot 2(danstrz) (OAc = acetato) (2), dinuclear, have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In both cases the ligand coordinates in a monodentate fashion via the N4 nitrogen atom of the triazole ring. Compound 2, an example of paddle wheel type copper acetate, presents a Cu - Cu' distance of 2.667(1) angstrom. As a result of strong stacking interactions and intense H-bonds, the structure of 2 constitutes a MOF (metal-organic framework). Besides, this dinuclear compound exhibits a very strong antiferromagnetic coupling (J = -324 cm(-1)) and a silent X-band EPR at room temperature. The affinity toward DNA of 1 and 2 has been examined by fluorescence emission spectroscopy, thermal denaturation and viscosimetry assays. The apparent binding constant (K-app) values of 2.2 x 10(7) M-1 for 1 and 2.6 x 10(7) M-1 for 2 suggest important DNA interaction. The dinuclear compound (2) intercalates and produces a high change in the T-m. Both compounds promote DNA scission in the presence of H2O2/ascorbate (1) or ascorbate (2) through oxidative mechanism. The possible reasons for the higher DNA affinity and the more efficient DNA cleavage displayed by compound 2 in relation to compound 1 are discussed.
Evaluación de la competencia transversal “Responsabilidad ética, medioambiental y profesional” a través de una e-rúbrica en el laboratorio
(Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València, 2015-06-10) Bañuls Polo, María; López Gresa, María Pilar; Cebolla Cornejo, Jaime; Díez Niclós, Mª José Teresa de Jesús; Esteras Gómez, Cristina; Ferriol Molina, María; González Martínez, Miguel Ángel; Leiva Brondo, Miguel; Llorens Molina, Juan Antonio; Merle Farinós, Hugo Basilio; Peiró Barber, Rosa María; Pérez de Castro, Ana María; Picó Sirvent, María Belén; Lisón Párraga, María Purificación; Dpto. de Ecosistemas Agroforestales; Instituto Universitario Mixto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas; Dpto. de Biotecnología; Instituto Universitario de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana; Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo; Dpto. de Química; Instituto Interuniversitario de Investigación de Reconocimiento Molecular y Desarrollo Tecnológico; Escuela Politécnica Superior de Gandia; Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural; Universitat Politècnica de València
[ES] El proceso de convergencia hacia el Espacio Europeo de Enseñanza Superior ha puesto de relieve la importancia del dominio de competencias transversales (CTs) durante la formación universitaria. Dichas competencias confieren al estudiante la capacidad de innovación y de adaptación a los cambios, siendo su adquisición necesaria para la vida profesional. En la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, se han redactado 13 CTs que aúnan las competencias de la normativa vigente y las de las agencias de acreditación. En nuestro grupo de innovación educativa estudiamos diferentes métodos de enseñanza-aprendizaje y evaluación de las competencias transversales en asignaturas relacionadas con las ciencias de la vida. En concreto, en este trabajo presentamos una propuesta para evaluar la CT “Responsabilidad ética, medioambiental y profesional”. Esta competencia pretende la obtención de conocimientos, habilidades, destrezas y actitudes útiles para interactuar con el entorno, de forma ética, responsable y sostenible, ante uno mismo y los demás. Las asignaturas relacionadas con las ciencias de la vida y, en particular, sus créditos de laboratorio, resultan un marco idóneo para la adquisición de dicha competencia. Nuestra propuesta de evaluación de la misma se basa en una rúbrica que ha de ser cumplimentada por los pares a través de una aplicación telemática.
Metabolic fingerprinting of Tomato Mosaic Virus infected Solanum lycopersicum
(Elsevier, 2012-11-01) López Gresa, María Pilar; Lisón Párraga, María Purificación; Kim, Hye Kyong; Choi, Young Hae; Verpoorte, R; Rodrigo Bravo, Ismael; Conejero Tomás, Vicente; Belles Albert, José María; Instituto Universitario Mixto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas; Dpto. de Biotecnología; Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; Generalitat Valenciana; Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
[EN] 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics has been applied to study the compatible interaction between tomato plants and Tomato Mosaic Virus (ToMV). A detailed time course of metabolic fingerprinting of ToMV-inoculated and non-inoculated systemically infected tomato leaves has provided a fundamental understanding of the metabolic state of the plant not only in response to ToMV infection, but also under various physiological conditions. By this analytical platform a total of 32 metabolites including amino/organic acids, sugars, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids and other miscellaneous compounds were detected. Using multivariate data analysis, we have identified a subset of metabolites induced during the plant defence response and metabolites whose accumulation was dependent on the developmental stage, the position of the leaf on the stem, and the harvesting time. Specifically, a general time-dependent decrease in organic acids, amino acids (excluding asparagine), phenylpropanoids and rutin was observed in individual leaves. In addition, metabolite alterations were also found to correlate with the developmental stage of the leaf: high levels of organic acids, some amino acids, phenylpropanoids, and flavonoids were found in lower leaves while elevated amounts of sugars were present in the upper ones. Moreover, a marked variation in the content of some metabolites was also observed to be associated to the asymptomatic ToMV infection both in inoculated and systemically infected leaves. While flavonoids accumulated in virus-inoculated leaves, increased levels of phenylpropanoids were observed in non-inoculated leaves where ToMV actively replicates. Finally, diurnal changes in the metabolite content were also observed: an increase of amino acids and organic acids (except glutamic acid) were observed in the samples collected in the morning, whereas sugars and secondary metabolite levels increased in the tomato leaves harvested in the evening
Induction of p-coumaroyidopamine and feruloyidopamine, two novel metabolites, in tomato by the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae
(Scientific Societies, 2007) Zacarés Sanmartín, Laura; López Gresa, María Pilar; Fayos Febrer, Joaquín; Primo Millo, Jaime; Belles Albert, José María; Conejero Tomás, Vicente; Instituto Universitario Mixto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas; Dpto. de Biotecnología; Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo; Dpto. de Química; Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Industrial; Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural; Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología
[EN] Inoculation of tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Rutgers) with Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato led to the production of a hypersensitive-like response in this pathovar of tomato. Accumulation of hydroxycinnamic acid amides (HCAA) of tyramine (p-coumaroyltyramine and feruloyltyramine) and dopamine (p-coumaroyldopamine and feruloyldopamine) was detected after bacterial infection. Two of them, p-coumaroyldopamine and feruloyldopamine, are described for the first time. The accumulation of HCAA was preceded by an increment of hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:tyramine N-hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (THT) gene expression. HCAA also accumulated in transgenic NahG tomato plants overexpressing a bacterial salicylic hydroxylase. However, treatment of plants with the ethylene biosynthesis inhibitor, aminoethoxyvinilglycine, led to a reduction in the accumulation of THT transcripts and HCAA. Together, the results suggest that pathogen-induced induction of ethylene is essential for HCAA synthesis, whereas salicylic acid is not required for this response. In addition, notable antibacterial and antioxidant activities were found for the new HCAA, thus indicating that they could play a role in the defense of tomato plants against bacterial infection.
Metabolic Characterization of Withania somnifera from Different Regions of India Using NMR Spectroscopy
(Georg Thieme Verlag, 2011-11) Namdeo, Ajay G.; Sharma, Ajay; Yadav, Kavita N.; Gawande, Rupali; Mahadik, Kakasaheb R; López Gresa, María Pilar; Kim, Hye Kyong; Choi, Young Hae; Verpoorte, R.; Instituto Universitario Mixto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas; Dpto. de Biotecnología; Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural; Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India
[EN] Withania somnifera (L.) Dun. (Solanaceae), known as Indian ginseng, is one of the most popular medicinal plants in India. Considering the importance and common use of this plant, it is necessary to investigate its holistic metabolite profile. However, with existing analytical methods which are based on TLC and HPLC-UV (or MS), it is difficult to obtain information of the whole range of compounds appropriately. In this study, the metabolic characterization of Withania somnifera leaves, stems, and roots collected in six different regions in India was performed using (1)H NMR spectroscopy followed by principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA). Of the parts of Withania somnifera analyzed in this study, the leaf was found to have the widest range of metabolites, including amino acids, flavonoids, lipids, organic acids, phenylpropanoids, and sugars, as well as the main secondary metabolites of the plant, withanolides. The (1)H NMR spectra revealed the presence of two groups of withanolides: 4-OH and 5,6-epoxy withanolides (withaferin A-like steroids) and 5-OH and 6,7-epoxy withanolides (withanolides Alike steroids). The ratio of these two withanolides was found to be a key discriminating feature of Withania somnifera leaf samples from different origins