Dr Pablo GONZÁLEZ-MELENDI de LEÓN

Associate Professor – Spain

Department of Biotechnology and Plant Biology – ETSIAAB – Technical University of Madrid (UPM)

Address

Campus de Ciudad Universitaria

Av. Puerta de Hierro, nº 2 – 4.

28040-Madrid.

SPAIN

Analyze the role of C1A cysteine-proteases in the protein degradation/mobilization events mediated by biotic/abiotic stresses and crop productivity.
Plants defend themselves of adverse condition by activating an orchestrated molecular network highly regulated that triggers molecular, biochemical, physiological and morphological changes to minimize damage. High protease activities are closely associated with abiotic stresses, enhancing the protein turn-over required for metabolic processes and nutrient recycling. We study the roles of barley C1A cysteine-proteases and cystatins, specific inhibitors of their proteolytic activities, which exert a complex regulatory role in this physiological process. We try to clarify the association between protein degradation and mobilization events mediated by biotic/abiotic stresses and the alterations of yield crop and its nutritional value. Understanding the complex mechanisms that exist in the stress-induced senescence should facilitate the creation of strategies and technologies for the improvement of cereal crops.

Conde D., Perales M., Sreedasyam A., Tuskan G.A., Lloret A., Badenes M.L., González-Melendi P., Ríos G., Allona I. 2019. Engineering tree seasonal cycles of growth through chromatin modification. Frontiers in Plant Science, 10: 412.
Gómez-Sánchez A., González-Melendi P., Santamaría M.E., Arbona V., Lopez-Gonzalvez A., García A., Hensel G., Kumlehn J., Martínez M., Díaz I. 2019. Repression of drought-induced cysteine-protease genes alters barley leaf structure and responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. Journal of Experimental Botany, 70 (7): 2143 – 2145.
Conde D., Le Gac A.L., Perales M., Dervinis C., Kirst M., Maury S., González-Melendi P., AllonaI., 2017.Chilling-responsive DEMETER-LIKE DNA demethylase mediates in poplar bud break. Plant Cell & Environment, 40: 2236 – 2249.
Conde D., Moreno-Cortés A., Dervinis C., Ramos-Sánchez J.M., Kirst M., Perales M., González-Melendi P., Allona I. 2017 Overexpression of DEMETER, a DNA demethylase, promotes early apical bud maturation in poplar. Plant Cell & Environment, 40: 2806 – 2819.
Conde D., González-Melendi P., Allona I., 2013. Poplar stems show opposite epigenetic patterns during winter dormancy and vegetative growth. Trees – Structure and Function,27 (1): 311 – 320.