Federico Lopez-MoyaUniversity of Alicante | UA · Departamento de Ciencias del Mar y Biologia Aplicada
Federico Lopez-Moya
PhD on Mycology and Molecular Plant Pathology
I am Assistant Professor at University of Alicante and research at Plant Pathology Lab also at UA
About
40
Publications
11,173
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609
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Citations since 2017
Introduction
I hold a degree in Biology from the University of Alicante (2004-2010). At present, I am a Postdoctoral Fellow working in a project on the cell biology of Magnapothe oryzae during apressorium development. During my PhD I studied the antifungal mode of action of chitosan on filamentous fungi and yeast trying to find new drug target. I studied using transcriptocs and molecular aproaches the antifungal activity of this polymer on fungi.
Additional affiliations
September 2019 - present
February 2017 - August 2019
September 2016 - January 2017
Education
September 2011 - June 2012
September 2004 - September 2010
Publications
Publications (40)
This study focuses on interacting with insects and their ectosymbiont (lato sensu) microorganisms for environmentally safe plant production and protection. Some cases help compare ectosymbiont microorganisms that are insect-borne, -driven, or -spread relevant to endosymbionts’ behaviour. Ectosymbiotic bacteria can interact with insects by allowing...
Plants are exposed to large number of threats caused by herbivores and
pathogens which cause important losses on crops. Plant pathogens such as
nematodes can cause severe damage and losses in food security crops
worldwide. Chemical pesticides were extendedly used for nematode
management. However, due to their adverse effects on human health and
the...
We first report the presence of a species of the genus Batophora in the Iberian Peninsula, in the Mar Menor lagoon (Murcia, SE Spain). We detected this macroalga in November 2021. However, according to some observations, it could have been present in the lagoon at least since 2016, being described as a “rare” form of Dasycladus vermicularis. A furt...
The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Bb) is used to control the red palm weevil (RPW) Rhyncophorus ferrugineus (Oliver). Beuveria bassiana can infect and kill all developmental stages of RPW. We found that a solid formulate of B. bassiana isolate 203 (Bb203; CBS 121097), obtained from naturally infected RPW adults, repels RPW females. Fu...
Pinna nobilis (Linnaeus, 1758) is the largest bivalve endemic to the Mediterranean. It is
distributed in a wide range of coastal environments, including estuaries. Pinna nobilis has recently become a critically endangered species (with almost 100% mortality) along the entire Spanish Mediterranean coast. This may be due to coinfections caused by Hap...
Background
Pochonia chlamydosporia is an endophytic fungus used for nematode biocontrol that employs its cellular and molecular machinery to degrade the nematode egg-shell. Chitosanases, among other enzymes, are involved in this process. In this study, we improve the genome sequence assembly of P. chlamydosporia 123, by utilizing long Pacific Biosc...
Strain degeneration has been defined as a decrease or loss in the yield of important commercial traits resulting from subsequent culture, which ultimately leads to Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production. Pleurotus ostreatus is a lignin-producing nematophagous edible mushroom. Mycelia for mushroom production are usually maintained in subsequent cu...
Fungal LysM effector proteins can dampen plant host–defence responses, protecting hyphae from plant chitinases, but little is known on these effectors from nonpathogenic fungal endophytes. We found four putative LysM effectors in the genome of the endophytic nematophagous fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia (Pc123). All four genes encoding putative LysM...
Chitosan is a partially deacetylated linear polysaccharide composed of β‐1,4‐linked units of D‐glucosamine and N‐acetyl glucosamine. As well as a structural component of fungal cell walls, chitosan is a potent antifungal agent. However, the mode‐of‐action of chitosan is poorly understood. Here, we report that chitosan is effective for control of ri...
Climate change makes plant parasitic nematodes (PPN) an increasing threat for commercial crops. PPN can be managed sustainably by the biocontrol fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia (Pc). Chitosan generated from chitin deacetylation enhances PPN parasitism by Pc. In this work, we investigate the molecular mechanisms of Pc for chitosan resistance and root...
Cystoseira sensu lato (sl) are three genera widely recognized as bioindicators for their restricted habitat in a sub-coastal zone with low tolerance to pollution. Their ecological, morphological and taxonomic features are still little known due to their singular characteristics. We studied seven species of Cystoseira sl spp. in Cabo de las Huertas...
In this work, we use electrophysiological and metabolomic tools to determine the role of chitosan as plant defense elicitor in soil for preventing or manage root pests and diseases sustainably. Root exudates include a wide variety of molecules that plants and root microbiota use to communicate in the rhizosphere. Tomato plants were treated with chi...
Cystoseira is a relevant alga, which forms dense meadows on rocky substrates up to 100 meters deep. They are widely recognized as bioindicators for their restricted habitat (sub-coastal zone) and low tolerance to pollution. We have monitored Cystoseira sensu lato (sl) spp. in abrasion platforms in Cabo de Las Huertas (Alicante, SE Spain), a total o...
The biocontrol fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia colonizes banana roots endophytically. Root hairs and root surface were colonized by a stable GFP (green fluorescent protein) transformant of the fungus. Hyphal penetration in root cells was also observed. Spores of P. chlamydosporia 123, significantly increase root and leaf length and weight in banana...
Fungal Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) repel banana black weevil (BW), Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar, 1824), the key-pest of banana [Musa sp. (Linnaeus, 1753)]. The entomopathogens Beauveria bassiana (Bb1TS11) and Metarhizium robertsii (Mr4TS04) were isolated from banana plantation soils using an insect bait. Bb1TS11 and Mr4TS04 were pathogenic t...
Fungal Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) repel banana black weevil (BW), Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar, 1824), the key-pest of banana ( Musa spp. ). The entomopathogens Beauveria bassiana (Bb1TS11) and Metarhizium robertsii (Mr4TS04) were isolated from banana plantation soils using an insect bait. Bb1TS11 and Mr4TS04 were pathogenic to BW adults. B...
The biocontrol fungus, Pochonia chlamydosporia, colonizes endophytically banana roots. Root hairs and root surface were found colonize by the fungus using a stable GFP transformant. Hyphal penetration of root cells was also observed. Spores of P. chlamydosporia 123, significantly increase root and leaf length and weight in banana plantlets (Musa ac...
In this work, we use electrophysiological and metabolomic tools to determine the role of chitosan as plant defence elicitor in soil for preventing or manage root pests and diseases sustainably. Root exudates include a wide variety of molecules that plants and root microbiota use to communicate in the rhizosphere. Tomato plants were treated with chi...
Chitosan is a partially deacetylated linear polysaccharide composed of β-1,4-linked units of D-glucosamine and N-acetyl glucosamine. As well as acting as a structural component of fungal cell walls, chitosan can be applied as a potent antifungal agent. However, the mode-of-action of chitosan in fungal pathogens is poorly understood.
Here, we report...
Nematophagous fungi have been employed in biological control to protect crops of interest because of their ability to manage nematodes sustainably. Pochonia chlamydosporia, a fungal parasite of nematode eggs and females is present worldwide responsible for natural suppression of soils to plant parasitic nematodes. The nematode egg-shell mainly is c...
Chitosan is a versatile compound with multiple biotechnological applications. This polymer inhibits clinically important human fungal pathogens under the same carbon and nitrogen status as in blood. Chitosan permeabilises their high-fluidity plasma membrane and increases production of intracellular oxygen species (ROS). Conversely, chitosan is comp...
Pochonia chlamydosporia infects eggs and females of economically important plant-parasitic nematodes. The fungal isolates parasitizing different nematodes are genetically distinct. To understand their intraspecific genetic differentiation, parasitic mechanisms, and adaptive evolution, we assembled seven putative chromosomes of P. chlamydosporia str...
Chitosan is a natural polymer with applications in agriculture, which causes plasma membrane permeabilisation and induction of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plants. Chitosan has been mostly applied in the phylloplane to control plant diseases and to enhance plant defences, but has also been considered for controlling root pests. Ho...
The nematophagous fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia (Goddard) Zare & Gams is a facultative parasite of nematode females and eggs. This fungus has a world-wide distribution and has the capacity to survive in the absence of the nematodes. Pochonia chlamydosporia is rhizosphere competent and can colonize the rhizosphere of crops of economic importance, s...
The use of biological control agents could be a non-chemical alternative for management of Meloidogyne spp. [root-knot nematodes (RKN)], the most damaging plant-parasitic nematodes for horticultural crops worldwide. Pochonia chlamydosporia is a fungal parasite of RKN eggs that can colonize endophytically roots of several cultivated plant species, b...
Chitosan antifungal activity has been reported for both filamentous fungi and yeast. Previous studies have shown fungal plasma membrane as main chitosan target. However, the role of the fungal cell wall (CW) in their response to chitosan is unknown. We show that cell wall regeneration in Neurospora crassa (chitosan sensitive) protoplasts protects t...
The effect of chitosan on growth of Trichoderma spp., a cosmopolitan genus widely exploited for their biocontrol properties was evaluated. Based on genotypic (ITS of 18S rDNA) characters, four isolates of Trichoderma were identified as T. pseudokoningii FLM16, T. citrinoviride FLM17, T. harzianum EZG47, and T. koningiopsis VSL185. Chitosan reduces...
Chitosan is a biopolymer with a wide range of applications. The use of chitosan in clinical medicine to control infections by fungal pathogens such as Candida spp. is one of its most promising applications in view of the reduced number of antifungals available. Chitosan increases intracellular oxidative stress, then permeabilizes the plasma membran...
Pochonia chlamydosporia (Pc), a nematophagous fungus and root endophyte, uses appressoria and extracellular enzymes, principally proteases, to infect the eggs of plant parasitic nematodes (PPN). Unlike other fungi, Pc is resistant to chitosan, a deacetylated form of chitin, used in agriculture as a biopesticide to control plant pathogens. In the pr...
Chitosan is a natural polymer with antimicrobial activity. Chitosan causes plasma membrane permeabilization and induction of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Neurospora crassa. We have determined the transcriptional profile of N. crassa to chitosan and identified the main gene targets involved in the cellular response to this compound...
First transcriptomic study of a filamentous fungi in response to chitosan
The fungal parasite of nematode eggs Pochonia chlamydosporia is also a root endophyte known to promote growth of some plants. In this study, we analysed the effect of nine P. chlamydosporia isolates from worldwide origin on tomato growth. Experiments were performed at different scales (Petri dish, growth chamber and greenhouse conditions) and devel...
Chitosan permeabilizes plasma membrane and kills sensitive filamentous fungi and yeast. Membrane fluidity and cell energy determine chitosan sensitivity in fungi. A five-fold reduction of both glucose (main carbon (C) source) and nitrogen (N) increased 2-fold Neurospora crassa sensitivity to chitosan. We linked this increase with production of intr...
Questions
Questions (4)
I am doing some experiment to evaluate the response of Arabidopsis roots to a natural compound. In order to identify changes in cell morphology I have stained it with propidium iodide (IP) and then I have evaluated the response in a short time course (30'-210'). I have detected a strange response. Only in my treatments I can detect a extremely fluorescence which affect a time to take the picture because it is imposible to distinguish the cells. I have use the wavelengths 488-620 to detect the fluorescence of the IP. What you believe could be the origin of this extremely high fluorescence in my treatments? If you know some phenomen similar that I have described, please tell me.
I would like to obtain the software Xfluor software. I have contacted with the Tecan Technical Support and they do not distribute this software. Do you know where I could find this software? I need this to control a microwell reader necessary to continue with my projects. Thanks.
We used sieves, but the results was not good. Could you provide a technique to concentrate a population of this specie of nematode?
I have information about N. crassa genome reference, but I need information about some genes with 'hypothetical protein' annotation. I have tried to find information in Uniprot, Blast, Embl and others databases. Could you help me?
Projects
Projects (5)
Amphipods as Innovation for nutrient recycling within multitrophic aquaculture
Goal: MUSA is a project funded by the European Union, call SFS-11-2016. It will holistically encompass novel IPM methods based on microbial consortia and available banana (Musa spp.) and enset (Ensete ventricosum) germplasm, including newly developed élite hybrids. The Consortium will additionally study phenotypic and molecular reactions of the plants to various biotic stresses. The main outcome of this Project will be to achieve a sustainable intensification of banana and enset crops, and to improve their resilience towards pathogens/pests (nematodes, Panama disease and weevils). This goal will be achieved through the identification, development and implementation of locally adapted IPM strategies based on beneficial microorganisms and tested germplasm, and through the generation of new knowledge and bio-based information in three targeted regions (Sub Sahara Africa, Central America, Canary Islands). Partners will collect, identify and characterize suitable beneficial microorganisms, screen, test and evaluate in the field their interactions with selected banana lines and (via transcriptomic analyses) identify the main genes involved in driving resistant/tolerant or succumbent/susceptible responses. Beneficial microbes include endophytes and biocontrol agents (EBCAs) that will be integrated with tested plant germplasm to develop information-based IPM strategies. Germplasm to test will include resistant/tolerant lines available from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), an international non-profit research organisation based in SSA, partner in MUSA, and other sources. Appropriate dissemination, communication and exploitation actions including formation and technology transfer will be put in place with further stakeholder partners of the private sector (industries, producers), to ensure persistence of the Project impact after completion.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 727624
