We study plant-associated microorganisms (bacteria and fungi). We use -omic tools to advance our knowledge on their diversity and evolution, as well as on their negative (pathogenic) and positive (role in plant nutrition, growth, development, and protection) effects on crops, both individually and as part of plant microbiomes.

 

The Group’s objectives are centred on

  1. Diversity and evolutionary studies of plant pathogenic (Xylella fastidiosa) plant symbiotic (Rhizobia), and plant-associated (endophytic fungi, free-living diazotrophs) microorganisms through microbiological and genomic approaches.
  2. Studies on the composition and role of plant microbiomes.
  3. Biotechnological exploitation of plant-associated microorganisms and of plant microbiomes to enhance plant nutrition, development, growth and health in crops.

 

We strive to attain these through long-standing collaborations

On Xylella fastidiosa with Dr. Blanca Landá’s group at IAS-CSIC

On endophytic fungi with Dr. Azucena González-Coloma’s group at ICA-CSIC

On diazotrophic Pseudomonads with Dr. Luis Rubio (CBGP) and with Prof. Jorge Lalucat (UIB)

On Rhizobial legume symbionts with Prof. Manuel González-Guerrero (CBGP).
 

 

    • PID2024-155774OB-I00. NEW ROLES FOR COPPER-PROTEINS IN SYMBIOTIC NITROGEN FIXATION (CUPROSYM). 01/09/2025-30/08/2028. Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades/Agencia Estatal de Investigación (MICIU/AEI), Spain y por FEDER, UE. PI: Manuel González-Guerrero

 

    • BNF CEREALS IV. 06/08/2024-31/10/2028. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. PI: Luis Manuel Rubio Herrero 
    • 101060593. BEYOND XYLELLA, INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR MITIGATING XYLELLA FASTIDIOSA IMPACT IN EUROPE (BEXYL). 01/09/2022-31/08/2026. European Research Executive Agency HORIZON-CL6-2021-FARM2FORK-01-04. PI: Blanca B. Landa del Castillo

López-Menchero, J.R., Imperial, J., Andrés, M.F., Díaz, C.E., González-Coloma, A. 2025. Genomic characterization and fermentation study of the endophyte Stemphylium sp. (Aa22), a producer of bioactive alkyl-resorcinols. PLOS ONE 20, e0323031. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0323031

Reyes Castillo, N., Díaz, C.E., Andres, M.F., Imperial, J., Valcárcel, F., González Coloma, A.A. 2024. Optimization of fungicidal and acaricidal metabolite production by endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. SPH2. Bioresources and Bioprocessing 11, 28. DOI: 10.1186/s40643-024-00745-9

Navarro-Gómez, C., León-Mediavilla, J., Küpper, H., Rodríguez-Simón, M., Paganelli-López, A., Wen, J., Burén, S., Mysore, K.S., Bokhari, S.N.H., Imperial, J., Escudero, V., González-Guerrero, M. 2023. Nodule-specific Cu+-chaperone NCC1 is required for symbiotic nitrogen fixation in Medicago truncatula root nodules. New Phytologist. DOI: 10.1111/nph.19360

Barahona, E., Isidro, E.S., Sierra-Heras, L., Álvarez-Melcón, I., Jiménez-Vicente, E., Buesa, J.M., Imperial, J., Rubio, L.M. 2022. A directed genome evolution method to enhance hydrogen production in Rhodobacter capsulatus. Frontiers in Microbiology 13. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.991123

Tighilt, L., Boulila, F., De Sousa, B.F.S., Giraud, E., Ruiz-Argüeso, T., Palacios, J.M., Imperial, J., Rey, L. 2021. The Bradyrhizobium Sp. LmicA16 Type VI Secretion System Is Required for Efficient Nodulation of Lupinus Spp.. Microbial Ecology 1–12. DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01892-8

Msaddak, A., Rey, L., Imperial, J., Palacios, J.M., Mars, M., Pueyo, J.J. 2021. Phylogenetic Analyses of Rhizobia Isolated from Nodules of Lupinus angustifolius in Northern Tunisia Reveal Devosia sp. as a New Microsymbiont of Lupin Species. Agronomy 11, 1510. DOI: 10.3390/agronomy11081510

Castro-Rodríguez, R., Escudero, V., Reguera, M., Gil-Díez, P., Quintana, J., Prieto, R.I., Kumar, R.K., Brear, E., Grillet, L., Wen, J., Mysore, K.S., Walker, E.L., Smith, P.M.C., Imperial, J., González-Guerrero, M. 2021. Medicago truncatula Yellow Stripe-Like7 encodes a peptide transporter participating in symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Plant, Cell & Environment. DOI: 10.1111/pce.14059

Senovilla, M., Abreu, I., Escudero, V., Cano, C., Bago, A., Imperial, J., González-Guerrero, M. 2020. MtCOPT2 is a Cu+ transporter specifically expressed in Medicago truncatula mycorrhizal roots. Mycorrhiza. DOI: 10.1007/s00572-020-00987-3

Castro-Rodríguez, R., Abreu, I., Reguera, M., Novoa-Aponte, L., Mijovilovich, A., Escudero, V., Jiménez-Pastor, F.J., Abadía, J., Wen, J., Mysore, K.S., Álvarez-Fernández, A., Küpper, H., Imperial, J., González-Guerrero, M. 2020. Medicago truncatula Yellow Stripe1-Like3 gene is involved in vascular delivery of transition metals to root nodules. Journal of Experimental Botany. DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eraa390

Escudero, V., Abreu, I., Tejada‐Jiménez, M., Rosa‐Núñez, E., Quintana, J., Prieto, R.I., Larue, C., Wen, J., Villanova, J., Mysore, K.S., Argüello, J.M., Castillo‐Michel, H., Imperial, J., González‐Guerrero, M. 2020. Medicago truncatula Ferroportin2 mediates iron import into nodule symbiosomes. New Phytologist. DOI: 10.1111/nph.16642

Velázquez-Lam, E., Imperial, J., Ponz, F. 2020. Polyphenol-Functionalized Plant Viral-Derived Nanoparticles Exhibit Strong Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Formation Activities. ACS Applied Bio Materials. DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.9b01161

Escudero, V., Abreu, I., del Sastre, E., Tejada-Jiménez, M., Larue, C., Novoa-Aponte, L., Castillo-González, J., Wen, J., Mysore, K.S., Abadía, J., Argüello, J.M., Castillo-Michel, H., Álvarez-Fernández, A., Imperial, J., González-Guerrero, M. 2020. Nicotianamine Synthase 2 Is Required for Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation in Medicago truncatula Nodules. Frontiers in Plant Science 10, 1780. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.01780

Soenens, A., Imperial, J. 2019. Biocontrol capabilities of the genus Serratia. Phytochemistry Reviews. DOI: 10.1007/s11101-019-09657-5

Torres, A.R., Brito, B., Imperial, J., Palacios, J.M., Ciampitti, I.A., Ruiz-Argüeso, T., Hungria, M. 2020. Hydrogen-uptake genes improve symbiotic efficiency in common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. DOI: 10.1007/s10482-019-01381-6

Msaddak, A., Rejili, M., Durán, D., Mars, M., Palacios, J.M., Ruiz-Argüeso, T., Rey, L., Imperial, J. 2019. Microvirga tunisiensis sp. nov., a root nodule symbiotic bacterium isolated from Lupinus micranthus and L. luteus grown in Northern Tunisia. Systematic and Applied Microbiology 126015. DOI: 10.1016/j.syapm.2019.126015