For more than 20 years, we have studied plant–microorganism interactions and microbial molecular ecology, focusing on bacterial stress adaptation and sustainable biofertilisation.
Overview
Mission
For more than 20 years, our group has studied plant–microorganism interactions and microbial molecular ecology, with particular emphasis on resilience to adverse soil and climatic conditions and the development of sustainable biofertilisation strategies.
Our goal is to understand the molecular and physiological mechanisms that enable beneficial bacteria to adapt to their environment and establish and maintain effective interactions with their hosts, even under stress. To do so, we combine genomic approaches, omics methods and bioinformatics with microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry and bacterial physiology, as well as studies of the bacteria–plant interaction process.
From an interdisciplinary and interinstitutional perspective, we conduct basic and applied research on environmental sensing, gene-expression regulation and adaptation to heat, acid and heavy-metal stress in plant-associated bacteria, particularly rhizobia. We seek to identify the determinants of their survival, competitiveness, adaptation to different environments and ability to establish efficient symbiotic interactions.
Vision
Building on this knowledge, we contribute to the development of biological tools and technologies for more sustainable agriculture, harnessing beneficial interactions between microorganisms and plants and helping to preserve environmental health.
Director’s background
Dr M. Florencia Del Papa is a biochemist who graduated from the Faculty of Exact Sciences at the National University of La Plata (UNLP), where she also earned her doctorate under the supervision of Dr Antonio Lagares.
During her career, she has undertaken research stays at internationally recognised institutions: Universität Bielefeld (Bielefeld, Germany), Estación Experimental del Zaidín (Granada, Spain), the University of Copenhagen (Copenhagen, Denmark) and the Scripps Research Institute (La Jolla, United States).
She is currently a Principal Researcher at Argentina’s National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) and a Full Professor at the Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP.
Her scientific training and career have been supported by fellowship and funding programmes including those of the Danish Ministry of Agriculture, the Argentine–Brazilian Centre for Biotechnology, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the United States Fulbright programme, as well as fellowships co-funded by CONICET and companies and the Network of Argentine Researchers and Scientists Abroad programme (RAICES).
Research areas
Plant–microorganism interactions and agricultural sustainability
This project seeks to develop strategies that increase the resilience of beneficial plant–microorganism interactions under changing environmental conditions. It focuses on relating molecular mechanisms of bacterial adaptation to functional outcomes in colonisation, nodulation, biological nitrogen fixation and symbiotic performance.
Molecular mechanisms of rhizobial adaptation to environmental stress factors and protein quality control
The group has a background in studying acid tolerance in alfalfa-nodulating rhizobia. This research area extends that work to responses to multiple stresses: elevated temperature, heavy metals and combinations of factors. The current focus is on protein quality-control systems, proteases, chaperones and mechanisms that preserve bacterial proteostasis under adverse conditions.
Signalling systems and regulation of the stress response
This project focuses on two-component systems and other regulatory circuits involved in rhizobial sensing and responses to environmental changes. In particular, the group studies the roles of ActJK and ExsGF in Sinorhizobium meliloti and ChvGI in Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens, and their integration with other stress-response regulatory networks.
Diversity, genomics and biotechnological potential of plant-associated bacteria
The group has extensive experience in bacterial genomic characterisation, plasmidomics, horizontal gene transfer and bacterial diversity. This provides a platform for further incorporating comparative genomics and bioinformatic analysis to identify determinants of environmental adaptation and plant–microorganism interactions with biotechnological potential.
Team
- Dr María Florencia Del PapaGroup director · CONICET Principal Researcher · Full Professor, UNLP
- Dr Antonio LagaresGroup director · CONICET Senior Researcher
- Dr Walter Omar DraghiCONICET Independent Researcher · Associate Professor, UNLP
- Dr Keila BelhartCONICET postdoctoral fellow
- Lic. Agustina PérezCONICET doctoral fellow
- Lic. Juliana Belén HerediaCONICET doctoral fellow · shared member with Rhizobia–Soybean Interactions · PhD student, Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP; thesis supervisors: López García (LIRyS) and Del Papa; fellowship supervisor: Del Papa
- Lic. Pilar CañamerasCONICET doctoral fellow
- Lic. Carlos Ulises Molfesa KaczorukAGENCIA doctoral fellow · PhD supervisor: Walter Omar Draghi
- Santiago Ernesto AchaUndergraduate thesis student · Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP
Projects and funding
Projects and grants reported by the group. Periods or statuses not stated in the source are not inferred.
- PICT 2012-0102 — Genomic and functional characterisation of plasmids isolated from a pesticide-enriched biofilter. Principal investigator: M. F. Del Papa.
- PICT 2012-0518 — Transcriptomic and functional analysis of Oregon-type rhizobia nodulating alfalfa and other legumes. Principal investigator: M. Pistorio; group researcher: M. F. Del Papa.
- PIP 2015-0700 — Characterisation of plasmids from agricultural and hospital environments using high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatic, molecular and functional tools. Principal investigator: M. Pistorio; co-holder: M. F. Del Papa.
- PICT 2017-2371 (Type A, research team) — Characterisation of the Smc02366–Smc02367 signal-transduction regulon involved in acid and copper tolerance and nitrogen-fixing symbiosis in Ensifer meliloti–Medicago sativa. Principal investigator: M. F. Del Papa; group researcher: M. Pistorio.
- PPID-UNLP 2018-11/X855 — Microbiological, biochemical, molecular and omics tools applied to the study of symbiotic interactions between rhizobia and legumes. Principal investigator: M. F. Del Papa. Accredited by the National University of La Plata.
- PICT 2020-1475 — Molecular mechanisms involved in the heat-stress response in Sinorhizobium meliloti. Principal investigator: M. F. Del Papa.
- PICT-2021-GRF-TII-00118 — Molecular determinants of the acid-tolerant phenotype (ATR) of Sinorhizobium meliloti, an alfalfa symbiont. Principal investigator: W. Draghi.
- PIP 2021-0616 — Role of membrane lipids in the defence against acid stress in Sinorhizobium meliloti. Principal investigator: W. Draghi.
- Fundación Williams, 2024 — Challenges for rhizobial adaptability in a changing climate: response of Sinorhizobium meliloti to elevated temperatures and its impact on nitrogen-fixing symbiosis. Director: M. F. Del Papa; implementation reported in 2025.
- GetGenome-GGLatAm — Genome sequencing of ten non-pathogenic bacterial strains. Funded by The Halpin Trust and The Sainsbury Laboratory. Holder: M. F. Del Papa.
- Reclone, Reagent Collaboration Network (Chan Zuckerberg Initiative), 2026 — Access to enzymes and molecular-biology tools. Holder: M. F. Del Papa.
Selected scientific output
Selection provided by the group. Shared papers retain a single record in the general catalogue and may be associated with the units of their co-authors.
- ActJK signal transduction system contributes to copper and zinc resistance in Sinorhizobium meliloti
- Editorial: Maximizing nitrogen fixation in legumes as a tool for sustainable agriculture intensification, volume II
- Genomic analysis of Sinorhizobium meliloti LPU63, an acid-tolerant and symbiotically efficient alfalfa-nodulating rhizobia
- Comparative proteomic analysis revealing ActJ-regulated proteins in Sinorhizobium meliloti
- Acid-modulated phenotypes as desirable targets for biofertilizer formulations
- BioF is a novel B2 metallo-β-lactamase from Pseudomonas sp. isolated from an on-farm biopurification system
- Genome sequence of Bradyrhizobium yuanmingense strain P10 130, a highly efficient nitrogen-fixing bacterium that could be used for Desmodium incanum inoculation
- The two-component system ActJK is involved in acid stress tolerance and symbiosis in Sinorhizobium meliloti
- Identification and characterization of a novel plasmid-encoded laccase-like multicopper oxidase from Ochrobactrum sp. BF15 isolated from an on-farm bio-purification system
- Root-associated Burkholderia spp. on the hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.) cover crop vary depending on soil history of use
Human resources trained in the group
Doctoral and postdoctoral training
- María Carla Martini. PhD, Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP (2016); postdoctoral fellow (2021–2022); assistant researcher (2022–2025).
- Francisco Javier Albicoro. PhD, Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP (2018); postdoctoral fellow (2018–2019).
- María Antonieta Toniutti. PhD, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, UNL (2020).
- Carolina Vacca. PhD, Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP (2024); postdoctoral fellow (2024–2026).
- Lorena B. Guiñazú. Postdoctoral fellow (2009–2011).
- Juan Hilario Cafiero. Postdoctoral fellow (2019–2022).
- Keila Belhart. Postdoctoral fellow (2023–2025).
Undergraduate theses
- María Carla Martini (2010). Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP.
- María Lía Castellano (2010). Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP.
- María Emilia Bianco (2011). Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP.
- María Paula Vieta (2015). Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP.
- Micaela Rodríguez Mayoral (2018). Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP.
- Carolina Vacca (2018). Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP.
- Agustina Pérez (2022). Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP.
- María Salvetti (2022). Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP.
- Ana Laura Chippano (2023). Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP.
- Aluminé Lezcano (2023). Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP.
- Gonzalo Maciel Alonso (2023). Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP.
- Carlos Ulises Molfesa Kaczoruk (2024). Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP.
- Pilar Cañameras (2024). Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP.
- Eva Liliana Ludmila Careri (2024). Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP.
- Martina Merlo Bolzán (2024). Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP.
- Maia Pierobon Marcos (2026). Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP.
Collaborations
Current
- Karsten Niehaus — CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, Germany.
- Anke Becker — Center for Synthetic Microbiology, University of Marburg, Germany.
- Isabel López Lara — Center for Genomic Sciences, UNAM, Mexico.
- Mariano Pistorio — IBBM, Argentina.
- Gonzalo Torres Tejerizo — IBBM, Argentina.
- Mauricio Lozano — IBBM, Argentina.
- Carla Martini — IBBM, Argentina.
Previous
- Jorge Monza — University of the Republic, Uruguay.
- Pilar Garcillán-Barcia — Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology of Cantabria, Spain.
- Fernando de la Cruz F. — Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology of Cantabria, Spain.
- Andreas Schlüter — CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, Germany.
- Søren Sørensen — University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Ines Mandic-Mulec — University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Flavia Marinelli — University of Insubria, Italy.
- Mark Goulian — University of Pennsylvania, United States.
- Ángeles Zorreguieta — Fundación Instituto Leloir, Argentina.
- Daniela Centrón — IMPAM, UBA, Argentina.
- Pablo Tomatis — IBR, Argentina.
- Laura Fornasari — UNL, Argentina.
Capabilities and services
Services
We integrate microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, bacterial physiology, genomics, omics approaches and bioinformatics to study microbial adaptation and bacteria–plant interactions.
Comprehensive consulting and advice in general, industrial and environmental microbiology, including classical and modern microbiological and biochemical techniques and processes, for R&D groups, public or private institutions, and companies.
Contact
María Florencia Del Papa · floppy@biol.unlp.edu.ar