We study interactions between citrus plants, their pathogens and vectors, and develop gene-editing and RNAi strategies to improve resistance and support sustainable citrus disease management.
Overview
We investigate the molecular mechanisms regulating interactions between citrus plants and their main pathogens and vectors, combining molecular biology and plant biotechnology. We develop strategies based on CRISPR/Cas gene editing, RNA silencing and RNA-mediated regulation to understand infection and defence mechanisms, identify susceptibility genes and generate biotechnological alternatives to improve citrus resistance to diseases such as HLB. Our research encompasses viruses, viroids and bacteria, together with their interactions with host plants and vectors, to generate fundamental knowledge and innovative tools for sustainable citrus disease management.
Research areas
Gene editing and susceptibility genes associated with Huanglongbing (HLB)
We develop CRISPR/Cas gene-editing strategies to study and modify susceptibility genes selected by our group, aiming to generate citrus plants with potential resistance or tolerance to HLB. This major citrus disease is caused by bacteria of the genus Candidatus Liberibacter, mainly Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas).
Generating and characterising edited plants allows us both to assess their response to HLB and to investigate the functions of selected genes and their involvement in defence responses. Gene editing therefore provides a biotechnological tool for developing potentially resistant plant material and a strategy for fundamental studies of gene function and host–pathogen interactions.
RNAi for managing Diaphorina citri, the HLB vector
We develop RNA interference (RNAi) strategies to control Diaphorina citri, the main HLB vector. We identify and select essential insect genes and evaluate their potential as lethal targets for RNA-based control strategies and subsequent bioinsecticide formulation.
Alongside vector management applications, these strategies enable functional studies of selected genes and their biological pathways, integrating biotechnology development with fundamental research into gene function and D. citri physiology.
Citrus viroids and viruses: host interactions, infection and defence
We study viroids and viruses infecting citrus, focusing on the molecular mechanisms governing host interactions, infection and symptom development. We investigate how pathogens interact with plant cellular processes, including RNA regulation and silencing, to understand both pathogenesis and host defence responses.
Team
- Dr Carina Reyes MartínezCONICET Independent Investigator · Associate Professor, Faculty of Exact Sciences, UNLP
- Lic. Lucrecia Ferreyra CorderoCONICET doctoral fellow
- Dr Giovanna JorisINTA postdoctoral fellow
- Agustín PalliniUndergraduate thesis student
Projects and funding
| Project and lead investigator | Code / period | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Development of a transgene-free transformation platform for citrus improvement. Application model: editing susceptibility genes to obtain resistance to Huanglongbing. Lead investigator: Dr Carina Reyes Martínez. | PICT-2020-SERIEA-I-GRF-01925 · 2022–2026 | ANPCyT |
| Interaction between the miRNA biogenesis pathway and the infectivity of citrus viroids. Lead investigator: Carina Reyes Martínez. | PIP 2022-0448 · 2022–2026 | CONICET |
| Agrobiotechnological solutions for disease resistance through gene editing in crops of strategic interest. Lead investigator: Dr Ana Laxalt. | PIET-R 2025 · 2025–2027 | CONICET |
| Development of resistance strategies against citrus Huanglongbing using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Lead investigator: María Laura García. | X1025 · 2024–2027 | UNLP |
| Operational Platform: Fruit Production with Resilience and Optimisation of Technological Nodes for Latin America (FRONT-AL: the first line of defence for Latin American fruit production). Regional consortium project. | 2027–2030 | FONTAGRO |
Selected scientific output
Publications selected by the group’s lead researcher.
- Citrus Viroids in Northeastern Argentina: Diversity, Pathogenic Determinants and Host Interactions
- Citrus psorosis virus 24K protein inhibits the processing of miRNA precursors by interacting with components of the biogenesis machinery
- Transgenic-based solutions for citrus disease management in Argentina
- Citrus Genetic Transformation: An Overview of the Current Strategies and Insights on the New Emerging Technologies
- Up-regulation of microRNA targets correlates with symptom severity in Citrus sinensis plants infected with two different isolates of citrus psorosis virus
- Identification of a microRNA encoded by Anticarsia gemmatalis multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus
- Transgenic Citrange troyer rootstocks overexpressing antimicrobial potato Snakin-1 show reduced citrus canker disease symptoms
- RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation as a tool to investigate plant miRNA processing interference by regulatory proteins of diverse origin
- Identification and characterization of two RNA silencing suppressors encoded by ophioviruses
- Citrus psorosis virus 24K protein interacts with citrus miRNA precursors, affects their processing and subsequent miRNA accumulation and target expression
Collaborations
- Dr Ana Laxalt — Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas (IIB), CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMDP).
- Dr Gabriela Alejandra Massa — INTA, Balcarce Agricultural Experiment Station.
- Dr Alberto Gochez — INTA, Bella Vista Agricultural Experiment Station, Corrientes.
- Dr Juan Pedro Bouvet — INTA, Concordia Agricultural Experiment Station.
- Agricultural Engineer Claudio Gómez — INTA, Concordia Agricultural Experiment Station.
- Dr Gabriela Conti — Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE, CONICET–UBA).
Capabilities
Plant virus diagnosis using molecular methods.
CRISPR/Cas gene editing and RNAi in plants and insects.
Developments
Gene-edited and transgenic citrus plants with potential disease resistance.
RNA-based bioinsecticides for Diaphorina citri.
Contact
Carina Reyes Martínez · carinar@biol.unlp.edu.ar