Prof. Pedro L. Rodríguez

• IBMCP-CSIC-UPV (Valencia-Spain)

Prof. Rodríguez’s research focuses on the role played by receptors of the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA), type 2C protein phosphatases (PP2Cs), and SnRK2-type kinases as regulators of ABA signaling, with particular emphasis on the biotechnological potential of the hormone to improve the tolerance of plants to drought and salinity, and thus favor their adaptation to climate change. His group has played a key role in discovering and characterizing the PYR/PYL/RCAR  family of ABA receptors and their connection with PP2Cs and SnRK2s. He has led pioneering works on ABA signaling and its contribution to the plant response to environmental stress. His group has contributed several genetic strategies that
enhance ABA signaling as a valuable tool for improving plant water use efficiency. Among them, are the constitutive inactivation of PP2Cs, the overexpression of ABA receptors, and the generation of synthetic versions of the receptors that enhance the effect of the hormone. His group has also played a pioneering role in studies on regulating the half-life of ABA receptors and PP2Cs.

Dietrich,D. et al., (2017). Root hydrotropism is controlled via a cortex-specific growth
mechanism. Nature Plants 3, 17057.

Orman-Ligeza B et al., (2018). Xerobranching Response Represses Lateral Root Formation When Roots Are Not in Contact with Water. Current Biology 28, 3165-3173.

Belda-Palazon, B., Gonzalez-Garcia, M. P., Lozano-Juste, J., Coego, A., Antoni, R., Julian, J., Peirats-Llobet, M., Rodriguez, L., Berbel, A., Dietrich, D., Fernandez, M. A., Madueno, F., Bennett, M. J., and Rodriguez, P. L. (2018). PYL8 mediates ABA perception in the root through non-cell-autonomous and ligand-stabilization-based mechanisms. Proc.Natl.Acad.Sci. USA 115, E11857-E11863.

Li, H., et al., (2019). The plant ESCRT component FREE1 shuttles to the nucleus to attenuate abscisic acid signalling. Nature Plants 5(5):512-524. 

Julian, J., Coego, A., Lozano-Juste, J., Lechner, E., Wu, Q., Zhang, X., Merilo, E., Belda-Palazon, B., Park, S. Y., Cutler, S. R., An, C., Genschik, P., and Rodriguez, P. L. (2019). The MATH-BTB BPM3 and BPM5 subunits of Cullin3-RING E3 ubiquitin ligases target PP2CA and other clade A PP2Cs for degradation. Proc.Natl.Acad.Sci.USA. 116(31):15725-15734.

Dittrich, M. et al., (2019). The role of Arabidopsis ABA receptors from the PYR/PYL/RCAR family in stomatal acclimation and closure signal integration. Nature Plants 5(9), 1002-1011.

Belda-Palazon,B., Adamo,M., Valerio,C., Ferreira,L.J., Confraria,A., Reis-Barata,D., Rodrigues,A., Meyer,C., Rodriguez,P.L. and Baena-Gonzalez,E. (2020). A dual function of SnRK2 kinases in the regulation of SnRK1 and plant growth. Nature Plants 6(11):1345-1353. 

Miao et al., (2021). Low ABA concentration promotes root growth and hydrotropism through relief of ABA  INSENSITIVE 1-mediated inhibition of plasma membrane   H+-ATPase 2. Science Advances 7 (12): eabd4113.

Garcia-Maquilon I, et al., Rodriguez, P.L. (2021). PYL8 ABA receptors of Phoenix dactylifera play a crucial role in response to abiotic stress and are stabilized by ABA. J.Exp.Bot. 72(2):757-774.

Pizzio GA, et al., Rodriguez PL (2022). PYL1- and PYL8-like ABA Receptors of Nicotiana benthamiana Play a Key Role in ABA Response in Seed and Vegetative Tissue. Cells 11(5):795