Roman Martínez-Álvarez

Roman Martínez-Álvarez


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

5Years (2022-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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29 March 2022 in Microbiology Research
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Journal Article
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LSLuis Mauricio Salazar-García
Luis Mauricio Salazar-García
RORocío Ivette Ortega-Cuevas
Rocío Ivette Ortega-Cuevas
JÁJosé Ascención Martínez Álvarez
José Ascención Martínez Álvarez
Sandra Elizabeth González-HernándezSandra Elizabeth González-Hernández
Sandra Elizabeth González-Hernández
RMRoman Martínez-Álvarez
Roman Martínez-Álvarez
PPPatricia Ponce-Noyola
Patricia Ponce-Noyola
Sclerotium cepivorum Berk is the etiological agent of white rot disease that affects plants of the genus Allium. This fungus produces resistance structures called sclerotia that are formed by a rolled mycelium with a thick layer of melanin and it can remain dormant for many years in the soil. Current interest in S. cepivorum has arisen from economic losses in Allium crops in the agricultural sector. Melanin is a component that protects the sclerotia from adverse environmental conditions In many organisms, it plays an important role in the infectious process; in S. cepivorum, the pathway by which this component is synthetized is not fully described. By using infrared spectrophotometric assays applied direct to the sclerotia and a melanin extract followed by an NMR analysis and a tricyclazole melanin inhibition experiment, it allowed us to determine the dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN)-melanin pathway by which S. cepivorum performs its melanin synthesis. Moreover, we focused on studying scytalone dehydratase (SDH) as a key enzyme of the DHN-melanin synthesis. We obtained the recombinant SDH enzyme and tested its activity by a zymogram assay. Thereby, the S. cepivorum melanogenic route was established as a DHN pathway.