Papers by BEATRIZ PINTOS LOPEZ
PROTEOMICS, 2009
Quercus suber L. is a Mediterranean forest species with ecological, social and economic value. Cl... more Quercus suber L. is a Mediterranean forest species with ecological, social and economic value. Clonal propagation of Q. suber elite trees has been successfully obtained from in vitro-derived somatic and gametic embryos. These clonal lines play a main role in breeding and genetic studies of Q. suber. To aid in unravelling diverse genetic and biological unknowns, a proteomic approach is proposed. The proteomic analysis of Q. suber somatic and gametic in vitro culture-derived embryos, based on DIGE and MALDI-MS, has produced for the first time proteomic data on this species. Seventeen differentially expressed proteins have been identified which display significantly altered levels between gametic and somatic embryos. These proteins are involved in a variety of cellular processes, most of which had been neither previously associated with embryo development nor identified in the genus Quercus. Some of these proteins are involved in stress and pollen development and others play a role in the metabolism of tannins and phenylpropanoids, which represent two of the major pathways for the synthesis of cork chemical components. Furthermore, the augmented expression levels found for specific proteins are probably related to the homozygous state of a doubled-haploid sample. Proteins involved in synthesis of cork components can be detected at such early stages of development, showing the potential of the method to be useful in searching for biomarkers related to cork quality.
Forest Systems
Aim of study: This study aimed to investigate the biocontrol potential of Bacillus amyloliquefaci... more Aim of study: This study aimed to investigate the biocontrol potential of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens against Phytophthora cinnamomi infection in Quercus suber (cork oak). Both in vitro and in planta experiments were conducted to assess the effectiveness of B. amyloliquefaciens as a biocontrol agent. Area of study: The microorganism strains, B. amyloliquefaciens and P. cinnamomi, as well as the embryogenic lines of Q. suber used, have a Spanish origin. Material and methods: In vitro experiments involved evaluating the inhibitory effects of B. amyloliquefaciens on P. cinnamomi growth through dual-inoculated agar plates. In planta, dual inoculation tests were performed by co-inoculating plantlets with both P. cinnamomi and B. amyloliquefaciens. Physiological parameters, such as photosynthetic activity, chlorophyll content, and oxidative stress markers, were measured. All experiments were conducted under controlled conditions. Main results: In vitro experiments revealed the inhibitory e...
REDUCA ( …, 2011
Resumen: La bioseguridad es un concepto que se aplica a la evaluación y gestión del riesgo asocia... more Resumen: La bioseguridad es un concepto que se aplica a la evaluación y gestión del riesgo asociado fundamentalmente a los organismos vivos resultantes del uso de las nuevas tecnologías. En concreto se trata de los organismos modificados genéticamente, entre ...
Legal Medicine
Cork Oak (Quercus suber L) is one of the most important forest species in the Mediterranean area.... more Cork Oak (Quercus suber L) is one of the most important forest species in the Mediterranean area. In this study, mature leaves of 53 trees from four origin regions were analysed using Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers since 32 trees were analysed using Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers. Despite the most of trees from each region were localized in the same UPGMA group, it is possible to observe the high variability found in the samples, showing the importance of these trees in future breeding programs.
Problem-based learning (PBL) is a teachinglearning method that uses the problem as a starting poi... more Problem-based learning (PBL) is a teachinglearning method that uses the problem as a starting point for the acquisition and integration of new knowledge. In the development of PBL the problem is the way to achieve the knowledge, skills and abilities. Problem-based learning and case study focuses on the student and therefore imply a change in the teacher role: from protagonist to tutor or guide. On the other hand, information and communication technologies introduces important changes in teaching and learning on the basis of two issues: a) access and how to acquire information, b) new forms of teacherstudent relationship.
The introduction of new methodologies of teaching-learning in the Spanish University system is a ... more The introduction of new methodologies of teaching-learning in the Spanish University system is a revolution since it supposes to think in a new university, new methods, new role for the students and the faculty staff, material and personnel resources, really, a new University based on the quality of teaching, the learning and the continuous formation. The reform that supposes the European convergence has made in the recent years necessary to adapt the subjects to ECTS system for which the pilot groups and courses have been an extraordinarily valuable element, an indispensable work to reach the organization and the structure of the new Degree Studies and, on the other hand, to try the new methodologies of education and learning. Until now, , the knowledge transmission in the Spanish Universities has been based essentially on the mere exhibition of conceptual contents, having been the work of the student very limited to copy notes, to memorise data and concepts and to reproduce them in written examinations. The new concept of the university studies introduces new practices of quality in teaching that transfer the attention to the process of learning of the student who determine the activity of the teacher changing his role in the process. Therefore, the teacher becomes guide and support of a learning process that necessarily must motivate, foment the work and the self-training, all this related to the reasoning thought and to the professional reality. We understand that implementing the new educational methodology that grants an active paper to the student and a director role, as guide and adviser, to the teacher, implies the use of information and communication technologies that make Virtual Campus UCM an essential tool that it comprises inseparable of the methodology. In our educational work we granted some students works a new dimension in Virtual Campus UCM incorporating them to a web page and, on the other hand, we followed the line of active participation of the students and old students through the presentation of seminaries. Finally, we develope the learning-based problems using two types of cases: 1) cases presented by specialists to be analyzed by the students and used by the teacher as guide to reach objectives of knowledge, 2) cases presented/displayed to the students after its resolution applying principles and procedures.
There are distinct styles of laboratory instructions in chemistry education which can be applied ... more There are distinct styles of laboratory instructions in chemistry education which can be applied to biology: expository, inquiry, discovery, and more recently, problem-based. This work is focused in a hybrid type between the expository and the inquiry laboratories. The process consists of two phases:-First, learners were trained in an expository laboratory. All the students at the first course participate in this training. Within this learning environment, the instructor defines the topic, relates it to previous work, and directs students' action.-Later some students voluntarily participate in the inquiry laboratory. Inquiry-based activities are inductive. They have an undetermined outcome and require the learners to generate their own procedures. They are more student-centred, contain less direction, and give the student more responsibility for determining procedural options than the traditional format. The aims (as general statements of what the teacher intends to achieve), and the objectives (as specific statements of what the students should be able to accomplish as a result of being taught in the laboratory) of this "hybrid" laboratory were analyzed and discussed.
Usually teacher prepares the class scheduling, explaining theoretical concepts, problem solving, ... more Usually teacher prepares the class scheduling, explaining theoretical concepts, problem solving, etc.. When this schedule does not include student intervention a few contingencies can be expected in the development of the class, only doubts and questions. However, when the program includes active participation of students there is the possibility of a more or less expected student participation based on the guidelines of the teacher. When following the method of problem-based learning, teacher presents case studies and problems to study, reasoning and solve in the context of the class. These problems are made available to students in time for their preparation. In this paper, our group of teachers test a new learning methodology based on the unexpected. Students receive cases and problems to study, reasoning and finally solve in class. This resolution involves understanding theoretical concepts so that each case has scored those concepts that should be known. If learning is meaningful, students can reason and / or solve a different case or problem form those initially assigned. In this way the student thinks in class a case or new problem not seen before which requires the understanding and application of the same theoretical concepts. We call this "managing the unexpected" and, based on our experience, it is an excellent opportunity to teach and learn.
iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry, 2017
In a climate change scenario, Mediterranean forest species such as pines may be endangered by ris... more In a climate change scenario, Mediterranean forest species such as pines may be endangered by rising temperatures and reduced precipitation, thus calling for studies on the transpiration and water balance in pines. In this paper, the response of young plants of Pinus sylvestris L., Pinus pinea L. and Pinus halepensis Mill. to different irrigation treatments has been studied. Significant differences were found in water potential, sap flow, leaf-level gas exchange and spectral variables. P. sylvestris had higher pre-dawn and midday water potentials, sap flow rates and leaf-level gas exchange rates compared to the other two species in well-watered conditions. Vapor pressure gradient correlated with stomatal conductance, net assimilation and transpiration, but the association between stomatal conductance and sap flow was weak. The environmental variables more strongly associated with sap flow were solar radiation and reference evapo-transpiration, especially in the well-watered plants, but those associations were weaker in the stressed plants. All three pine species showed the isohydric, drought-avoiding strategy common in the genus Pinus, maintaining relatively high water potentials in dry conditions. Nevertheless, P. halepensis showed a water-saving strategy, with a stomatal closure behavior under drought. Stomatal regulation was less strict in P. sylvestris, closer to a water-spending pattern, while P. pinea showed an intermediate behavior. Significant differences were recorded among species in spectral reflectance in the visible and infra-red regions. Photochemical Reflectance Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and combinations of other ratios permitted the discrimination among the three pine species. These spectral variables showed association with sap flow rate, water potential and leaflevel gas exchange variables. Both cluster analysis and k-means classification discriminated Scots pine and Aleppo pine in two different groups. On the other hand, Stone pine showed differences in spectral behavior depending on the hydric status of the plants. Well-watered Stone pine plants had the same spectral behavior as Scots pine, while the plants subjected to drought stress were closer to Aleppo pine plants in spectral response. These findings may help to quantify the impacts of early and midsummer water deficit on Mediterranean pines in future climate regimes.
Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture, 2008
Cork oak (Quercus suber) somatic embryos were coated with alginate for the production of syntheti... more Cork oak (Quercus suber) somatic embryos were coated with alginate for the production of synthetic seeds and their storability for commercialization was investigated. Also, the automatic monitoring of somatic embryo growth with a digital system of image capture was tested. A power regression model was fitted between size and fresh weight (Adjusted R-squared-0.96). This method permitted growth assessment without contamination risk and opens the possibility of an automated control of culture growth for the future up scaling of plant production. Conversion rate of synthetic seeds was higher on medium supplemented with mineral nutrients than on medium without nutrients. Also, when the somatic embryos were coated without mineral nutrients added to the capsule, conversion rate was significantly lower. The addition of sucrose to the capsule had no significant effect on the conversion rate. No differences were recorded between 50 and 100 mM CaCl2 for capsule complexation. Synthetic seeds were cold stored at 4°C for two months without significant loss of conversion capacity. The present study reports the first attempts to determine optimal storage time and conditions for conversion of encapsulated somatic embryos of cork oak.
la micropropagación de Populus tremula L. es una técnica de cultivo in vitro que permite multipli... more la micropropagación de Populus tremula L. es una técnica de cultivo in vitro que permite multiplicar clonalmente ejemplares adultos de esta especie. Este sistema adquiere especial importancia dado que el álamo temblón se multiplica difícilmente a partir de métodos convencionales que están generalizados para otras especies de chopos. El proceso comienza con la obtención de brotes de raíz que servirán como fuente de explantos para la iniciación del cultivo. Tanto esta fase como las tres primeras de la micropropagación (establecimiento de un cultivo aséptico, multiplicación y enraizamiento) y se realizan alterando las concentraciones relativas de reguladores de crecimiento para obtener las respuestas deseadas en cada una de ellas. La cuarta y última fase es la transferencia a condiciones ex vitro en invernaderos y viveros, lográndose un éxito del 96%. Con un sistema de análisis mediante marcadores moleculares se garantiza el mantenimiento la variabilidad genética y el seguimiento de lo...
Forest Systems, 2014
Cork oak (Quercus suber L.) is a forest species playing a major role in many Mediterranean ecosys... more Cork oak (Quercus suber L.) is a forest species playing a major role in many Mediterranean ecosystems. Besides, this tree produces cork of economic value for the champagne and wine stopper industry and many other manufactures, contributing to the rural development in its natural area. However, cork oak is a long life cycle tree with irregular fructification seasonality and diff iculty of seed conservation. Furthermore, vegetative propagation of mature individuals is not viable by classic methods. Thus, all these difficulties have impeded the development of genetic improvement programs for this species. Among the alternatives to overcome the vegetative propagation problem, somatic embryogenesis has been the most successful. The traditional breeding methods of self-pollination and backcrossing can be advantageously substituted by pollen or haploid embryogenesis, also permitting the obtainment of heterosis by hybridization. First attempts to regenerate cork oak (Quercus suber) through somatic embryogenesis were conducted at the INIA Tissue Culture Laboratory by exploring the regeneration capacity of zygotic embryos, endosperm and ovules (Bueno and Manzanera, 1992). Samples were collected every two weeks along the acorn development period, from June to September. The culture medium was composed of Sommer et al. (1975) macronutrients and Murashige and Skoog (MS) micronutrients (1962), plus 88mM sucrose and 3.4 mM glutamine (Gln). By far, zygotic embryos were the most responsive explant type, giving rise to somatic embryos. Although a small amount of embryos were obtained from ovules, it could not be elucidated if those embryos from ovular origin were somatic or zygotic
Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 2013
Nuclear DNA-microsatellite markers led the possibility to characterize individually both Quercus ... more Nuclear DNA-microsatellite markers led the possibility to characterize individually both Quercus suber trees and somatic embryos. The genotype inferred by SSR markers opens the possibility to obtain a fingerprint for clonal lines identification. Furthermore, allow to infer the origin of somatic embryos from haploid cells (microspores) or from diploid tissues. Using few SSR markers from other Quercus species and an automatic system based in fluorescence, it is possible to obtain a high discrimination power between genotypes. This method is sufficient to assign tissues to an individual tree with high statistical certainty. Nevertheless, it is necessary to take care to select the adequate DNA extraction method to avoid PCR inhibitors present in diverse Q. suber tissues.
Resumen: la producción de embriones haploides a través del proceso de embriogénesis del polen (em... more Resumen: la producción de embriones haploides a través del proceso de embriogénesis del polen (embriogénesis gamética) es el método más empleado hoy día para obtener plantas completamente homocigotas en una sola generación. Si la duplicación cromosómica ocurre en alguna etapa durante la embriogénesis de las microsporas, las plantas regeneradas a partir de estas microsporas son completamente homocigotas (doble-haploides), es decir, son individuos homocigotos fértiles. El conseguir la homocigosidad en una sola generación ayuda a reducir los números de ciclos de autopolinización o retrocruzamiento que serían necesarios en los sistemas convencionales de mejora para obtener líneas puras o isogénicas. El proceso de diploidización espontánea en los cultivos de anteras o de microsporas no es muy frecuente, sobre todo en especies forestales, por lo que para conseguir individuos doble-haploides es necesaria la aplicación de diferentes agentes diploidizantes o agentes antimitóticos, tales como la orizalina, la colchicina y el amiprofos-metil.
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Papers by BEATRIZ PINTOS LOPEZ