Evolution of signaling networks

Research Lines

The team

The main question that drives this research line is understanding how specific genetic circuits evolve, in contrast with the evolution of single genes. What are the forces and constraints that shape differences between species, in developmental processes?

As an example, we are focusing on the evolution of DELLAs and their associated transcription factors  -given the particular role of these proteins as 'hubs' in transcriptional circuits. We are also studying how several circuits involved in vascular differentiation have emerged during evolution.

In our research, we combine genomic, phylogenetic, and molecular genetic approaches in species like Arabidopsis thaliana, Solanum lycopersicum, Oryza sativa and the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha.

We have set up a BLAST server [accessible only from UPV campus] with the genomes of representative species along the green lineages:

http://haller.ibmcp.upv.es:8888/

Agustí

Blázquez

Our selected papers

Divergent evolution of a thermospermine-dependent regulatory pathway in land plants

Solé-Gil A, Sakai Y, Catarino B, Jones VAS, Youngstrom CE, Jordà-Segura J, Cheng C-L, Dolan L, Ambrose BA, Ishizaki K, Blázquez MA, Agustí J

Dev Cell. (2025) doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.12.027.

Charting the evolutionary path of the SUMO modification system in plants reveals molecular hardwiring of development to stress adaptation

Ghosh S, Mellado-Sánchez M, Sue-Ob K, Roy D, Jones A, Blázquez MA, Sadanandom A.

Plant Cell (2024) 36, 3131-3144.

DELLA functions evolved by rewiring of associated transcriptional networks

Briones-Moreno A, Hernández-García J, Vargas-Chávez C, Blanco-Touriñán N, Phokas A, Úrbez C, Cerdán PD, Coates JC, Alabadí D, Blázquez MA

Nat. Plants (2023) doi: 10.1038/s41477-023-01372-6.

Coordination between growth and stress responses by DELLA in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha

Hernández-García J, Sun R, Serrano-Mislata A, Inoue K, Vargas-Chávez C, Esteve-Bruna D, Arbona V, Yamaoka S, Nishihama R, Kohchi T, Blázquez MA.

Curr. Biol.  (2021) doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.010.

Origin and evolution of gibberellin signaling and metabolism in plants

Hernández-García J, Briones-Moreno A, Blázquez MA.

Semin. Cell. Dev. Biol.  (2021) 109, 46-54.

Evolution of hormone response pathways

Blázquez MA, Nelson DC, Weijers D

Annu. Rev. Plant Biol. (2020) 71, 327-353.

Origin of gibberellin-dependent transcriptional regulation by molecular exploitation of a transactivation domain in DELLA proteins

Hernández-García J, Briones-Moreno A, Dumas R, Blazquez MA

Mol Biol Evol (2019) 36, 908-918.

Conservation of thermospermine synthase activity in vascular and non-vascular plants

Solé-Gil A, Hernández-García J, López-Gresa MP, Blázquez MA, Agustí J

Front. Plant Sci. (2019) 10, 663.

Evolutionary analysis of DELLA-associated transcriptional networks

Briones-Moreno A, Hernández-García J, Vargas-Chávez C, Romero-Campero, F, Romero JM, Valverde F, Blázquez MA

Front. Plant Sci. (2017) 8, 626. 


Transcriptional diversification and functional conservation between DELLA proteins in Arabidopsis

Gallego-Bartolomé J, Minguet EG, Marin JA, Prat S, Blázquez MA, Alabadí D

Mol. Biol. Evol. (2010) 27, 1247-1256.


Evolutionary diversification in polyamine biosynthesis

Minguet EG, Vera-Sirera F, Marina A, Carbonell J, Blázquez MA

Mol. Biol. Evol. (2008) 25, 2119-2128.


Catarino

Mellado

Jordà

Close collaborator