Education

Ph.D. in Biology, University of Málaga, Spain, 1994

Current position

Professor, Plant Biology Department, University of Málaga, Spain

Publications (since 2010)

1. Posé, S., Kirby, A. R., Paniagua, C., Waldron, K. W., Morris, V. J., Quesada, M. A. and Mercado, J. A. (2015). The nanostructural characterization of strawberry pectins in pectate lyase or polygalacturonase silenced fruits elucidates their role in softening. Carbohydr Polym 132: 134-145.
   
2. Mercado, J. A., Barceló, M., Pliego, C., Rey, M., Caballero, J. L., Muñoz-Blanco, J., Ruano-Rosa, D., López-Herrera, C., de Los Santos, B., Romero-Muñoz, F. and Pliego-Alfaro, F. (2015). Expression of the beta-1,3-glucanase gene bgn13.1 from Trichoderma harzianum in strawberry increases tolerance to crown rot diseases but interferes with plant growth. Transgenic Res.
   
3. Paniagua, C., Posé, S., Morris, V. J., Kirby, A. R., Quesada, M. A. and Mercado, J. A. (2014). Fruit softening and pectin disassembly: an overview of nanostructural pectin modifications assessed by atomic force microscopy. Ann Bot 114(6): 1375-1383.
   
4. Chaparro, P. C., Montiel, M. M., Palomo, R. E., Mercado, J. A., Pliego-Alfaro, F. (2014). Development of an efficient transient transformation protocol for avocado (Persea americana Mill.) embryogenic callus. In Vitro Cell Dev-Pl 50: 292-298.
   
5. Palomo-Ríos, E., Pérez, C., Mercado, J. A., Pliego-Alfaro, F. (2013). Enhancing frequency of regeneration of somatic embryos of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) using semi-permeable celluloses acetate membranes. Plant Cell Tis Org 115: 199-207.
   
6. Posé, S., Paniagua, C., Cifuentes, M., Blanco-Portales, R., Quesada, M. A. and Mercado, J. A. (2013). Insights into the effects of polygalacturonase FaPG1 gene silencing on pectin matrix disassembly, enhanced tissue integrity, and firmness in ripe strawberry fruits. J Exp Bot 64(12): 3803-3815.
   
7. Molina-Hidalgo, F. J., Franco, A. R., Villatoro, C., Medina-Puche, L., Mercado, J. A., Hidalgo, M. A., Monfort, A., Caballero, J. L., Munoz-Blanco, J. and Blanco-Portales, R. (2013). The strawberry (Fragariaxananassa) fruit-specific rhamnogalacturonate lyase 1 (FaRGLyase1) gene encodes an enzyme involved in the degradation of cell-wall middle lamellae. J Exp Bot 64(6): 1471-1483.
   
8. Youssef, S. M., Amaya, I., López-Aranda, J. M., Sesmero, R., Valpuesta, V., Casadoro, G., Blanco-Portales, R., Pliego-Alfaro, F., Quesada, M. A., Mercado, J. A. (2013). Effect of simultaneous down-regulation of pectate lyase and endo-β-1,4-glucanase genes on strawberry fruit softening. Mol Breeding 31: 313-322.
   
9. Posé, S., Kirby, A. R., Mercado, J. A., Morris, V. J., Quesada, M. A. (2012). Structural characterization of cell wall pectin fractions in ripe straberry fruits using AFM. Carbohyd Polym 88: 882-890.
   
10. Palomo-Ríos, E., Barceló-Muñoz, A., Mercado, J. A., Pliego-Alfaro, F. (2012). Evaluation of key factors influencing Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of somatic embryos of avocado (Persea americana Mill). Plant Cell Tis Org 109: 201-211.
    
11. Cerezo, S., Mercado, J. A., Pliego-Alfaro, F. (2011). An efficient regeneration system via somatic embryogenesis in olive. Plant Cell Tis Org Culture 106: 337-344.
    
12. Mercado, J. A., Trainotti, L., Jiménez, B. L., Santiago, D. N., Posé, S., Donolli, R., Barceló, M., Casadoro, G., Pliego, A. F., Quesada, M. A. (2010). Evaluation of the role of the endo-β-(1,4)-glucanase gene FaEG3 in strawberry fruit softening. Postharvest Biol Tec 55: 8-14.
    
13. Torreblanca, R., Cerezo, S., Palomo, R. E., Mercado, J. A. and Pliego, A. F. (2010). Development of a high throughput system for genetic transformation of olive (Olea euroapea L.) plants. Plant Cell Tis Org 103: 61-69.