My research has focused on understanding the molecular and genetic components regulating plant-environment interactions, and particularly to define the biochemistry of how plants sense environmental change, and to identify promising targets that can be manipulated in agriculturally important crops as barley. I am a plant biologist with a background in molecular and crop physiology. The biological questions that drive my research force me to use a variety of approaches that include plant physiology, molecular biology, cellular biology, genetics and bioinformatics. The aim of my research is provide resources and a conceptual framework that plant breeders can be use.
I have been a Research Fellow working in the laboratory of Prof. Holdsworth in the Department of Plant and Crops Science since April 2010. In 2013, I was awarded with the Barry Axcell Fellowship (SAB Miller-UoN) to develop my research independence. In 2017, I have been appointed Nottingham Research Fellow.
Particular interests include:
Understanding the role of N end rule pathway of targeted proteolysis in sensing plant-environment interactions in Crops.
Understanding the regulation of seed dormancy and germination. Molecular mechanisms of hormonal regulation of seed dormancy.
Providing molecular resources and conceptual frameworks that plant breeders and growers can use.
EDUCATION
Ph. D. Student in Biological Sciences. School of Sciences, University of Buenos Aires Thesis: "Control of the expression of dormancy by incubation temperature: Molecular analysis in seeds of grain sorghum and malting barley".
M.Sc. in Biology, School of Science, University of Buenos Aires (FCEyN - UBA). Thesis: "Germinación y fenología de plántulas de Passiflora caerulea (Passifloraceae)".
PUBLICATIONS
The Cys-Arg/N-End Rule Pathway Is a General Sensor of Abiotic Stress in Flowering Plants Vicente J*, Mendiondo GM*, Movahedi M, Peirats-Llobet M,Yu-ting Juan, Yu-yen Shen, Dambire C, Smart K, Rodriguez PL, Yee-yung Charng, Gray JE and Holdsworth MJ.*These authors contributed equally. 2017. Current Biology doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.09.006
Group VII Ethylene Response Factors coordinate oxygen and nitric oxide signal transduction and stress responses in plants. Gibbs DJ, Vicente Conde J, Berckhan S, Mendiondo GM, Prasad G and Holdsworth MJ 2015. Plant Physiology. DOI:10.1104/pp.15.0033
Enhanced water-logging tolerance in barley by manipulation of the N-end rule pathway E3 ligase PROTEOLYSIS6. Guillermina M. Mendiondo, Daniel J. Gibbs, Miriam Szurman-Zubrzycka, Arnd Korn, Julietta Marquez, Iwona Szarejko, Miroslaw Maluszynski, John King, Barry Axcell, Francoise Corbineau, Michael J. Holdsworth. 2015, DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12334
Barley has two peroxisomal ABC transporters with multiple functions in β-oxidation. Guillermina M. Mendiondo, Anne Medhurst, Carlo W. van Roermund, Xuebin Zhang, Jean Devonshire, Duncan Scholefield, José Fernández Gómez, Barry Axcell, Luke Ramsay, Ronald J. Wanders, Robbie Waugh, Frederica L. Theodoulou, and Michael J. Holdsworth. J Exp Bot. 2014 Jun 9. pii: eru243
Nitric oxide sensing in plants is mediated by proteolytic control of Group VII ERF transcription factors. Daniel J. Gibbs, Nurulhikma Md Isa, Mahsa Movahedi, Jorge Lozano- Juste, Guillermina M. Mendiondo, Cristina Sousa Correia, Simon Pearce, Sophie Berckhan, Jorge Vicente Conde, George W. Bassel, Bulut Hamali, Prabhavathi Talloji, Daniel F. A. Tomé, Alberto Coego, Jim Beynon, Andreas Bachmair, José León, Julie E. Gray, Frederica L. Theodoulou, Michael J. Holdsworth. Molecular Cell. 2014 Feb 6;53 (3):369-79. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2013.12.020. Epub 2014 Jan 23. Molecular Cell 2014.
Expression of seed dormancy in grain sorghum lines with contrasting pre-Harvest sprouting behavior involves differential regulation of gibberellin metabolism genes.María Verónica Rodríguez, Guillermina Mónica Mendiondo, Renata Cantoro, Gabriela Alejandra Auge, Virginia Luna, Oscar Masciarelli and Roberto Luis Benech-Arnold. Plant Cell Physiology. 53(1): 64-80 (2012).
Differential expression of abscisic acid metabolism and signalling genes induced by seed-covering structures or hypoxia in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grains. Guillermina M Mendiondo, Juliette Leymarie, Jill Farrant, Francoise Corbineau, and Roberto L Benech-Arnold. Seed Science Research. 20:69-77 (2010)
Expression of ABA signalling genes and ABI5 protein levels in imbibed Sorghum bicolor caryopses with contrasting dormancy and at different developmental stages. Rodríguez M.V., Mendiondo G.M., Maskin L., Gudesblat G.E., Iusem N.D. and R.L. Benech-Arnold. Annals of Botany 104: 975-985 (2009)
Germination of stored and scarified seeds of Passiflora caerulea L. (Passifloraceae). Mendiondo, Guillermina M., Amela García M.T. Plant Biosystems 143(2):369-376 (2009)
Emergence of Passiflora caerulea seeds simulating possible natural destinies. Mendiondo, Guillermina, M., Amela García M.T. Fruits, vol. 61(4), p. 251-258 (2006).
Book Chapter
CEBADA CERVECERA Bases funcionales para un mejor manejo del cultivo. Gualano, N.A., Del Fueyo, P. Mendiondo, G.M., Benech-Arnold R.L., y Rodríguez, M.V. Capítulo: Brotado Pre-Cosecha y Pre- germinado del cultivo de Cebada: Manejo de los granos en Cosecha y Post-Cosecha. (Editors: D.J. Miralles, R. L. Benech-Arnold y L.G. Abeledo) 2011.
FELLOWSHIPS
Post-Doctoral fellowship-CONICET. Role of ABI5 protein in pre-harvest sprouting resistance in malting barley seeds. IFEVA (2009-2010)
Research Fellowship for Graduate Students. Expression of dormancy at different incubation temperatures in cereal grains: molecular analysis in sorghum and barley grains with different dormancy levels. Post-graduate scholarship from CONICET, the Research Council from Argentina. From April 2007 to April 2009.
Research Fellowship for Graduate Students. Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica. Argentina. Research Program: Bases fisiológicas y moleculares de la resistencia al brotado pre-cosecha en sorgo granífero. Supervisor: R.Benech-Arnold, PhD. Institute of Agricultural Plant Physiology and Ecology (IFEVA)-CONICET- School of Agronomy, University of Buenos Aires. From February 2005 to March 2007.
AWARDS
The Barry Axcell Fellowships in Brewing Science 2014. University of Nottingham-SAB Miller.The fellowships enable researchers to progress to an independent academic career.
Development Travelling Fellowship Awards 2007. The Company of the Biologists. Short- term project. Project title: "Identification of regulatory genes involved in the expression of dormancy in malting barley grains".
Premio Banco Río para proyectos de Investigación Científica para el Desarrollo Regional (Argentina). (co-author) 2006: Research grant for a 1-year project. Title: "Role of ABI5 protein in pre-harvest sprouting resistance in grain sorghum and malting barley seeds".
Current Research
My research is between the field and the lab understanding how crops sense environmental cues. I am an applied plant biologist with a background in molecular and crop physiology, with expertise in a variety of approaches that include plant physiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, genetics and bioinformatics, in both genetic model systems and crops. My research has focused on understanding the molecular and genetic components regulating plant-environment interactions, particularly to define the biochemistry of how plants sense environmental change, and to identify promising targets that can be manipulated in agriculturally important crops. My work has involved ongoing support and interactions with industry. My research investigates the impact of environmental stress on plant development and to date, my work has focused on the role of the N-degron pathways of targeted proteolysis as a central hub integrating responses to abiotic stresses in cereals. This included the discovery that the PRT6 branch of the N-degron pathway is conserved in barley (Hordeum vulgare) and preliminary data shows it can be manipulated to enhance stress resilience in crops. In addition, my lab is working to understand the regulation of seed dormancy and germination, as plant hormone signalling has proven to be a very successful target for improving grain yields and quality in cereals.
Particular interests include:
Understanding the role of N-degron pathways of targeted proteolysis in sensing plant-environment interactions in Crops.
Understanding the regulation of seed dormancy and germination. Molecular mechanisms of hormonal regulation of seed dormancy.
Providing molecular resources and conceptual frameworks that plant breeders can use.
Past Research
In 2013, I was awarded the Barry Axcell Fellowship (SAB Miller-UoN) to develop my research independence. In 2017, I have been appointed Nottingham Research Fellow.
Future Research
The ongoing goal of Guillermina's lab is to provide plant breeders with plant genetic resources capable of enhancing tolerance to environmental stresses, providing real-world impact, alongside understanding the fundamental mechanisms of plant abiotic stress. While the majority of this research has been carried out in Barley, this translational work now extends into wheat, B. rapa, Quinoa with projects in the UK, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Indonesia, USA, Brazil and Argentina.