PBMBU / Researcher

Oscar Alberto Moreno Valenzuela Current position: Professor Level B Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Unit SNI: Level I (since 1999) Telephone: 52-999-942-8330 Ext.: 286 e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Education

• 1988 B. Sc. Agronomy. Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur
• 1993 M. Sc. Plant Biotechnology, CICY-Instituto Tecnológico de Mérida
• 1999 Ph. D. Plant Sciences and Biotechnology, CICY
• 2001 Postdoctorate, Molecular Virology, University of California, Berkeley

Current Field of Research

• My group is interested in the biochemistry and molecular processes from begomovirus, as well as from several pathogens of citrics like the bacteria Xanthomonas axonopodis pv citri and Xylella fastidiosa (the citric “leprosis” virus), and viroids. Particularly, we are interested in understanding the diversity of begomovirus and virus affecting citrics in Yucatan, emphasizing in their molecular characterization. In this line, a recent project attends the studies of quarantine diseases of citrics. In addition, we are carrying out projects on the gene silencing by means of viral vectors.
• A second research line is related to the role that reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ROS-depuration enzymes have in the pepper-begomovirus interaction.

Recent Publications

• Hernández-Zepeda C., A.M. Idris, G. Carnevali, J.K. Brown and O.A. Moreno-Valenzuela, Preliminary identification and coat protein gene phylogenetic relationships of begomoviruses associated with native flora and cultivated plants from the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, Virus Genes 35: 825-833, (2007).
• Hernández-Zepeda C., A.M. Idris, G. Carnevali, J.K. Brown and O.A. Moreno-Valenzuela, Molecular characterization and phylogenetic relationships of two new bipartite begomovirus infecting malvaceous plants in Yucatan, Mexico, Virus Genes 35: 369-377, (2007).
• Hernández-Zepeda C., A.M. Idris, G. Carnevali, J.K. Brown, and O.A. Moreno-Valenzuela, Molecular characterization and experimental host range of Euphorbia mosaic virus-Yucatan Peninsula, a begomovirus species in the squash leaf curl virus clade, Plant Pathology 56: 763-770, (2007).
• Moguel-Salazar F., A. Quijano-Ramayo, M. Keb-Llanes, O. Moreno-Valenzuela, and I. Islas-Flores, Isolation of Pseudomonas spp. from diseased Capsicum chinense (habanero pepper) plants in Yucatan, Mexico, Journal of Phytopathology 155: 470-474, (2007).

Awards

• Since 1999, RESEARCHER LEVEL I, National Researchers System (SNI).
• 1999-2001, POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP, University of California, Berkeley, UC Mexus-CONACYT.
• 2006-2007, PRESIDENT of the American Phytopathological Society, Caribbean Division. APS.
• 2009, Foundation International Travel Award 2009, American Phytopathological Society (APS).
• 2008-2010, MEMBER, Sociedad Mexicana de Fitopatología.