I am Associate Professor of Cellular Biology at the UdG since 2019 and co-lead the Cork Laboratory group at the Department of Biology. My expertise lies in the field of plant biology, with extensive experience in studying tissues acting as protective barriers, using molecular, histological, plant transformation, and chemical techniques. Using functional genetics in Arabidopsis and potato, I investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in the formation of the periderm and other ligno-suberized tissues such as the exodermis or endodermis, and how the different components of the cell wall contribute to their protective function. I have undertaken international collaboration stays in the research groups of Salomé Prat (CRG, Madrid), Lukas Schreiber/Benni Franke (University of Bonn), Ruth E. Stark (CCNY, USA), and Niko Geldner (University of Lausanne).
Education
Associate Professor (Cell Biology)
PhD on Biology, University of Girona (2008)
Biology Degree, University of Girona (2002)
Research lines:
- Identification of genes involved in the formation of phellem in Quercus suber.
- Functional genomics of phellem: characterisation of genes involved in the formation ligno-suberized tissues.
- Chemical and structural analyses of suberin.
Scientific publications:
· Armendariz I.,López de Heredia U., Soler
M., Puigdemont A., Ruiz M.M., Jové P., Soto Á., Serra O., Figueras M. (2024)
Rhytidome- and cork-type barks of holm oak, cork oak and their hybrids
highlight processes leading to cork formation. BMC Plant Biology 24:
488 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-024-05192-4
· Dastmalchi K., Phan V.C., Chatterjee S., Yu
B., Figueras M., Serra O.,
Stark R.E. (2024) A comprehensive approach to phytochemical analysis of
macromolecular composites that protect tubers: case studies in suberized potato
periderm tissues. Phytochemistry Reviews https://doi.org/10.1007/s11101-024-09974-4
· Company-Arumí D., Montells C., Iglesias
M., Marguí E., Verdaguer D., Vogel-Mikus K, Kelemen M., Figueras M.,
Anticó E., Serra O. (2023)
A functional exodermal suberin is key for plant nutrition and growth in potato.
biorXiv https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.09.14.557788
· Armendariz I.,López de Heredia U., Soler
M., Puigdemont A., Ruiz M.M., Jové P., Soto Á., Serra O., Figueras M. (2023)
Rhytidome- and cork-type barks of holm oak, cork oak and their hybrids
highlight processes leading to cork formation. biorXiv https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.03.31.535027
· Kashyap A., Jimenez-Jimenez A., Figueras M., Serra O.,
Valls M., Coll N.S. (2023) The tomato Feruloyl Transferase FHT
promoter is an accurate identifier of early development and stress-induced
suberization. Plants 12: 1890. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12091890
· Serra
O., Geldner N. (2022) The making of suberin. New Phytologist 235:
848-866. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18202
Serra O., Mähönen A.
P.; Hetherington A. J.; Ragni L. (2022) The Making of Plant Armor: The
Periderm. Annual Review of Plant Biology. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-arplant-102720-031405
· Serra
O., Mähönen A. P.; Hetherington A. J.; Ragni L. (2022) The Making of Plant
Armor: The Periderm. Annual Review of Plant Biology. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-arplant-102720-031405
· Fernández-Piñán, S.; Sànchez-Guirado,
C.; Figueras M.; Serra O. (2021) Gene Downregulation in
Potato Roots Using Agrobacterium rhizogenes-Mediated
Transformation. In: Dobnik D., Gruden K., Ramšak Ž., Coll A. (eds) Solanum
tuberosum. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2354. Humana, New York, NY. pp
353-372 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1609-3_17
· Kashyap, A.; Capellades, M.; Zhang, W.;
Srinivasan, S.; Loromaine, A.; Serra, O.; Figueras, M.;
Rencoret, J.; Gutiérrez, A.; Valls, M. & Coll, N.S. (2021)
Induced ligno-suberin vascular coating and tyramine-derived hydroxycinnamic
acid amides restrict Ralstonia solanacearum colonization in resistant tomato
roots. BioRxiv. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.06.15.448549 ?
· Boher, P.; Soler,
M.; Fernández-Piñán, S.; Torrent, X.; Müller, S.; Kelly,
K.A.; Serra, O. & Figueras, M. (2021)
Silencing of StRIK in potato suggests a role in periderm related to RNA
processing and stress. BMC Plant Biology: 21, 409. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-021-03141-z
· Dastmalchi, K.; Chira, O.; Rodriguez, M.P.;
Yoo, B.; Serra, O.; Figueras, M. & Stark R.E.
(2021) A chemical window into the impact of RNAi silencing of the StNAC103 gene
in potato tuber periderms: Soluble metabolites, suberized cell walls, and
antibacterial defense. Phytochemistry 190: 112885. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2021.112885
· Fernández-Piñán, S.; Boher,
P.; Soler, M.; Figueras, M. & Serra, O. (2021). Transcriptomic
analysis of cork during seasonal growth highlights regulatory and developmental
processes from phellogen to phellem formation. Scientific Reports 11:
12053. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-90938-5
· Busta, L.; Serra, O.; Kim,
O.T.; Molinas, M.; Peré-Fossoul, I.; Figueras,
M. & Jetter, R. (2020). Oxidosqualene cyclases involved in
the biosynthesis of triterpenoids in Quercus suber cork. Scientific
Reports 10: 8011. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-64913-5.
· Soler, M.; Verdaguer,
R.; Fernández-Piñan, S.; Company-Arumí, D.; Boher,
P.; Góngora-Castillo, E.; Valls, M.; Anticó, E.; Molinas,
M.; Serra, O. & Figueras, M. (2020). Silencing
against the conserved NAC domain of the potato StNAC103 reveals new NAC
candidates to repress the suberin associated waxes in phellem. Plant
Science 291: 110360. DOI:10.1016/j.plantsci.2019.110360.
· Fernández-Piñán, S.; López,
J.; Armendariz, I.; Boher. P; Figueras, M.; Serra, O. (2019). Agrobacterium
tumefaciens and Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated
transformation of potato and the promoter activity of a suberin gene by GUS
staining. Jove-Journal Of Visualized Experiments (145).
DOI: 10.3791/59119.
· Boher, P.; Soler, M.; Sánchez, A.;
Hoede, C.; Paiva, JAP.; Serra, O. & Figueras,
M. (2018). A comparative transcriptomic approach to understanding the
formation of cork. Plant Molecular Biology (96): pg 103-118.
DOI: 10.1007/s11103-017-0682-9.
· Jin, L.; Cai, Q.; Huang, W.; Dastmalchi, K.;
Rigau, J.; Molinas, M.; Figueras, M; Serra, O. & Stark, RE. (2018).
Potato native and wound periderms are differently affected by down-regulation
of FHT, a suberin feruloyl transferase. Phytochemistry (147):
30-48. DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2017.12.011.
· Vera R.; Fontàs C. ; Galceran J. ; Serra O.
& Anticó E. (2018). Polymer inclusion membrane to access Zn speciation:
comparison with root uptake. Science of the Total Environment (1):
316-324. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.316.
· Huang, W.; Serra, O.; Dastmalchi, K.; Jin,
L.; Yang, L. & Stark, RE. (2017). Comprehensive MS and solid-state NMR
metabolomic profiling reveals molecular variations in native periderms from
four Solanum tuberosum potato cultivars. Journal of Agricultural and
Food Chemistry (65): 2258-2274. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.6b05179.
· Verdaguer, R.; Soler, M.; Serra, O.;
Garrote, A.; Fernández, S.; Company-Arumí, D.; Anticó, E.; Molinas, M. &
Figueras, M. (2016). Silencing of the potato StNAC103 gene enhances the
accumulation of suberin polyester and associated wax in tuber skin. Journal
of Experimental Botany 67(18): 5415-5427. DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erw305.
· Company-Arumí, D.; Figueras, M.; Salvadó, V.;
Molinas, M.; Serra, O. & Anticó, E. (2016) The
identification and quantification of suberin monomers of root and tuber
periderm from potato (Solanum tuberosum) as fatty acyl tert-butyldimethylsilyl
derivatives. Phytochemical Analysis 27:326-335. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pca.2625
· Graça, J.; Cabral, V.; Santos, S.; Lamosa,
P.; Serra, O.; Molinas, M.; Schreiber, L.; Kauder, F.& Franke, R.
(2015). Partial depolymerisation of genetically modified potato tuber periderm
reveals intermolecular linkages in suberin polyester. Phytochemistry 117:
209-219. DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2015.06.010.
· Dastmalchi, K.; Kallash, L.; Wang, I.; Phan,
Van C.; Huang, W.; Serra, O.; Stark, RE. (2015). The defensive armor of
potato tubers: nonpolar metabolite profiling, antioxidant assessment, and
solid-state NMR compositional analysis of suberin-enriched wound-healing
tissues. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 63(60):
6810-6822. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5b03206.
· Serra, O.; Chatterjee, S.; Figueras,
M.; Molinas, M. & Stark, R. (2014). Deconstructing a plant macromolecular
assembly: chemical architecture, molecular flexibility, and mechanical
performance of natural and engineered potato suberins. Biomacromolecules 15(3):799-811.
DOI: 10.1021/bm401620d
· Dastmalchi, K.; Cai, Q.; Zhou, K.; Huang, W.;
Serra, O. & Stark, R. (2014). Solving the jigsaw puzzle of
wound-healing potato cultivars: metabolite profiling and antioxidant activity
of polar extracts. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 62(31):
7963-7975. DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2012.06.013.
· Boher, P.; Serra, O.; Soler, M.;
Molinas, M. & Figueras, M. (2013). The potato suberin feruloyl transferase
FHT which accumulates in the phellogen is induced by wounding and regulated by
abscisic and salicylic acids. Journal of Experimental Botany 64(11):3225-3236.
DOI: 10.1093/jxb/ert163.
· Soler, M.; Serra, O.; Fluch, S.;
Molinas, M. & Figueras, M. (2011). Potato skin SSH library yields new
candidate genes for suberin biosynthesis and periderm formation. Planta 233(5):
933-945. DOI: 10.1007/s00425-011-1350-y.
· Serra, O.; Chatterjee, S.; Huang, W.
& Stark, RE. (2012). Mini-review: What nuclear magnetic resonance can tell
us about protective tissues. Plant Science 195: 120-124.
DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2012.06.013.
· Soler, M.; Serra, O.; Fluch, S.;
Molinas, M. & Figueras, M. (2011). Potato skin SSH library yields new
candidate genes for suberin biosynthesis and periderm formation. Planta 233(5):
933-945. DOI: 10.1007/s00425-011-1350-y.
· Serra, O.; Hohn, C.; Franke, R.; Prat,
S.; Molinas, M. & Figueras, M. (2010). A feruloyl transferase involved in
the biosynthesis of suberin and suberin-associated wax is required for
maturation and sealing properties of potato periderm. Plant Journal 63(2):277-290.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-313X.2010.04144.x.
· Serra, O.; Figueras, M.; Franke, R.;
Prat, S.; Molinas, M. (2010). Unraveling ferulate role in suberin and periderm
biology by reverse genetics. Plant Signaling and Behaviour 5(8):
953-958. DOI: 10.4161/psb.5.8.12405.
· Serra, O.; Soler, M.; Hohn, C.;
Franke, R.; Schreiber, L.; Prat, S.; Molinas, M. & Figueras, M. (2009).
Silencing of StKCS6 in potato periderm leads to reduced chain lengths of
suberin and wax compounds and increased peridermal transpiration. Journal
of Experimental Botany 60(2): 697-707. DOI: 10.1093/jxb/ern314.
· Serra, O.; Soler, M.; Hohn, C.;
Sauveplane, V.; Pinot, F.; Franke, R.; Schreiber, L.; Prat, S.; Molinas, M.
& Figueras, M. (2009). CYP86A33 targeted gene silencing in potato tuber
alters suberin composition, distorts suberin lamellae and impairs the
periderm's water barrier function. Plant Physiology 149(2):
1050-1060. DOI: 10.1104/pp.108.127183.
· Soler, M.; Serra, O.; Molinas, M.;
García-Berthou, M.; Caritat, A. & Figueras, M. (2008). Seasonal variation
in transcript abundance in cork tissue analyzed by real time RT-PCR. Tree
Physiology 28(5): 743-751.
· Soler, M.; Serra, 0.;
Molinas, M.; Huguet, G.; Fluch, S. & Figueras, M. (2007). A genomic
approach to suberin biosynthesis and cork differentiation. Plant
Physiology 144(1): 419-431. DOI: 10.1104/pp.106.094227.