Current Projects

PID2021-124278OB-I00, Towards the global comprehension of the fungal cell; Knowledge for human welfare. 

Funding: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación

PI1, Eduardo A. Espeso; PI2, Miguel A. Peñalva.

TED2021-129607B-I00, Reprogramming intracellular traffic: next generation fungal cell factories (NGFCF) for the environmentally friendly production of nutritionals.

Funding: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, NextGeneration EU, Plan de Recuperación Transformación y Resiliencia.

PI1, Eduardo A. Espeso; PI2, Miguel A. Peñalva.

Previous Projects

Intracellular Membrane Trafficking Group, PI: Miguel A. Peñalva

Funding body: Agencia Española de Investigación, FEDER Funds

DGCYT RTI-2018-093344-B-100

Investigating the integration between exocytosis and endocytosis using a model fungal cell factory (2019-2022).

Filamentous fungi display a remarkable capacity to secrete proteins, a capacity exploited for the production of industrial enzymes, which represents a major activity of the biotechnology sector in Europe. Yet detailed understanding of the organization and regulation of exocitosis in these organisms is wanting, including, for example, how does continuous growth by apical extension, highly demanding for exocitosis, compete with high-level secretion of enzymes. Our work on Aspergillus intracellular traffic has placed us in a privileged situation to address fundamental issues that may guide tailored improvements of productivity. 

PI @ CIB Miguel Ángel Peñalva, Coordinator Dr. María Molina, UCM

Grant number S2017/BMD-3691, "InGEMICS-CM". Ingeniería Microbiana, Salud y Calidad de Vida. (http://www.ingemics.es/) (Microbial Engineering, Health and Life Quality)

Funding by Comunidad de Madrid, 'Ciencias de la Salud y Biotecnología' Program

Nucleo-cytoplasmic traffic and abiotic stress response in multinucleated cells Group, PI: Dr Eduardo A. Espeso

Funding body: DGICYT (Dirección General de Investigación Científica y Técnica), Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Agencia Estatal de Investigación. FEDER.

RTI2018-094263-B-I00 (MCIU/AEI/FEDER). Title: 'Interconnections between cation homeostasis and intracellular traffic in Aspergillus nidulans'

Most biosynthetic and catalytic pathways are transcriptionally regulated. We study signals, receptors, signaling transduction and the mechanisms mediating the activation and cellular localisation of transcription factors. In eukaryotes, nuclear transport is a key regulatory step in the regulation of a transcription factor activity. Using as models diverse nuclear factors we try to understand the mechanisms involved in signaling and trafficking between cytoplasm and nucleus in a coenocytic (multi nuclear) organism. Specifically we focus on the zinc-finger transcription factors SltA and CrzA that mediate in the responses to cation and alkaline pH stresses. This research has relevance to understand the mechanisms of tolerance to cations and the fungal ability to produce the molecular machinery that interacts and modifies the extracellular medium. These regulatory mechanisms of intracellular traffic and the resulting products have commercial and social interest. Notably, these mechanisms are common to those used by pathogens to infect their hosts. The possible effect of global warming on microorganisms most tolerant of high temperatures and the effects of desiccation, such as the elevation of solutes concentrations in continental waters and seas, is particularly alarming. The emergence of new pathogens capable of tolerating abiotic stress is a reality and knowing the genetic and molecular mechanisms of these organisms can be an effective means for their control and treatment of fungal diseases.