Research group

Amplicon Sequencing, Biological interpretation, DNA methylation, Expression Profiling, Food safety, Function prediction, Functional annotation, Functional genomics, Genome Assembly, Genome Sequencing, Genomic Annotation, Genomics, Mapping, Metabolomics, Metagenomics, Metatranscriptomics, Microbial communities, Microbial Communities, Omics, Pathway analysis, RNA Sequencing (RNA-seq), Sequence Alignment, Sequence analysis, Transcriptomics

Ebrahimi, M., Ballester, A.-R., López-Rubio, A., Acha, V., Aussenac, T., & Martínez-Abad, A. (2025). Antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of water-soluble lignin extracts obtained from ozonation of Miscanthus giganteus and Vitis vinifera in a pilot-scale reactor. Industrial Crops and Products, 223, 120092. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2024.120092

Agnusdei, A., González-García, A., Gerin, D., Pollastro, S., Faretra, F., González-Candelas, L., & Ballester, A.-R. (2025). Histone Methyltransferases AcDot1 and AcRmtA Are Involved in Growth Regulation, Secondary Metabolism, and Stress Response in Aspergillus carbonarius. Toxins, 17(4), 196. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins17040196

Llobregat, B., Abad-Fuentes, A., Mercader, J. V., González-Candelas, L., & Ballester, A.-R. (2025). The role of Penicillium expansum histone deacetylases HosA and HosB in growth, development, and patulin production. Microbiological Research, 297, 128181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2025.128181

Llobregat, B., González-Candelas, L., & Ballester, A.-R. (2024). Exploring the Biocontrol Capability of Non-Mycotoxigenic Strains of Penicillium expansum. Toxins, 16(1), 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins16010052

Sánchez-Torres, P., González-Candelas, L., & Ballester, A. R. (2024). Discovery and Transcriptional Profiling of Penicillium digitatum Genes That Could Promote Fungal Virulence during Citrus Fruit Infection. Journal of Fungi, 10(4), 235. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10040235

Ballester, A.-R., Roqué, M., Ricci‐Cabello, I., Rotger, A., & Malih, N. (2023). Horizon scanning on microorganisms and their products obtained by new developments in biotechnology [JB]. EFSA Supporting Publications, 20(12). https://doi.org/10.2903/sp.efsa.2023.EN-8503

Llobregat, B., González-Candelas, L., & Ballester, A.-R. (2022). Ochratoxin A Defective Aspergillus carbonarius Mutants as Potential Biocontrol Agents. Toxins, 14(11), 745. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins14110745

Delgado, J., Ballester, A.-R., González-Candelas, L., & Núñez, F. (2022). Impact of the antifungal protein PgAFP on the proteome and patulin production of Penicillium expansum on apple-based medium. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 363, 109511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2021.109511

Gerin, D., Garrapa, F., Ballester, A.-R., González-Candelas, L., De Miccolis Angelini, R. M., Faretra, F., & Pollastro, S. (2021). Functional Role of Aspergillus carbonarius AcOTAbZIP Gene, a bZIP Transcription Factor within the OTA Gene Cluster. Toxins, 13(2), 111. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13020111

Lafuente, M. T., Romero, P., & Ballester, A.-R. (2021). Coordinated activation of the metabolic pathways induced by LED blue light in citrus fruit. Food Chemistry, 341, 128050. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.128050

Ngolong Ngea, G. L., Qian, X., Yang, Q., Dhanasekaran, S., Ianiri, G., Ballester, A., Zhang, X., Castoria, R., & Zhang, H. (2021). Securing fruit production: Opportunities from the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of postharvest fungal infections. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 20(3), 2508–2533. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12729

Lafuente, M. T., Ballester, A.-R., Holland, N., Cerveró, J., & Romero, P. (2021). Interrelation between ABA and phospholipases D, C and A2 in early responses of citrus fruit to Penicillium digitatum infection. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 175, 111475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2021.111475

Ballester, A.-R., & González-Candelas, L. (2020). EFE-Mediated Ethylene Synthesis Is the Major Pathway in the Citrus Postharvest Pathogen Penicillium digitatum during Fruit Infection. Journal of Fungi, 6(3), 175. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof6030175

Valente, S., Cometto, A., Piombo, E., Meloni, G. R., Ballester, A.-R., González-Candelas, L., & Spadaro, D. (2020). Elaborated regulation of griseofulvin biosynthesis in Penicillium griseofulvum and its role on conidiation and virulence. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 328, 108687. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2020.108687

Moreno, M. A., Vallejo, A. M., Ballester, A.-R., Zampini, C., Isla, M. I., López-Rubio, A., & Fabra, M. J. (2020). Antifungal edible coatings containing Argentinian propolis extract and their application in raspberries. Food Hydrocolloids, 107, 105973. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2020.105973

Lafuente, M. T., Ballester, A.-R., & González-Candelas, L. (2019). Involvement of abscisic acid in the resistance of citrus fruit to Penicillium digitatum infection. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 154, 31–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2019.04.004

Levin, E., Kishore, A., Ballester, A. R., Raphael, G., Feigenberg, O., Liu, Y., Norelli, J., Gonzalez-Candelas, L., Wisniewski, M., & Droby, S. (2019). Identification of pathogenicity-related genes and the role of a subtilisin-related peptidase S8 (PePRT) in authophagy and virulence of Penicillium expansum on apples. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 149, 209–220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2018.10.011

Ballester, A.-R., López-Pérez, M., de la Fuente, B., & González-Candelas, L. (2019). Functional and Pharmacological Analyses of the Role of Penicillium digitatum Proteases on Virulence. Microorganisms, 7(7), 198. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms7070198

Delgado, J., Ballester, A.-R., Núñez, F., & González-Candelas, L. (2019). Evaluation of the activity of the antifungal PgAFP protein and its producer mould against Penicillium spp postharvest pathogens of citrus and pome fruits. Food Microbiology, 84, 103266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2019.103266

Martínez-Sanz, M., Gómez-Mascaraque, L. G., Ballester, A. R., Martínez-Abad, A., Brodkorb, A., & López-Rubio, A. (2019). Production of unpurified agar-based extracts from red seaweed Gelidium sesquipedale by means of simplified extraction protocols. Algal Research, 38, 101420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2019.101420

Benito-González, I., López-Rubio, A., Martínez-Abad, A., Ballester, A.-R., Falcó, I., González-Candelas, L., Sánchez, G., Lozano-Sánchez, J., Borrás-Linares, I., Segura-Carretero, A., & Martínez-Sanz, M. (2019). In-Depth Characterization of Bioactive Extracts from Posidonia oceanica Waste Biomass. Marine Drugs, 17(7), 409. https://doi.org/10.3390/md17070409

Sánchez-Torres, P., Vilanova, L., Ballester, A. R., López-Pérez, M., Teixidó, N., Viñas, I., Usall, J., González-Candelas, L., & Torres, R. (2018). Unravelling the contribution of the Penicillium expansum PeSte12 transcription factor to virulence during apple fruit infection. Food Microbiology, 69, 123–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2017.08.005

Vilanova, L., López-Pérez, M., Ballester, A.-R., Teixidó, N., Usall, J., Lara, I., Viñas, I., Torres, R., & González-Candelas, L. (2018). Differential contribution of the two major polygalacturonases from Penicillium digitatum to virulence towards citrus fruit. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 282, 16–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2018.05.031

Gerin, D., González-Candelas, L., Ballester, A.-R., Pollastro, S., De Miccolis Angelini, R., & Faretra, F. (2018). Functional Characterization of the alb1 Orthologue Gene in the Ochratoxigenic Fungus Aspergillus carbonarius (AC49 strain). Toxins, 10(3), 120. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins10030120

Ballester, A.-R., Norelli, J., Burchard, E., Abdelfattah, A., Levin, E., González-Candelas, L., Droby, S., & Wisniewski, M. (2017). Transcriptomic Response of Resistant (PI613981–Malus sieversii) and Susceptible (“Royal Gala”) Genotypes of Apple to Blue Mold (Penicillium expansum) Infection. Frontiers in Plant Science, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.01981

Ballester, A.-R., & Lafuente, M. T. (2017). LED Blue Light-induced changes in phenolics and ethylene in citrus fruit: Implication in elicited resistance against Penicillium digitatum infection. Food Chemistry, 218, 575–583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.09.089

Levin, E., Ballester, A. R., Raphael, G., Feigenberg, O., Liu, Y., Norelli, J., Gonzalez-Candelas, L., Ma, J., Dardick, C., Wisniewski, M., & Droby, S. (2017). Identification and characterization of LysM effectors in Penicillium expansum. PLOS ONE, 12(10), e0186023. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0186023

Tian, S., Torres, R., Ballester, A.-R., Li, B., Vilanova, L., & González-Candelas, L. (2016). Molecular aspects in pathogen-fruit interactions: Virulence and resistance. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 122, 11–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2016.04.018

Establés-Ortiz, B., Romero, P., Ballester, A.-R., González-Candelas, L., & Lafuente, M. T. (2016). Inhibiting ethylene perception with 1-methylcyclopropene triggers molecular responses aimed to cope with cell toxicity and increased respiration in citrus fruits. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 103, 154–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2016.02.036

Ballester, A.-R., Tikunov, Y., Molthoff, J., Grandillo, S., Viquez-Zamora, M., de Vos, R., de Maagd, R. A., van Heusden, S., & Bovy, A. G. (2016). Identification of Loci Affecting Accumulation of Secondary Metabolites in Tomato Fruit of a Solanum lycopersicum × Solanum chmielewskii Introgression Line Population. Frontiers in Plant Science, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2016.01428

Wisniewski, M., Norelli, J., Droby, S., Ballester, A.-R., Abdelfattah, A., & Levin, E. (2016). Genomic tools for developing markers for postharvest disease resistance inRosaceaefruit crops. Acta Horticulturae, 1144, 7–16. https://doi.org/10.17660/actahortic.2016.1144.2

Banani, H., Marcet-Houben, M., Ballester, A.-R., Abbruscato, P., González-Candelas, L., Gabaldón, T., & Spadaro, D. (2016). Genome sequencing and secondary metabolism of the postharvest pathogen Penicillium griseofulvum. BMC Genomics, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-015-2347-x

Banani, H., Marcet-Houben, M., Ballester, A.-R., Abbruscato, P., González-Candelas, L., Gabaldón, T., & Spadaro, D. (2016). De novo sequencing and detection of secondary metabolite gene clusters of Penicillium griseofulvum. Acta Horticulturae, 1144, 157–162. https://doi.org/10.17660/actahortic.2016.1144.22

Rubio, M., Ballester, A. R., Rodríguez-Moreno, L., Castro de Moura, M., Mascarell-Creus, A., & Martínez-Gómez, P. (2015). IRREGULAR DISTRIBUTION OF SHARKA (PLUM POX VIRUS) SYMPTOMS IN PEACH IS RELATED TO DIFFERENTIAL GENE EXPRESSION EVIDENCED BY RNA-SEQ. Acta Horticulturae, 1063, 143–146. https://doi.org/10.17660/actahortic.2015.1063.20

Ballester, A.-R., Marcet-Houben, M., Levin, E., Sela, N., Selma-Lázaro, C., Carmona, L., Wisniewski, M., Droby, S., González-Candelas, L., & Gabaldón, T. (2015). Genome, Transcriptome, and Functional Analyses of Penicillium expansum Provide New Insights Into Secondary Metabolism and Pathogenicity. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions®, 28(3), 232–248. https://doi.org/10.1094/mpmi-09-14-0261-fi

Rubio, M., Ballester, A. R., Olivares, P. M., Castro de Moura, M., Dicenta, F., & Martínez-Gómez, P. (2015). Gene Expression Analysis of Plum pox virus (Sharka) Susceptibility/Resistance in Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.). PLOS ONE, 10(12), e0144670. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0144670

López‐Pérez, M., Ballester, A., & González‐Candelas, L. (2014). Identification and functional analysis of <scp>P</scp>enicillium digitatum genes putatively involved in virulence towards citrus fruit. Molecular Plant Pathology, 16(3), 262–275. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/mpp.12179

Rubio, M., Rodríguez‐Moreno, L., Ballester, A. R., de Moura, M. C., Bonghi, C., Candresse, T., & Martínez‐Gómez, P. (2014). Analysis of gene expression changes in peach leaves in response to <scp>P</scp>lum pox virus infection using <scp>RNA</scp>‐<scp>S</scp>eq. Molecular Plant Pathology, 16(2), 164–176. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/mpp.12169

Wahyuni, Y., Ballester, A.-R., Sudarmonowati, E., Bino, R. J., & Bovy, A. G. (2013). Secondary Metabolites ofCapsicumSpecies and Their Importance in the Human Diet. Journal of Natural Products, 76(4), 783–793. https://doi.org/10.1021/np300898z

Ballester, A.-R., Teresa Lafuente, M., & González-Candelas, L. (2013). Citrus phenylpropanoids and defence against pathogens. Part II: Gene expression and metabolite accumulation in the response of fruits to Penicillium digitatum infection. Food Chemistry, 136(1), 285–291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.08.006

Wahyuni, Y., Stahl-Hermes, V., Ballester, A.-R., de Vos, R. C. H., Voorrips, R. E., Maharijaya, A., Molthoff, J., Zamora, M. V., Sudarmonowati, E., Arisi, A. C. M., Bino, R. J., & Bovy, A. G. (2013). Genetic mapping of semi-polar metabolites in pepper fruits (Capsicum sp.): towards unravelling the molecular regulation of flavonoid quantitative trait loci. Molecular Breeding, 33(3), 503–518. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11032-013-9967-0

Romero, P., Rodrigo, M. J., Alférez, F., Ballester, A.-R., González-Candelas, L., Zacarías, L., & Lafuente, M. T. (2012). Unravelling molecular responses to moderate dehydration in harvested fruit of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) using a fruit-specific ABA-deficient mutant. Journal of Experimental Botany, 63(7), 2753–2767. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/err461

Bemer, M., Karlova, R., Ballester, A. R., Tikunov, Y. M., Bovy, A. G., Wolters-Arts, M., Rossetto, P. de B., Angenent, G. C., & de Maagd, R. A. (2012). The Tomato FRUITFULL Homologs TDR4/FUL1 and MBP7/FUL2 Regulate Ethylene-Independent Aspects of Fruit Ripening. The Plant Cell, 24(11), 4437–4451. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.112.103283

Marcet-Houben, M., Ballester, A.-R., de la Fuente, B., Harries, E., Marcos, J. F., González-Candelas, L., & Gabaldón, T. (2012). Genome sequence of the necrotrophic fungus Penicillium digitatum, the main postharvest pathogen of citrus. BMC Genomics, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-13-646

Wahyuni, Y., Ballester, A.-R., Tikunov, Y., de Vos, R. C. H., Pelgrom, K. T. B., Maharijaya, A., Sudarmonowati, E., Bino, R. J., & Bovy, A. G. (2012). Metabolomics and molecular marker analysis to explore pepper (Capsicum sp.) biodiversity. Metabolomics, 9(1), 130–144. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-012-0432-6

BALLESTER, A., LAFUENTE, M. T., FORMENT, J., GADEA, J., DE VOS, R. C. H., BOVY, A. G., & GONZÁLEZ‐CANDELAS, L. (2011). Transcriptomic profiling of citrus fruit peel tissues reveals fundamental effects of phenylpropanoids and ethylene on induced resistance. Molecular Plant Pathology, 12(9), 879–897. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1364-3703.2011.00721.x

Wahyuni, Y., Ballester, A.-R., Sudarmonowati, E., Bino, R. J., & Bovy, A. G. (2011). Metabolite biodiversity in pepper (Capsicum) fruits of thirty-two diverse accessions: Variation in health-related compounds and implications for breeding. Phytochemistry, 72(11–12), 1358–1370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2011.03.016

Hanssen, I. M., Peter van Esse, H., Ballester, A.-R., Hogewoning, S. W., Parra, N. O., Paeleman, A., Lievens, B., Bovy, A. G., & Thomma, B. P. H. J. (2011). Differential Tomato Transcriptomic Responses Induced by Pepino Mosaic Virus Isolates with Differential Aggressiveness. Plant Physiology, 156(1), 301–318. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.111.173906

Ballester, A. R., Izquierdo, A., Lafuente, M. T., & González-Candelas, L. (2010). Biochemical and molecular characterization of induced resistance against Penicillium digitatum in citrus fruit. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 56(1), 31–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2009.10.002

González-Candelas, L., Alamar, S., Ballester, A. R., Sánchez-Torres, P., Forment, J., Gadea, J., Lafuente, M. T., Zacarías, L., & Marcos, J. F. (2009). Global Regulation of Genes in Citrus Fruit in Response to the Postharvest Pathogen Penicillium digitatum. Post-Harvest Pathology, 57–67. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8930-5_5

Ballester, A. R., Lafuente, M. T., & González-Candelas, L. (2006). Spatial study of antioxidant enzymes, peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase in the citrus fruit–Penicillium digitatum interaction. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 39(2), 115–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2005.10.002

González-Candelas, L., Sánchez-Torres, P., Alamar, S., Establés, B., Ballester, A. R., Sánchez-Ballesta, M. T., Luch, Y. L., Gosalbes, M. J., Zacarias, L., Marcos, J. F., Lafuente, M. T., Forment, J., & Granell, A. (2005). GENOMIC APPROACHES TO POSTHARVEST BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC STRESSES OF CITRUS FRUIT. Acta Horticulturae, 682, 247–254. https://doi.org/10.17660/actahortic.2005.682.26

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