Manuel Ospina-Giraldo

I teach Molecular Genetics, Plant Pathology, and Genomics. I am a member of the Oomycete Molecular Genetics Research Collaboration Network that sequenced and annotated the genomes of three important plant pathogens, Phytophthora infestans, Phytophthora ramorum and Phytophthora sojae.

Research in my laboratory focuses on the study of pathogenicity-related genes in oomycete (fungal-like) pathogens that cause disease in life-sustaining agricultural crops, particularly potato and soybean.  A brief description of the main project in my laboratory follows:

Genes encoding cell wall-degrading enzymes and other proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism are critical for the penetration of the plant by the oomycete pathogen. Determining their precise role in the pathogenicity process is a primary goal in my laboratory. In addition, advances in genome sequencing of three species of the genus Phytophthora have facilitated the identification and characterization of additional factors involved in regulating the penetration and colonization of the host plant.  Molecular, genomic and bioinformatic approaches are being used to elucidate the microbial pathogenicity mechanisms in oomycetes and understand how these pathogens can overcome the morphological, biochemical and physiological mechanisms of defense in various parts of the plant.

If you are interested in working in my lab, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Representative Publications:

• Grams, N. and Ospina-Giraldo, M.D. 2019. Increased expression of Phytophthora sojae genes encoding membrane-degrading enzymes suggests an early onset of necrotrophy during Glycine max infection. Fungal Genet. Biol. 133: 103268.
• Grams, N., Komar, H., Jainchill, D., and Ospina-Giraldo, M.D. 2019. Comparative expression analysis of Phytophthora sojae Polysaccharide Lyase family 3 (pectate lyase) genes during infection of the soybean Glycine max. BMC Phytopathol. Res. 1:15.
• Madison, C. and Ospina-Giraldo, M.D. 2018. Validation and expression analysis of predicted miRNAs in Phytophthora infestans and Phytophthora sojae. J. PA Acad. Sci. 92: 53-67.
• Hinkel, L. and Ospina-Giraldo, M.D. 2017. Functional analyses of the chitin synthase gene of Phytophthora spp. in mycelia and infected tissues of potato and soybean. Curr. Genet. 63: 909-921. DOI: 10.1007/s00294-017-0687-6.
• Horowitz, B. B. and Ospina-Giraldo, M.D. 2015. The pectin methylesterase gene complement of Phytophthora sojae: structural and functional analyses, and the evolutionary relationships with its oomycete homologs. PLoS ONE 10: e0142096.
• Mingora, C., Ewer, J., and Ospina-Giraldo, M.D. 2014. Comparative structural and functional analysis of genes encoding pectin methylesterases in Phytophthora spp. Gene 538: 74–83.
• Andersen, K. and Ospina-Giraldo, M.D. 2011. Relative disease susceptibility of cultivated varieties of potato to different isolates of Phytophthora infestans. J. PA Acad. Sci. 85: 140-146.
• Andersen, K. and Ospina-Giraldo, M.D. 2011. Assessment of the effect of temperature on the late blight disease cycle using a detached leaf assay. J. PA Acad. Sci. 85: 165-173.
• Jones, R.W. and Ospina-Giraldo, M.D. 2011. Novel cellulose-binding-domain protein in Phytophthora is cell wall localized. PLoS ONE 6(8): e23555. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0023555.
• Ospina-Giraldo, M.D., Griffith, J., Laird, E., and Mingora, C. 2010. The CAZyome of Phytophthora spp.: A comprehensive analysis of the gene complement coding for carbohydrate-active enzymes in species of the genus Phytophthora. BMC Genomics 11: 525.
• Ospina-Giraldo, M.D., McWalters, J., and Seyer, L. 2010. Structural and functional profile of the carbohydrate esterase gene complement in Phytophthora infestans. Curr. Genet. 56: 495-506. DOI: 10.1007/s00294-010-0317-z
• Haas B. J., Kamoun S., Zody M. C., Jiang R. H., Handsaker R. E., Cano L. M., Grabherr M., Kodira C. D., Raffaele S., Torto-Alalibo T., Bozkurt T. O., Ah-Fong A. M., Alvarado L., Anderson V. L., Armstrong M. R., Avrova A., Baxter L., Beynon J., Boevink P. C., Bollmann S. R., Bos J. I., Bulone V., Cai G., Cakir C., Carrington J. C., Chawner M., Conti L., Costanzo S., Ewan R., Fahlgren N., Fischbach M. A., Fugelstad J., Gilroy E. M., Gnerre S., Green P. J., Grenville-Briggs L. J., Griffith J., Grunwald N. J., Horn K., Horner N. R., Hu C. H., Huitema E., Jeong D. H., Jones A. M., Jones J. D., Jones R. W., Karlsson E. K., Kunjeti S. G., Lamour K., Liu Z., Ma L., Maclean D., Chibucos M. C., McDonald H., McWalters J., Meijer H. J., Morgan W., Morris P. F., Munro C. A., O’Neill K., Ospina-Giraldo M., Pinzon A., Pritchard L., Ramsahoye B., Ren Q., Restrepo S., Roy S., Sadanandom A., Savidor A., Schornack S., Schwartz D. C., Schumann U. D., Schwessinger B., Seyer L., Sharpe T., Silvar C., Song J., Studholme D. J., Sykes S., Thines M., van de Vondervoort P. J., Phuntumart V., Wawra S., Weide R., Win J., Young C., Zhou S., Fry W., Meyers B. C., van West P., Ristaino J., Govers F., Birch P. R., Whisson S. C., Judelson H. S., and Nusbaum, C. 2009. Genome sequence and analysis of the Irish potato famine pathogen Phytophthora infestans. Nature 461: 393-398.
• Costanzo, S., Ospina-Giraldo, M.D., Deahl, K., Baker, J., and Jones, R. 2007. Alternate Intron Processing of Family 5 Endoglucanase Transcripts from the Genus Phytophthora. Curr. Genet. 52: 115-123.
• Tyler, B. et al. 2006. Phytophthora genome sequences uncover evolutionary origins and mechanisms of pathogenesis: genome sequences of the soybean pathogen Phytophthora sojae and the sudden oak death pathogen Phytophthora ramorum reveal a photosynthetic past and recent massive expansion and diversification of potential pathogenicity gene families. Science. Accepted for publication.