The group’s work is primarily focused on studying the factors that determine the infection/accumulation of a virus in a given host. Since such accumulation is essentially the result of a balance between viral replication and degradation, our attention is centered on the events that influence these two processes. Specifically, we are prioritizing the analysis of the mechanisms of replication, transcription, and translation of viral genomes, as well as the strategies developed by the pathogen to suppress the host’s RNA silencing-based defense response.

As models, we are using small RNA viruses from the family Tombusviridae, which are characterized by having relatively simple genomes, facilitating experimental approaches. In brief, our current lines of research are as follows:

1) Identification and characterization of structural elements of viral RNA and protein factors (viral/cellular) involved in the regulation of viral replication, transcription, and/or translation processes.

2) Study of the viral function of RNA silencing suppression.

3) Analysis of the potential interference of viral infection with the host’s silencing pathways.

Marmisolle FE, Borniego MB, Cambiagno DA, Gonzalo L, García ML, Manavella PA, Hernández C, Reyes CA (2024) Citrus psorosis virus 24K protein inhibits the processing of miRNA precursors by interacting with components of the biogenesis machinery.

Microbiology Spectrum 12:e0351323

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Beatriz Navarro, Silvia Ambros , Francesco Di Serio, Carmen Hernandez (2023). On the early identification and characterization of pear blister canker viroid, apple dimple fruit viroid, peach latent mosaic viroid and chrysanthemum chlorotic mottle viroid

Virus Res. 2023, 323:199012.

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Pérez-Cañamás M, Bustos M, Puértolas V, Castelló Y, Peiró S, Hernández C (2022). Assessment of the RNA Silencing Suppressor Activity of Protein P0 of Pepper Vein Yellows Virus 5: Uncovering Natural Variability, Relevant Motifs and Underlying Mechanism.

Biology 2022, 11, 1801. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11121801

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Pérez-Cañamás M, Taliansky M, Hernández C (2022) A Viral Suppressor of RNA Silencing May Be Targeting a Plant Defence Pathway Involving Fibrillarin

Plants _2022, 11, 1903. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11151903/

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Pallas V, Hernández C, Marcos JF, Daròs JA, Ambrós S, Navarro B, Navarro JA, Peña M, Gago-Zachert S, Gas ME, Carbonell A, López C, de Alba AEM, Serio FD, Moreno P (2022) In memoriam of Ricardo Flores: The career, achievements, and legacy of an inspirational plant virologist

Virus Research 312:198718

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Pérez-Cañamás, M., Hevia E., Katsarou, K.,Hernández, C. (2021) Genetic evidence for the involvement of Dicer-like 2 and 4 as well as Argonaute 2 in the Nicotiana benthamiana response against Pelargonium line pattern virus

Journal of General Virology 102:001656

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Pérez-Cañamás, M.; Hernández, C. (2020) Carmo-like viruses (Tombusviridae)

Encyclopedia of Virology 4th Edition (Bamford, D. and Zuckerman, M. ed.)

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Pérez-Cañamás, M.; Hevia, E.; Hernández, C. (2020) Epigenetic changes in host ribosomal DNA promoter induced by an asymptomatic plant virus infection

Biology 9: 91

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Flores, Ricardo; Daròs, José-Antonio; Hernández, Carmen; Navarro, Beatriz; and Di Serio, Francesco (2020) Viroids

eLS, 1:192–203

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Pérez-Cañamás M; Hernández C (2018) New insights into the nucleolar localization of a plant RNA virus-encoded protein that acts in both RNA packaging and RNA silencing suppression: involvement of importins alpha and relevance for viral infection

Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions 31:1134-1144

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Ambrós S; Martínez F; Ivars P; de la Iglesia F; Hernández C; Elena SF (2017) Molecular and biological characterization of an isolate of Tomato mottle mosaic virus (ToMMV) infecting tomato and other experimental hosts in a greenhouse in Valencia, Spain

European Journal of Plant Pathology, 149:261-268

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Pérez-Cañamás M, Blanco-Pérez M, Forment J, Hernández C (2017) Nicotiana benthamiana plants asymptomatically infected by Pelargonium line pattern virus show unusually high accumulation of viral small RNAs that is neither associated with DCL induction nor RDR6 activity

Virology 501:136-146

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Blanco-Perez M, Perez-Canamas M, Ruiz L, Hernandez C (2016) Efficient Translation of Pelargonium line pattern virus RNAs Relies on a TED-Like 3 ‘-Translational Enhancer that Communicates with the Corresponding 5 ‘-Region through a Long-Distance RNA-RNA Interaction

Plos ONE 11: e0152593

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Blanco-Pérez M, Hernández C (2016) Evidence supporting a premature termination mechanism for subgenomic RNA transcription in Pelargonium line pattern virus: identification of a critical long-range RNA-RNA interaction and functional variants through mutagenesis

Journal of General Virology 97: 1469-1480

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Carbonell A, García JA, Simón-Mateo C, Hernández C (2016) Plan Virus RNA Replication

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Pérez-Cañamás M, Hernández C (2015) Key importance of small RNA binding for the activity of a glycine-tryptophan (GW) motif-containing viral suppressor of RNA silencing

Journal of Biological Chemistry 290:3106-3120

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Scheets K, Jordan R, White KA, Hernández C (2015) Pelarspovirus, a new genus of plant viruses within family Tombusviridae

Archives of Virology 160: 2385-93

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Martínez-Turiño S, Hernández C (2012) Analysis of the subcellular targeting of the smaller replicase protein of Pelargonium flower break virus

Virus Research 163: 580-591

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Martínez-Turiño S, Hernández C (2011) A membrane-associated movement protein of Pelargonium flower break virus shows RNA binding activity and contains a biologically relevant leucine zipper-like motif

Virology 413: 310-319

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Fernández-Miragall O, Hernández C (2011) An internal ribosome entry site directs translation of the 3′-gene from Pelargonium flower break virus genomic RNA: implications for infectivity

PLoS ONE 6: e22617

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Castaño A, Ruiz L, Elena SF, Hernández C (2011) Population differentiation and selective constraints in Pelargonium line pattern virus

Virus Research 155: 274-282

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Martínez-Turiño S, Hernández C (2010) Identification and characterization of RNA binding activity in the ORF1-encoded replicase protein of Pelargonium flower break virus

Journal of General Virology 91: 3075-3084

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Rico P, Hernández C (2009) Characterization of the subgenomic RNAs produced by Pelargonium flower break virus: identification of two novel RNA species

Virus Research 142: 100-107

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Martínez-Turiño S, Hernández C (2009) Inhibition of RNA silencing by the coat protein of Pelargonium flower break virus: distinctions from closely related suppressors

Journal of General Virology 90: 519-525

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Castaño A, Ruiz L, Hernández C (2009) Insights into the translational regulation of biologically active open reading frames of Pelargonium line pattern virus

Virology 386: 417–426

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Flores R, Gas ME, Molina D, Hernandez C, Daros JA (2008) Analysis of viroid replication

Methods in Molecular Biology 451: 167-183

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Covelli L, Kozlakidis Z, Di Serio F, Citir A, Açıkgöz A, Hernández C, Ragozzino A, Coutts RHA, Flores R (2008) Characterization of the smallest double-stranded RNAs associated with cherry chlorotic rusty spot and Amasya cherry diseases reveals a putative chrysovirus satellite RNA

Archives of Virology 153: 759-762

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Castaño A, Hernández C (2008) Infectivity of transcripts from Pelargonium line pattern virus cDNA clone: effect of additional nucleotides at the 3´ end of the viral RNA

Acta Virologica 51: 271-274

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Gas ME, Molina-Serrano D, Hernández C, Flores R, Daròs JA (2008) Monomeric linear RNA of Citrus exocortis viroid resulting from processing in vivo has 5′-phosphomonoester and 3′-hydroxyl termini: implications for the RNase and RNA ligase involved in replication

Journal of Virology 82: 10321-10325

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Ruiz L, Castaño A, Borja M, Hernández C (2008) Pelargonium chlorotic ring pattern virus: first report in Spain

Plant Pathology 57: 396

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Chaffai M, Serra P, Gandía M, Hernández C, Duran-Vila N (2007) Molecular characterization of CEVd strains that induce different phenotypes in Gynura aurantiaca: structure-pathogenicity relationships

Archives of Virology 152: 1283-1294

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Gas ME, Hernández C, Flores R, Daròs JA (2007) Processing of nuclear viroids in vivo: an interplay between RNA conformations

PLoS Pathogens 3: 1813-1826

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Hernández C, Di Serio F Ambrós S, Daròs J A, Flores R (2006) An element of tertiary structure in Peach latent mosaic viroid RNA revealed by UV irradiation

Journal of Virology 80: 9336-9340

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Rico P, Hernández C (2006) Infectivity of in vitro transcripts from a full length cDNA clone of Pelargonium flower break virus in an experimental and a natural host

Journal of Plant Pathology 88: 103-106

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Rico P, Ivars P, Elena SF, Hernández C (2006) Insights on the selective pressures restricting Pelargonium flower break virus genome variability: evidence for host adaptation

Journal of Virology 80: 8124-8132

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Kozlakidis Z, Covelli L, Di Serio F, Citir A, Açıkgöz S, Hernández C, Ragozzino A, Flores R, Coutts RHA (2006) Molecular characterization of the largest mycoviral-like double-stranded RNAs 1 isolated from plants with Amasya cherry disease, a disease of presumed fungal etiology

Journal of General Virology 87: 3113-3117

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Flores R, Delgado S, Rodio ME, Ambrós S, Hernández C, Di Serio, F (2006) Peach latent mosaic viroid: not so latent

Molecular Plant Pathology 7: 209-221

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Delgado S, Martínez de Alba AE, Hernández C, Flores R (2005) A short double-stranded RNA motif of Peach latent mosaic viroid contains the initiation and the self-cleavage sites of both polarity strands

Journal of Virology 79: 12934-12943

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Castaño A, Hernández C (2005) Complete nucleotide sequence and genome organization of Pelargonium line pattern virus and its relationship with the family Tombusviridae

Archives of Virology 150: 949-965

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Flores R, Hernández C, Martínez de Alba AE, Daròs JA, Di Serio F (2005) Viroids and viroid-host interactions

Annual Reviews in Phytopathology 43: 117-139

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Covelli L, Coutts RHA, Di Serio F, Citir A, Acikgoz S, Hernandez C, Ragozzino A, Flores R (2004) Cherry chlorotic rusty spot and Amasya cherry diseases are associated with a complex pattern of mycoviral-like double-stranded RNAs. I. Characterization of a new species of genus Chrysovirus

Journal of General Virology 85: 3389-3397

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Rico P, Hernández C (2004) Complete nucleotide sequence and genome organization of Pelargonium flower break virus

Archives of Virology 149: 641-651

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Ivars P, Alonso M, Borja M, Hernández C (2004) Development of a non-radioactive dot-blot hybridisation assay for the detection of Pelargonium flower break virus and Pelargonium line pattern virus

European Journal of Plant Pathology 110: 275-283

Proyectos últimos 15 años

PROMETEO/2022/21. “New plant breeding strategies based on whole-plant RNA delivery and data mining (RNAbreed)”. Funding: Generalitat Valenciana (Call: Prometeo Program for Research Groups of Excellence). Co-PI: Carmen Hernández. 2023-2026.

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TED2021-132160B-I00. “Exploring the potential of natural extracts as plant antivirals”. Funding: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Call: Strategic Projects oriented to the Ecological and Digital Transition/ National R+D+i Plan). PI: Carmen Hernández (CSIC). 2022-2024

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COOPA22029. “Molecular analysis of Saffron latent virus (SaLV), an emerging pathogen in the highly valuable Crocus sativus (L) crop”. Funding: Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (Call: Program of International Cooperation for Development, I-COOP-CSIC). PI: Carmen Hernández (CSIC) (International partner: Akbar Dizadji, University of Tehran, Iran). 2023-2024.

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PROMETEO/2019/012. “Plant-virus dynamic interactions: identifying early-warnings of critical transitions to disease”. Funding body: Generalitat Valenciana (Call: Prometeo Program for Research Groups of Excellence). PI: S.F. Elena (I2SysBio, CSIC). 2019-2022. Responsible of WP2/collaborator in other WPs: Carmen Hernández.

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COOPA20461. “Development of molecular strategies for production of virus free saffron (Crocus sativus L.) crop”. Funding body: Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (Call: Program of International Cooperation for Development, I-COOP-CSIC). PI: Carmen Hernández (CSIC) (International partner: Majid Shokrpour, University of Tehran, Iran). 2021-2022.

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COOPA20191. “Analysis of the mode of action of the RNA silencing suppressors of Citrus psorosis virus (CPsV)”. Funding: Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Call: Program of International Cooperation for Development, I-COOP-CSIC). PI: Carmen Hernández (CSIC) (International partner: Carina Reyes, CONICET, La Plata, Argentina). 2018-2019.

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BFU2015-70261-P. “Study of the modulation of translation and RNA silencing suppression processes in a plant RNA virus”. Funding: Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Call: Projects of Excellence/National R+D+i Plan). PI: Carmen Hernández (CSIC). 2016-2019.

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BFU2012-36095. “Analysis of a commensalistic plant-virus relationship: study of viral accumulation determinants and of potential epigenetic alterations in the host genome”. Funding: Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Projects of Non- Oriented Fundamental Research/National R+D+i Plan). PI: Carmen Hernández (CSIC). 2013-2015.

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BFU2009-11699. “Study of non-canonical translational mechanims in plant viruses: analysis of their potential advantages over the conventional mechanism”. Funding: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Call: Projects of Fundamental Research/ National R+D+i Plan). PI: Carmen Hernández (CSIC). 2010-2012.

Análisis de procesos de transcripción, traducción y degradación del virus del arabesco del Pelargonium.

Año: 2016

Nombre: Blanco Pérez, Marta

Universidad: Universitat Politécnica de Valencia

Dirigida por: Hernández, Carmen

Tipo: Tesis Doctorales

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Análisis funcional de las proteínas codificadas por el virus de la rotura del color de la flor del Pelargonium.

Año: 2012

Nombre: Martínez Turiño, Sandra

Universidad: Universitat Politécnica de Valencia

Dirigida por: Hernández, Carmen.

Tipo: Tesis Doctorales

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Estudio de relaciones estructura-función en el virus del arabesco del Pelargonium.

Año: 2009

Nombre: Castaño Sansano, Aurora

Universidad: Universitat Politecnica de Valencia

Dirigida por: Hernández, Carmen.

Tipo: Tesis Doctorales

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Replicación de los viroides nucleares: motivos estructurales y enzimas implicados en el procesamiento in vivo de sus intermediarios oligoméricos.

Año: 2007

Nombre: Gas López, María Eugenia

Universidad: Universidad de Valencia

Dirigida por: Daròs, Jose Antonio; Flores, Ricardo; Hernández, Carmen.

Tipo: Tesis Doctorales

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El virus de la rotura del color de la flor del Pelargonium: caracterización de su genoma, análisis de su variabilidad molecular y estudio de elementos en cis relevantes en replicación.

Año: 2006

Nombre: Rico Tortosa, Patricia

Universidad: Universitat Politécnica de Valencia

Dirigida por: Hernández, Carmen

Tipo: Tésis Doctorales

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Desarrollo de métodos de diagnóstico para las principales virosis del geranio y estudio de la variabilidad molecular del virus de la rotura del color del Pelargonium.

Año: 2003

Nombre: Ivars González, Pilar

Universidad: Universitat Politecnica de Valencia

Dirigida por: Hernández, Carmen.

Tipo: Trabajos de Fin de Carrera

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Mecanismos de defensa asociados a infecciones por viroides

Año: 2001

Nombre: Chaffai, Mohammed

Universidad: Universidad de Valencia

Dirigida por: Durán Vila, Nuria; Hernández, Carmen

Tipo: Tésis Doctorales