Leonardo De La Fuente

EDUCATION

• Ph.D. in Plant Pathology (2005) – Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA.
  Dissertation: Characterization of ecological and physiological basis of superior rhizosphere colonization of fluorescent pseudomonad genotypes. Advisors: David M. Weller and Linda S. Thomashow.
• M. S. in Biology. Minor: Microbiology (2000) – PEDECIBA (Program for the Development of Basic Sciences), University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay. Thesis: Biological control strategies of the native strain Pseudomonas fluorescens UP61
• B. S. in Biochemistry (1996) – School of Sciences, University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay

LANGUAGES

English and Spanish

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• 2019 to Present – Professor, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University.
• 2014-2019 – Associate Professor, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University.
• 2008-2014 – Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University.
• 2005-2008 – Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University. Supervisors: Harvey Hoch and Tom Burr. Use of “artificial” xylem vessels (microfluidic chambers) to study biological aspects of the bacterial pathogen Xylella fastidiosa, such as xylem colonization, biofilm formation and twitching movement.
• 2001-2005 – Graduate research assistant. Department of Plant Pathology. Washington State University. Advisers: D.M. Weller and L.S. Thomashow. I studied ecological and physiological aspects of rhizosphere colonization by Pseudomonas fluorescens producing the antibiotic 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG).
• 1999-2001 – Research assistant for Project “Reduction of the chemical inputs in a vegetable crop by the use of beneficial rhizospheric microorganisms.” Project Director: Philippe Lemanceau (INRA, Dijon, France). Funded by European Union. INCO-DC EU. In this joint project among European and South American laboratories, we studied the use of beneficial Pseudomonas and mycorrhizas to improve tomato yield.
• 1998-2001 – Teaching assistant. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of the Republic. Montevideo, Uruguay. Professors: Susana Castro, Adriana Estévez, Claudio Martínez. 2000. Biochemistry, Microbiology and Molecular Biology courses for graduates and undergraduates students.
• 1997-1998 – Teaching assistant. Nitrogen Fixation and Mycorrhizal Fungi Associate Unit. Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Agrononomy, University of the Republic. Montevideo, Uruguay. Professor: Lillián Frioni. 1997. Microbiology courses for graduates and undergraduates students.
• 1993-2001 – Research scholar. Department of Biochemistry, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IIBCE). Montevideo, Uruguay. Supervisor: Alicia Arias. I studied the use of native fluorescent Pseudomonas strains to protect forage legumes against seedling diseases. The mechanisms of biocontrol elucidated in P. fluorescens UP61 included the production of antibiotics with broad range of activity against phytopathogens. I studied the interactions among biocontrol P. fluorescens strains and commercially available rhizobial strains used as inoculants in Uruguay.

AWARDS & HONORS

• Keynote Speaker at the “14th International Conference on Plant Pathogenic Bacteria”. Assisi, Italy, July 3-8, 2022. Presentation: “Mechanisms and distribution of natural competence among Xylella fastidiosa strains”.
• Keynote Speaker at the “7th Xanthomonas Genomics Conference”. Clearwater, Florida, US, June 13-17, 2022. Presentation: “Natural competence and other functions of type IV pili in Xylella fastidiosa”
• Research Fellowship Award, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 2022-2023. Characterization of environmental calcium content as predictor of disease severity by the emergent plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa. Host institution: Instituto de Agricultura Sostenible – Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IAS-CSIC), Córdoba, Spain.
• Keynote Speaker at “Costa Rica Taller regional de actualización sobre el fitopatógeno Xylella fastidiosa.” Presentation: “Situación actual de Xylella fastidiosa a nivel global”. Online workshop organized by the University of Costa Rica, October 2021.
• Keynote Speaker at “5ta Expotesis INIA UY”, November 4-6 2020, online meeting based in Montevideo, Uruguay. Presentation: “Interacciones entre plantas y bacterias”.
• Keynote Speaker at the VII Simposio de Bacterias Fitopatógenas, Guadalajara, Mexico, May 15-17, 2019.
• Keynote Speaker at meeting “EuroXanth Annual Conference”, Lednice, Czech Republic, 9/9-11/2019. Presentation: “Pathogen Biology: Xylella fastidiosa.”
• Keynote Speaker at meeting Phytoma 2018, “Xylella fastidiosa, una amenaza imprevisible?”, Valencia, Spain, 12/12-13/2019.
• Visiting Professor, Universidad de Córdoba, Instituto de Agricultura Sostenible, (CSIC), Córdoba, Spain (April – July 2017).
• Keynote Speaker at the “4to Congreso Argentino de Fitopatologia,” Mendoza, Argentina, April 19-21, 2017.
• Keynote Speaker at meeting Phytoma 2017, “El olivar: retos de la sanidad vegetal e innovación tecnológica”, Jaen, Spain, 11/8/2017.
• Endowed Professor, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, 2016-2019.
• 2015-2018. Invited member of several Working Groups on the outbreak of Xylella fastidiosa in Europe, as part of the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Plant Health.
• Observer from International Partner Countries. COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) action EuroXanth: Integrating science on Xanthomonadaceae for integrated plant disease management in Europe.
• Scientific Advisory Board member for project “XfACTORS (Xylella fastidiosa Active Containment Through a Multidisciplinary-Oriented Research Strategy)”, funded by the European Union, Horizon 2020.
• 2015-2016 Provost’s Award for Faculty Excellence in Fostering Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship, Auburn University.
• Keynote speaker at the “X Encuentro Nacional de Microbiólogos, Sociedad Uruguaya de Microbiología”, April 15-16 2013, Montevideo, Uruguay. Presentation: “Calcio modula la formación de biofilm en la bacteria fitopatógena Xylella fastidiosa.”
• 2012 Schroth Faces of the Future-New Frontiers in Plant Bacteriology award, American Phytopathological Society.
• Elected University Senator (2012-2015) of the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University.
• Graduate Program Officer for Plant Pathology in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology (2012-2021)
• Keynote speaker at the 44th Brazilian Phytopathological Society meeting, Bento Gonçalves, RS, Brazil. August 2011.
• 2004-2005 – Storkan-Hanes-McCaslin Foundation. Grant: “Ecology of rhizosphere fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. involved in suppression of soilborne pathogens”
• 2004 – Graduate and Professional Students Association of the Washington State University. Graduate student travel grant to attend the 2004 APS Annual Meeting held at Anaheim, California (USA)
• 2003 – APS Student Travel Award to attend the 2003 APS Annual Meeting held at Charlotte, North Carolina (USA)
• 1999-2000 – International Foundation for Science (IFS) (Sweden). Grant: “Native fluorescent Pseudomonas as biocontrol agents of alfalfa seedling diseases”
• 1999-2000 – M.Sc. Scholarship. PEDECIBA Biology (Program for the Development of Basic Sciences), University of the Republic. Montevideo, Uruguay

My research interests are focused on the interactions between plants and associated microorganisms. Particularly, I am interested in infection processes, host colonization, biofilm formation, and molecular characterization of bacterial plant pathogens. I am answering research questions about the biology of pathogenic bacteria using a variety of microbiology and molecular biology techniques, as well as nanotechnology.

• PLPA 4960 – Special Problems in Plant Pathology
• PLPA 4980 – Undergraduate Research
• PLPA 7300 – Plant-Bacterial Interactions
• ENTM/PLPA 7930/8930 – Journal Review for Entomology & Plant Pathology
• PLPA 8880 – Physiological & Molecular Plant Pathology

• Merfa, M.V., X. Zhu, D. Shantharaj, L.M. Gomez, E. Naranjo, N. Potnis, P.A. Cobine, and L. De La Fuente. 2023. Complete functional analysis of type IV pilus components of a reemergent plant pathogen reveals neofunctionalization of paralog genes. PLoS Pathogens, 19(2): e1011154. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1011154.
• Shantharaj, D., E. Naranjo, M.V Merfa, P.A. Cobine, S. Santra, and L. De La Fuente. 2023. Zinc oxide-based nanoformulation Zinkicide® mitigates the xylem-limited pathogen Xylella fastidiosa in tobacco and southern highbush blueberry. Plant Disease 107:1096-1106, doi: 10.1094/PDIS-01-22-0246-RE.
• Velasco-Amo, M.P., L.F. Arias-Giraldo, M. Román Ecija, L. De La Fuente, E. Marco-Noales, E. Moralejo, J. Navas-Cortés, and B.B. Landa. 2023. Complete circularized genome resources of seven strains of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa using hybrid assembly reveals unknown plasmids. Phytopathology, 113:1128-1132, doi: 10.1094/PHYTO-10-22-0396-A.
• Román Ecija, M., J. Navas-Cortés, M.P. Velasco-Amo, L.F. Arias-Giraldo, L.M. Gomez, L. De La Fuente, and B.B. Landa. 2023. Two Xylella fastidiosa subsp. multiplex strains isolated from almond in Spain differ in plasmid content and virulence traits. Phytopathology, 113:960-974, doi: 10.1094/PHYTO-06-22-0234-R.
• De La Fuente, L., Merfa, M.V.*G, P.A. Cobine, and J. J. Coleman. Pathogen adaptation to the xylem environment. Annual Review of Phytopathology, 60:163-86, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-phyto-021021-041716.
• Shantharaj, D., E. Naranjo*G, Marcus V. Merfa*G, P.A. Cobine, S. Santra, and L. De La Fuente. Zinc oxide-based nanoformulation Zinkicide® mitigates the xylem-limited pathogen Xylella fastidiosa in tobacco and southern highbush blueberry. Plant Disease, in press.
• Soliman, M., B. Lee, A. Ozcan, T.B. Rawal, M. Young, H.C. Mendis, P. Rajasekaran, T. Washington II, S. Venkatesh Pingali, H. O’Neill, A. Gesquiere, L. De La Fuente, L. Petridis, E. Johnson, J. Graham, S. Santra, and L. Tetard. 2022. Engineered zinc oxide-based nanotherapeutics boost systemic antibacterial efficacy against phloem-restricted diseases. Environmental Science Nano, 9(8):2869-2886, DOI: 10.1039/d2en00263a.
• Ge, Q.*G, X. Zhu*G, P.A. Cobine, and L. De La Fuente. The copper-binding protein CutC is involved in copper homeostasis and affects virulence in the xylem-limited pathogen Xylella fastidiosa. Phytopathology, 112:1620-1629, https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-11-21-0488-R.
• Merfa, M.V.*G, E. Naranjo*G, D. Shantharaj, and L. De La Fuente. Growth of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ in commercial grapefruit juice-based media formulations reveals common cell density-dependent transient behaviors. Phytopathology, 112 (1):131-144, https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-06-21-0228-FI.
• O’Leary, M., L. F. F. Arias-Girald*G, L. Burbank, L. De La Fuente, and B. B. Landa. Complete genome resources for Xylella fastidiosa strains AlmaEM3 and BB08-1 reveal prophage-associated structural variation among blueberry-infecting strains. Phytopathology, 112:732-736, https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-08-21-0317-A.
• Ge, Q.*G, P.A. Cobine, and L. De La Fuente. The influence of copper homeostasis genes copA and copB on Xylella fastidiosa virulence is affected by sap copper concentration. Phytopathology, 111:1520-1529, https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-12-20-0531-R.
• Anguita-Maeso. M.*G, C. Haro, M. Montes-Borrego, L. De La Fuente, J. A. Navas-Cortés, and B. B. Landa. Metabolomic, ionomic and microbial characterization of olive xylem sap reveals differences according to plant age and genotype. MDPI Agronomy, 11(6):1179. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11061179.
• Ge, Q.*G, R. Liu*G, P.A. Cobine, N. Potnis and L. De La Fuente. Phenotypic and phylogenetic characterization of Cu homeostasis among Xylella fastidiosa strains. MDPI Pathogens, 10, 495. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10040495.
• Merfa, M.V.*G, and L. De La Fuente. Why we should care about culturing the Huanglongbing associated bacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’: the importance of terms and interpretations. Journal of Citrus Pathology, 7(1), https://doi.org/10.5070/C471050303.
• Castillo, A.I., I. Bojanini, H. Chen*G, P.P. Kandel*G, L. De La Fuente, and R.P.P. Almeida. Allopatric plant pathogen population divergence following disease emergence. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 87:e02095-20. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02095-20.
• Naranjo, E.*G, M. V. Merfa*G, S. Santra, A. Ozcan, E. Johnson, P. A. Cobine, and L. De La Fuente. Zinkicide is a ZnO-based nano-formulation with bactericidal activity against Liberibacter crescens in batch cultures and in microfluidic chambers simulating plant vascular systems. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 86:e00788-20. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00788-20.
• Gluck-Thaler E., A. Cerutti, A.L. Perez-Quintero, J. Butchacas, V. Roman-Reyna, V. Narayanan Madhavan, D. Shantharaj, M.V. Merfa*G, C. Pesce, A. Jauneau, T. Vancheva, J.L. Lang, C. Allen, V. Verdier, L. Gagnevin, B. Szurek, S. Cunnac, G. Beckham, L. De La Fuente, H. Kumar Patel, R.V. Sonti, C. Bragard, J.E. Leach, L.D. Noël, J.S. Slot, R. Koebnik, and J.M. Jacobs. Repeated gain and loss of a single gene modulates the evolution of vascular plant pathogen lifestyles. Science Advances, 6 (46), eabc4516, doi:10.1126/sciadv.abc4516
• D’Attoma, G.*G, M. Morelli, L. De La Fuente, P.A. Cobine, M. Saponari, A. Alves de Souza, A. De Stradis, and P. Saldarelli. Phenotypic characterization and transformation attempts reveal peculiar traits of Xylella fastidiosa subspecies pauca strain De Donno. MDPI Microorganisms 8, 1832; doi:10.3390/microorganisms8111832.
• Chen, H. *G, and L. De La Fuente. Calcium transcriptionally regulates movement, recombination and other functions of Xylella fastidiosa under constant flow inside microfluidic chambers. Microbial Biotechnology, 13(2):548–561, https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.13512.
• Ge, Q.*G, P. Cobine, and L. De La Fuente. Copper supplementation in watering solution reaches the xylem but does not protect tobacco plants against Xylella fastidiosa infection. Plant Disease, 104:724-730, https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-08-19-1748-RE,
• Sicard, A., A.I. Castillo, M. Voeltz, H. Chen*G, A.R. Zeilinger, L. De La Fuente, and R.P.P. Almeida. Inference of bacterial pathogen instantaneous population growth dynamics. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 33(3): 402-411, https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-10-19-0274-TA.
• D’Attoma, G.*G, M. Morelli, P. Saldarelli, M. Saponari, A. Giampetruzzi, D. Boscia, V. N. Savino, L. De La Fuente, and P. A. Cobine. Ionomic differences between susceptible and resistant olive cultivars infected by Xylella fastidiosa in the outbreak area of Salento, Italy. MDPI-Pathogens, 8:272; doi:10.3390/pathogens8040272.
• Potnis N., P. P. Kandel*G, M. V. Merfa*G, A. C. Retchless, J. K. Parker; D. C. Stenger, R. P. P. Almeida, M. Bergsma-Vlami, M. Westenberg, P. A. Cobine, and L. De La Fuente. Patterns of inter- and intra-subspecific homologous recombination inform eco-evolutionary dynamics of Xylella fastidiosa. The ISME Journal 13:2319-2333, doi: 10.1038/s41396-019-0423-y.
• Sicard, A., M.V. Merfa*G, M. Voeltz, A.R. Zeilinger, L. De La Fuente, and R.P.P. Almeida. Discriminating between viable and membrane-damaged cells of the plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa. PLoS ONE, 14(8):e0221119. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221119.
• Merfa, M.V.*G, E. Perez-Lopez, E. Naranjo*G, M. Jain, D.W. Gabriel, and L. De La Fuente. Progress and obstacles in culturing ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’, the bacterium associated with Huanglongbing (HLB). Phytopathology, 109(7):1092-1101. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-02-19-0051-RVW.
• Doblas-Ibáñez, P., K. Deng, M.F. Vasquez, L. Giese, P.A. Cobine, J.M. Kolkman, H. King, T.M. Jamann, P. Balint-Kurti, L. De La Fuente, R.J. Nelson, D. Mackey, L.G. Smith. Dominant, heritable resistance to Stewart’s wilt in maize is associated with an enhanced vascular defense response to infection with Pantoea stewartii. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 32(12):1581-1597. https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-05-19-0129-R.
• Mendis, H.C., A. Ozcan, S. Santra, and L. De La Fuente. A novel Zn chelate (TSOL) that moves systemically in citrus plants inhibits growth and biofilm formation of bacterial pathogens. PLoS ONE, 14(6): e0218900. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0218900.
• Cai, W. *G, De La Fuente, and C.R. Arias. 2019. Transcriptome analysis of the fish pathogen Flavobacterium columnare in biofilm provide insights into the role of calcium in pathogenesis. BMC Microbiology, 19(1):151. doi: 10.1186/s12866-019-1533-4.
• Vanhove, M, A.C. Retchless, A. Sicard, A. Rieux, H.D. Coletta-Filho, L. De La Fuente, D. C. Stenger, and R.P. P. Almeida. Genomic diversity and recombination among Xylella fastidiosa subspecies. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 85:e02972-18. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02972-18.
• Declercq, A. M.*G, W. Cai*G, E. Naranjo*G, W. Thongda, V. Eeckhaut, E. Bauwens, C. Arias, L. De La Fuente, B. H. Beck, M. D. Lange, E. Peatman, F. Haesebrouck, J. Aerts, and A. Decostere. 2019. Evidence that the stress hormone cortisol regulates biofilm formation differently among Flavobacterium columnare Veterinary Research 50:24, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-019-0641-3.
• Naranjo, E. *G, M.V. Merfa*G, V. Ferreira*G, M. Jain, M.J. Davis, O. Bahar, D.W. Gabriel and L. De La Fuente. Liberibacter crescens biofilm formation in vitro: establishment of a model system for pathogenic ‘Candidatus Liberibacter spp.’. Scientific Reports 9:5150, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-41495-5.
• Almeida, R.P.P., L. De La Fuente, R. Koebnik, J.R.S. Lopes, S. Parnell and H. Scherm. Addressing the new global threat of Xylella fastidiosa. Phytopathology 109:172-174.
• Kandel, P.P.*G, H. Chen*G, and L. De La Fuente. A short protocol for gene knockout and complementation in Xylella fastidiosa shows that one of the type IV pilin paralogs (PD1926) is needed for twitching while another (PD1924) affects pili number and location. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 84(18):doi:10.1128/AEM.01167-18.
• M.*G, M.Y. Hussaini, L. De La Fuente, F. Navarrete*G and N. G. Cogan. 2018. A framework for model analysis across multiple experiment regimes: Investigating effects of zinc on Xylella fastidiosa as a case study. Journal of Theoretical Biology 457:88–100.
• Mendis, H. C., V. P. Thomas, P. Schwientek, R. Salamzade, J.T. Chien, P. Waidyarathne, J. Kloepper and L. De La Fuente. 2018. Strain-specific quantification of root colonization by plant growth promoting rhizobacteria Bacillus firmus I-1582 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens QST713 in non-sterile soil and field conditions. PLoS ONE, 13(2): e0193119. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0193119.
• Barde, M.*G, M. Davis, S. Rangari, H. C. Mendis, De La Fuente, and M. L. Auad. 2018. Development of antimicrobial‐loaded polyurethane films for drug‐eluting catheters. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, doi 10.1002/app.46467.
• Chen, H. *GP Kandel*G, L.F. Cruz*G, P.A. Cobine and L. De La Fuente. 2017. The major outer membrane protein MopB is required for twitching movement and affects biofilm formation and virulence in two Xylella fastidiosa strains. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 30 (11):896-905.
• Kandel, P.P. *G, R.P.P. Almeida, P.A. Cobine and L. De La Fuente. Natural competence rates are variable among Xylella fastidiosa strains and homologous recombination occurs in vitro between subspecies fastidiosa and multiplex. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 30(7):589-600.
• De La Fuente, L., C. Chacón-Diaz, and R. P.P. Almeida. 2017. Enfermedades causadas por Xylella fastidiosa en Estados Unidos y Costa Rica. In “Enfermedades causadas por la bacteria Xylella fastidiosa”, pp. 149-176. B.B. Landa, E. Marco-Noales, M. M. Lopez, eds. Cajamar Caja Rural Press, ISBN: 978-84-95531-86-5. http://www.publicacionescajamar.es/series-tematicas/informes-coyuntura-monografias/enfermedades-causadas-por-la-bacteria-xylella-fastidiosa/
• Kandel, P.P. *G, S.M. Lopez*U, R.P.P. Almeida, and L. De La Fuente. Natural competence of Xylella fastidiosa occurs at a high frequency inside microfluidic chambers mimicking the bacterium’s natural habitats. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 82:5269 –5277.
• Parker, J.K., H. Chen*G, S.E. McCarty*U, L. Liu*U, and L. De La Fuente. Calcium transcriptionally regulates the biofilm machinery of Xylella fastidiosa to promote continued biofilm development in batch cultures. Environmental Microbiology, 18(5), 1620–1634.
• Candresse, T., Winters, S., L. De La Fuente, M.A. Jacques, C. Bragard and others. 2016. EFSA PLH Panel (EFSA Panel on Plant Health). Susceptibility of Citrus , Quercus ilex and Vitis spp. to Xylella fastidiosa strain CoDiRO. EFSA Journal 2016; 14(10):4601 [19 pp.]. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2016.4601
• Winters, S., L. De La Fuente, M.A. Jacques, C. Bragard and others. 2016. EFSA PLH Panel (EFSA Panel on Plant Health). Statement on diversity of Xylella fastidiosa pauca in Apulia. EFSA Journal 2016; 14(8):4542, 19 pp. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2016.454
• Winters, S., C. Bragard, L. De La Fuente, S. Parnell and others. 2016. EFSA PLH Panel (EFSA Panel on Plant Health). Treatment solutions to cure Xylella fastidiosa diseased plants. EFSA Journal 2016; 14(4):4456 [12 pp.]. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2016.4456
• Winters, S., C. Bragard, L. De La Fuente, S. Parnell and others. 2016. EFSA PLH Panel (EFSA Panel on Plant Health). Scientific opinion on four statements questioning the EU control strategy against Xylella fastidiosa. EFSA Journal 2016; 14(3):4450 [24 pp.]. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2016.4450.
• Navarrete, F.*G, and L. De La Fuente. Zinc detoxification is required for full virulence and modification of the host leaf ionome by Xylella fastidiosa. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 28(4):497-507.
• Parker, J.K., L.F. Cruz*G, M.R. Evans*U, and L. De La Fuente. Presence of calcium-binding motifs in PilY1 homologs correlates with Ca-mediated twitching motility and evolutionary history across diverse bacteria. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 362(4):1-9.
• Oliver, J.E., P. A. Cobine, and L. De La Fuente. Xylella fastidiosa isolates from both subsp. multiplex and fastidiosa cause disease on southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium sp.) under greenhouse conditions. Phytopathology, 105(7):855-862.
• Winters, S., C. Bragard, L. De La Fuente, E. Rogers and others. 2015. EFSA PLH Panel (EFSA Panel on Plant Health). Scientific opinion on Vitis response to Xylella fastidiosa strain CoDiRO. EFSA Journal 2015; 13(11):4314. 20 pp. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4314.
• Whidden, M.*G, N.G. Cogan, M.R. Donahue*G, F. Navarrete*G, and L. De La Fuente. A two-dimensional multiphase model of biofilm formation in microfluidic chambers. Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, 1-19. DOI 10.1007/s11538-015-0115-3.
• Sibaja B.*G, E. Culbertson, P. Marshall, R. Boy, R.M. Broughton, A. Aguilar Solano, M. Esquivel, J.K. Parker, L. De La Fuente, and M.L. Auad. Preparation of alginate–chitosan fibers with potential biomedical applications. Carbohydrate Polymers, 134:598-608.
• Leite, B., R. Dziedzic, Cruz, L.F. *G, A.L. Gillian-Daniel, C. Nielsen, and L. De La Fuente. The use of microcontact printing of thiols to evaluate attachment of Xylella fastidiosa under distinct conditions of calcium availability. Microscopy and Microanalysis 21 (Suppl 3), doi:10.1017/S143192761500433X.
• De La Fuente, L., F. Navarrete*G, J.E. Oliver, L.F. Cruz and P.A. Cobine. The influence of metal elements on virulence in plant pathogenic bacteria. In Virulence mechanisms of plant pathogenic bacteria, American Phytopathological Society (APS) Press, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. N. Wang, L. De La Fuente, J. Jones, J. Ham, F. White, G. Sundin, S. Hogenhaut, C. Roper (Eds.).
• Zaini, P.; S. Burdman, M. Igo, J.K. Parker and L. De La Fuente. Fimbrial and afimbrial adhesins involved in bacterial attachment to surfaces. In Virulence mechanisms of plant pathogenic bacteria, American Phytopathological Society (APS) Press, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. N. Wang, L. De La Fuente, J. Jones, J. Ham, F. White, G. Sundin, S. Hogenhaut, C. Roper (Eds.).
• Cursino, L., D. Athinuwat, K.R. Patel, C.D. Galvani, P.A. Zaini, Y. Li, L. De La Fuente, H.C. Hoch, T.J. Burr, and P. Mowery. Characterization of the Xylella fastidiosa PD1671 Gene encoding degenerate c-di-GMP GGDEF/EAL domains, and its role in the development of Pierce’s disease. PLoS ONE 10(3): e0121851. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0121851.
• Cruz, L.F. *G, J.K. Parker, P.A. Cobine, and L. De La Fuente. Calcium-enhanced twitching motility in Xylella fastidiosa is linked to a single PilY1 homolog. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 80 (23):7176-7185.
• Oliver, J.E., S. A. Sefick*G, J. K. Parker, T. Arnold*U, P. A. Cobine, and L. De La Fuente. Ionome changes in Xylella fastidiosa-infected Nicotiana tabacum correlate with virulence and discriminate between subspecies of bacterial isolates. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 27(10):1048-1058.
• Navarrete, F. *G, and L. De La Fuente. 2014. Xylella fastidiosa response to zinc: decreased culturability, increased exopolysaccharide production, and resilient biofilms under flow conditions. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 80 (3):1097-1107.
• Parker, J.K., S. R. Wisotsky*U, E. G. Johnson, F. M. Hijaz, N. Killiny, M. E. Hilf, and L. De La Fuente. Viability of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ prolonged by addition of citrus juice to culture medium. Phytopathology, 104 (1):15-26.
• Cai, W.*G, L. De La Fuente, C. R. Arias. Biofilm formation by the fish pathogen Flavobacterium columnare: development and parameters affecting surface attachment. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 79(18): 5633-5642.
• De La Fuente, L., J.K. Parker, J.E. Oliver, S. Granger, P.M. Brannen, E. van Santen, and P.A. Cobine. 2013. The bacterial pathogen Xylella fastidiosa affects the leaf ionome of plant hosts during infection. PLoS ONE, 8(5): e62945. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0062945.
• Cogan, N.G., M.R. Donahue*G, M. Whidden*G, and L. De La Fuente. Pattern formation exhibited by biofilm formation within microfluidic chambers. The Biophysical Journal, 104(9):1867-1874.
• Cobine, P., L. Cruz*G, F. Navarrete*G, Duncan*U, M. Tygart, and L. De La Fuente. 2013. Xylella fastidiosa differentially accumulates mineral elements in biofilm and planktonic cells. PLoS ONE, 8(1): e54936. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054936.
• Mavrodi, D. M., O.V. Mavrodi, L. De La Fuente, B.B. Landa, D.M. Weller, and L.S. Thomashow. Management of plant pathogens and pests using microbial biological control agents. In Plant Pathology Concepts and Laboratory Exercises, 3rd ed. CRC Press (Taylor & Francis), USA, 2014. ISBN 9781466500815. R. N. Trigiano and B. H. Owley (Eds).
• Yanes, M.L., L. De La Fuente, N. Altier and A. Arias. Characterization of native fluorescent Pseudomonas isolates associated with alfalfa roots in Uruguayan agroecosystems. Biological Control, 63(3): 287-295.
• Sang-Dal, K., L. De La Fuente, D.M. Weller, and L.S. Thomashow. 2012. Colonizing ability of Pseudomonas fluorescens 2112, among collections of 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol-producing Pseudomonas fluorescens in pea rhizosphere. Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 22(6): 763-770.
• Cruz, L.F.*G, P.A. Cobine, and L. De La Fuente. Calcium increases surface attachment, biofilm formation, and twitching motility in Xylella fastidiosa. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 78(5):1321-1331.
• Parker, J.K., J. Harvird*G, and L. De La Fuente. 2012. Differentiation of Xylella fastidiosa strains via multi-locus sequence analysis of environmentally-mediated genes (MLSA-E). Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 78(5):1385-1396.
• Burdman, S., O. Bahar*G, J.K. Parker, and L. De La Fuente. Involvement of type IV pili in pathogenicity of plant pathogenic bacteria. Genes, 2:706-735.
• Cursino, L., C.D. Galvani, D. Athinuwat, P.A. Zaini, Y. Li, L. De La Fuente, H.C. Hoch, T.J. Burr, and P. Mowery. 2011. Identification of pilL as a component of a chemosensory operon that controls twitching motility and virulence in Xylella fastidiosa. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 24:1198-1206.
• De La Fuente, L., and S. Burdman. Pathogenic and beneficial plant-associated bacteria. In Agricultural Sciences, [Ed.Rattan Lal], in Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), Developed under the Auspices of the UNESCO, Eolss Publishers, Oxford ,UK, [http://www.eolss.net]
• De La Fuente, and H. Hoch. Promises and realities of nanotechnology for plant pathology. Tropical plant pathology, 36:13-15.
• Bahar*G, O., L. De La Fuente and S. Burdman. Assessing adhesion, biofilm formation and motility of Acidovorax citrulli using microfuidic flow chambers. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 312:33-39.
• Cursino, L., Y. Li, P. Zaini, L. De La Fuente, H.C. Hoch and T.J. Burr. Twitching motility and biofilm formation are associated with tonB1 in Xylella fastidiosa. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 299:193-199
• Zaini, P., L. De La Fuente, H.C. Hoch and T.J. Burr. Grapevine xylem sap enhances biofilm development by Xylella fastidiosa. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 295:129-134.
• De La Fuente, L., T.J. Burr, and H.C. Hoch. 2008. Autoaggregation of Xylella fastidiosa cells is influenced by type I and type IV pili. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 74: 5579-5582.
• De La Fuente, L., O.V. Mavrodi, N. Bajsa, and D.V. Mavrodi. Antibiotics produced by fluorescent Pseudomonas. In Prospects and Applications for Plant-Associated Microbes. A Laboratory Manual, Part A: Bacteria, pp. 249-255. S. Sorvari and A. M. Pirttilä (Eds.). BioBien Innovations, Piikkiö, Finland.
• De La Fuente, L., O.V. Mavrodi, N. Bajsa and D.V. Mavrodi. Detection of antibiotic biosynthetic genes of biocontrol fluorescent Pseudomonas by PCR (Experimental procedures). In Prospects and Applications for Plant-Associated Microbes. A Laboratory Manual, pp. 81-84. Sorvari and A. M. Pirttilä (Eds.), BioBien Innovations, Piikkiö, Finland.
• De La Fuente, L., J. Burr, and H.C. Hoch. 2007. Mutations in type I and type IV pilus biosynthetic genes affect twitching motility rates in Xylella fastidiosa. Journal of Bacteriology, 189:7507-7510.
• De La Fuente, L., E. Montanes, Meng, Y. Li, T.J. Burr, H.C. Hoch, and M. Wu. 2007. Assessing adhesion forces of type I and type IV pili of Xylella fastidiosa using a microfluidic flow chamber. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 73:2690-2696.
• Li, Y., G. Hao, C.D. Galvani, Y. Meng, L. De La Fuente, H.C. Hoch, and T.J. Burr. Type I and type IV pili of Xylella fastidiosa affect twitching motility, biofilm formation, and cell-cell aggregation. Microbiology, 153:719-726.
• De La Fuente, L., D.V. Mavrodi, L.S. Thomashow, and D.M. Weller. 2007. Utilization of trehalose, benzoate, valerate, and seed and root exudates by genotypes of 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol producing Pseudomonas fluorescens. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 39:2712–2722.
• Weller, D.M., B.B. Landa, O.V. Mavrodi, K. Schroeder, L. De La Fuente, S. Blouin-Bankhead, R. Allende-Molar, R.F. Bonsall, D.V. Mavrodi, and L.S. Thomashow. Role of 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol-producing fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. in the defense of plant roots. Plant Biology, 9:4-20.
• De La Fuente, L., B.B. Landa, and D.M. Weller. Host crop affects rhizosphere colonization and competitiveness of 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol-producing Pseudomonas fluorescens. Phytopathology, 96:751-762.
• De La Fuente, L., D.V. Mavrodi, B.B. Landa, L.S. Thomashow, and D.M. Weller. 2006. phlD-based genetic diversity and detection of genotypes of 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol-producing Pseudomonas fluorescens. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 56:64-78.
• Validov, S., O. Mavrodi, L. De La Fuente, A. Boronin, D. Weller, L. Thomashow, and D. Mavrodi. Antagonistic activity among 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol-producing fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 242:249-256.
• Bajsa N., L. Quagliotto, M.L. Yanes, P. Vaz, G. Azziz, L. De La Fuente, P. Bagnasco, D. Davyt, C. Pérez, F. Ducamp, N. Altier & A. Arias. Selección de Pseudomonas fluorescentes nativas para controlar enfermedades de implantación en praderas. Agrociencia, 9: 321-325.
• De La Fuente, L., L.S. Thomashow, D.M. Weller, N. Bajsa, L. Quagliotto, L. Chernin, and A. Arias. 2004. Pseudomonas fluorescens UP61 isolated from birdsfoot trefoil rhizosphere produces multiple antibiotics and exerts a broad spectrum of biocontrol activity. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 110:671-681.
• De La Fuente, L., L. Quagliotto, N. Bajsa, E. Fabiano, N. Altier, and A. Arias. Inoculation with Pseudomonas fluorescens biocontrol strains does not affect the symbiosis between rhizobia and forage legumes. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 34:545-548.
• Pérez, C., L. De La Fuente, Arias, and N. Altier. 2001. Uso de Pseudomonas fluorescentes nativas para el control de enfermedades de implantación en Lotus corniculatus. Agrociencia, 5:41-47.
• Bagnasco, P., L. De La Fuente, F. Noya, G. Gualtieri, and A. Arias. Fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. as biocontrol agents against forage legume root pathogenic fungi. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 30:1317-1322.
• Chernin, L., L. De La Fuente, V. Sobolev, S. Haran, C. E. Vorgias, A. Oppenheim, and I. Chet. 1997. Molecular cloning, structural analysis and expression in Escherichia coli of a chitinase from Enterobacter agglomerans. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 63:834-839.
• Fabiano, E., P. R. Gill, F. Noya, P. Bagnasco, L. De La Fuente, and A. Arias. Siderophore-mediated iron acquisition mutants in Rhizobium meliloti 242 and its effect on the nodulation kinetic on alfalfa nodules. Symbiosis, 19:197-211.

*U Undergraduate student.

*G Graduate student.