Personal pages

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4488-6563

Project

My research subject is the molecular analysis of the interaction between grapevine and its pathogens, in particular the oomycete Plasmopara viticola, causal agent of grapevine downy mildew, with the ultimate goal of obtaining varieties with lasting resistance. I developed research on the identification and characterization of P. viticola resistance-breaking strains and I contributed to the creation of genomic resources making it possible to unveil the repertoire of P. viticola effectors, thus opening the door to the identification of avirulence genes. Currently I am developing research programs aiming at: i) identify genes for recessive resistance to grapevine pathogens; ii) clone and characterize resistance genes to grapevine downy mildew; iii) use P. viticola effectors to identify avirulence genes (Avr) for the resistance genes used in breeding programs.

Selected publications

• Djennane S, Gersch S, Le-Bohec F, Piron MC, Baltenweck R, Lemaire O, Merdinoglu D, Hugueney P, Nogué F, Mestre P. (2023) CRISPR/Cas9 editing of Downy mildew resistant 6 (DMR6-1) in grapevine leads to reduced susceptibility to Plasmopara viticola. Journal of Experimental Botany 75, 2100-2112. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erad487
• Combier M, Evangelisti E, Piron M-C, Schornack S, Mestre P (2022) Candidate effector proteins from the oomycetes Plasmopara viticola and Phytophthora parasitica share similar predicted structures and induce cell death in Nicotiana species. PLoS ONE 17(12): e0278778. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0278778
• Combier M, Evangelisti E, Piron MC, Rengel D, Legrand L, Shenhav L, Bouchez O, Schornack S, Mestre P (2019) A secreted WY-domain-containing protein present in European isolates of the oomycete Plasmopara viticola induces cell death in grapevine and tobacco species. PLoS ONE 14: e0220184. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0220184
• Mestre P, Arista G, Piron MC, Rustenholz C, Ritzenthaler C, Merdinoglu D, Chich JF (2017) Identification of a Vitis vinifera endo ß-1,3 glucanase with antimicrobial activity against Plasmopara viticola. Molecular Plant Pathology 18: 708-719. DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12431
• Mestre P, Carrere S, Gouzy J, Piron MC, Tourvieille de Labrouhe D, Vincourt P, Delmotte F, Godiard L (2016) Comparative analysis of CRN and RXLR efffectors from two Plasmopara species causing grapevine and sunflower downy mildew. Plant Pathology 65: 767-781. Doi: 10.1111/ppa.12469
• Chong J, Piron MC, Meyer S, Merdinoglu D, Bertsch C, Mestre P (2014) The SWEET family of sugar transporters in grapevine: VvSWEET4 is involved in the interaction with Botrytis cinerea. Journal of Experimental Botany 65: 6589-6601. doi:10.1093/jxb/eru375
• Feechan A, Anderson C, Torregrosa L, Jermakow A, Mestre P, Wiedemann-Merdinoglu S, Merdinoglu D, Walker A, Cadle-Davidson L, Reisch B, Aubourg S, Bentahar N, Shrestha B, Bouquet A, Adam-Blondon AF, Thomas M, Dry I (2013) Genetic dissection of a TIR-NB-LRR locus from the wild North American grapevine species Muscadinia rotundifolia identifies paralogous genes conferring resistance to major fungal and oomycete pathogens in cultivated grapevine. The Plant Journal 76: 661-674. doi: 10.1111/tpj.12327
• Rouxel M, Mestre P, Comont G, Lehman BL, Schilder A, Delmotte F (2013) Phylogenetic and experimental evidence for host-specialized cryptic species in a biotrophic oomycete. New Phytologist 197: 251-263. doi: 10.1111/nph.12016
• Mestre P, Piron MC, Merdinoglu D (2012) Identification of effector genes from the phytopathogenic Oomycete Plasmopara viticola through the analysis of gene expression in germinated zoospores. Fungal Biology 116: 825-835. doi:10.1016/j.funbio.2012.04.016
• Peressotti E, Wiedemann-Merdinoglu S, Delmotte F, Bellin D, Di Gaspero G, Testolin R, Merdinoglu D, Mestre, P (2010). Breakdown of resistance to grapevine downy mildew upon limited deployment of a resistant variety. BMC Plant Biology 10:147. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2229/10/147

Career

From March 2023, co-leader for the GAV team.