Dr. Jaime Barros-Rios | Department of Biological Sciences
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Dr. Jaime Barros-Rios

Postdoctoral Research Associate
Office: 
Science Research Building - Room SRB121
BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203
+1-940-565-4890
Jaime.Barros-Rios@unt.edu

Highlights: Dr. Barros's research interests include: biochemistry and genetic engineering of plant natural products; plant biotechnology and improvement of food/forage crops; plant responses and adaptations to the environment.

Education: 
Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics University of Vigo, Spain, 2012
M.Sc. in Biostatistics University of Vigo, Spain, 2009
B.S. in Forestry University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 2004
Research: 

Aug 2013 - Present

Aug 2019-Dec 2019

Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of North Texas

Visiting Fellow, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Mar 2012 - May 2013 Postdoctoral Fellow, Umea Plant Science Centre, Sweden
Jun 2007 - May 2012 Ph.D. Student, Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation
Publications: 
  1. Yao T, Feng K, Xie M, Barros J, Tschaplinski T, Tuskan GA, Muchero W, Chen JG. Phylogenetic occurrence of the phenylpropanoid pathway and lignin biosynthesis in plants. Frontiers in Plant Science. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2021.704697
  2. López-Malvar A, Malvar RA, Souto XC, Gomez LD, Simister R, Encina A, Barros J, Pereira-Crespo S, Santiago R (2021). Elucidating the Multifunctional Role of the Cell Wall Components in the Maize Exploitation. BMC plant biology doi: 10.1186/s12870-021-03040-3
  3. Serrani-Yarce J, Escamilla-Trevino L, Barros J, Gallego-Giraldo L, Pu, Y.; Ragauskas A, Dixon R (2021) Targeting Hydroxycinnamoyl CoA: Shikimate Hydroxycinnamoyl Transferase for Lignin Modification in Brachypodium distachyon. Biotechnology for Biofuels doi: 10.1186/s13068-021-01905-1
  4. Dixon RA, Barros J (2020) Lignin Biosynthesis - Old Roads Revisited and New Roads Explored. Open Biology doi: 10.1098/rsob.190215
  5. Barros J, Dixon RA (2020) Plant Phenylalanine/Tyrosine Ammonia-Lyases. Trends in Plant Science doi: 10.1016/j.tplants.2019.09.011
  6. Barros J, Escamilla-Trevino L, Song L, Rao X, Serrani-Yarce JC, Palacios MD, Engle N., Choudhury FK, Tschaplinski TJ, Venables BJ, Mittler R, Dixon RA (2019) 4-Coumarate 3-Hydroxylase in the Lignin Biosynthesis Pathway is a Cytosolic Ascorbate Peroxidase. Nature Communications doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-10082-7
  7. Xie H, Engle NL, Venketachalam S, Yoo CG, Barros J, Lecoultre M, Srivastava AC, Pattathil S, Pu Y, Hahn MG, Ragauskas AJ, Nelson RS, Dixon RA, Tschaplinski TJ, Blancaflor E, Tang Y (2019) Combining Loss of Function of FPGS1 and CCoAOMT1 for Lignin Reduction and Improved Saccharification Efficiency in Arabidopsis. Biotechnology for Biofuels doi: 10.1186/s13068-019-1446-3
  8. Mojdeh F, Fonseca LL, Escamilla-Treviño L, Barros J, Engle NL, Yang ZK, Tschaplinski TJ, Dixon RA, Voit EO (2018) A Dynamic Model of Lignin Biosynthesis in Brachypodium distachyon. Biotechnology for Biofuels doi: 10.1186/s13068-018-1241-6
  9. Barros J, Temple S, Dixon RA (2018) Development and Commercialization of Reduced Lignin Alfalfa. Current Opinion in Biotechnology doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2018.09.003
  10. Xie M, Muchero W, Bryan AC, Yee KL, Guo H, Zhang J, Tschaplinski T, Singan VR, Lindquist E, Payyavula RS, Barros J, Dixon RA, Engle N, Sykes RW, Davis M, Jawdy S, Gunter LE, Thompson O, DiFazio SP, Evans LM, Winkler K, Collins C, Schmutz J, Guo H, Kalluri U, Rodriguez M, Feng K, Chen JG, Tuskan GA (2018) A 5-Enolpyruvylshikimate 3-Phosphate Synthase Functions as a Transcriptional Repressor in Populus. Plant Cell doi: 10.1105/tpc.18.00168
  11. Santiago R, Lopez-Malvar A, Souto C, Barros J* (2018) Methods for Determining Cell Wall Bound- Phenolics in Maize Stem Tissues. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.7b05752
  12. Faraji M, Fonseca LL, Escamilla-Treviño L, Barros J, Engle N, Yang ZK, Tschaplinski TJ, Dixon RA, Voit EO (2018) Mathematical Models of Lignin Biosynthesis. Biotechnology for Biofuels doi: 10.1186/s13068- 018-1028-9
  13. Yang H, Barros J, Kourteva G, Rao X, Chen F, Shen H, Liu C, Podstolski A, Belanger F, Havkin-Frenkel D, Dixon RA (2017) A Re-evaluation of the Final Step of Vanillin Biosynthesis in Vanilla planifolia. Phytochemistry doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2017.04.003
  14. Caicedo M, Barros J, Ordas B (2016) Redefining Agricultural Residues as Bioenergy Feedstocks. Materials doi: 10.3390/ma9080635
  15. Barros J, Serrani-Yarce JC, Chen F, Baxter D, Venables BJ, Dixon RA (2016) Role of Bifunctional Ammonia-lyase in Grass Cell Wall Biosynthesis. Nature Plants doi: 10.1038/nplants.2016.50
    • Commentary article: Maeda HA. (2016) Lignin biosynthesis: Tyrosine shortcut in grasses. Nature plants doi: 10.1038/nplants.2016.80
  16. Barros J*, Romani A, Peleteiro S, Garrote G, Ordas B (2016) Second-Generation Bioethanol of Hydrothermally Pretreated Stover Biomass from Maize Genotypes. Biomass and Bioenergy doi: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2016.03.029
  17. Santiago R, Barros J, Alvarez A, Malvar RA (2016) Agronomic Performance of Maize Populations Divergently Selected for Diferulate Cross-linkage. Journal of Agricultural Science doi: 10.1017/S0021859615001161
  18. Santiago R, Malvar RA, Barros J, Samayoa F, Butrón A (2016) Hydroxycinnamate Synthesis and Association to the Mediterranean Corn Borer Resistance. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5b04862
  19. Gallego-Giraldo L, Shadle G, Shen H, Barros J, Fresquet Corrales S, Wang H, Dixon RA (2016) Combining Enhanced Biomass Density with Reduced Lignin Level for Improved Forage Quality. Plant Biotechnology Journal doi: 10.1111/pbi.12439
  20. Barros J, Serk H, Granlund I, Pesquet E (2015) The Cell Biology of Lignification in Higher Plants. Annals of Botany doi: 10.1093/aob/mcv046
  21. Barros J, Romani A, Garrote G, Ordas B (2015) Biomass, Sugar and Bioethanol Potential of Sweet Corn. GBC Bioenergy doi: 10.1111/gcbb.12136
  22. Barros J*, Santiago R, Jung HJG, Malvar RA (2015) Covalent Cross-linking of Cell-Wall Polysaccharides Through Esterified Diferulates as a Maize Resistance Mechanism Against Corn Borers. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry doi: 10.1021/jf505341d
  23. Santiago R, Barros J, Malvar RA (2013) Impact of Cell Wall Composition on Maize Resistance to Pests and Diseases. International Journal of Molecular Sciences doi: 10.3390/ijms14046960
  24. Barros J, Malvar RA, Jung HJG, Bunzel M, Santiago R (2012) Divergent Selection for Ester-linked Diferulates in Maize Pith Stalk Tissues. Effects on Cell Wall Composition and Degradability. Phytochemistry doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2012.07.026
  25. Barros, J*, Santiago, R., Malvar, R.A. and Jung, H.-J.G. (2012) Chemical Composition and Cell Wall Polysaccharide Degradability in Pith and Rind Tissues of Mature Maize Internodes. Animal Feed Science and Technology doi: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2012.01.005
  26. Barros J*, Malvar RA, Santiago R (2011) Función de la Pared Celular del Maíz (Zea mays L.) como Mecanismo de Defensa frente a la Plaga del Taladro (Ostrinia nubilalis Hüb. y Sesamia nonagrioides Lef.). Revista de Educación Bioquímica doi: 10.3390/ijms14046960
  27. Barros J*, Malvar RA, Jung HJG, Santiago R (2011) Cell Wall Composition as a Maize Defense Mechanism Against Corn Borers. Phytochemistry doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2011.01.004
  28. Barros J*, Malvar RA, Butron A, Santiago R (2011) Combining Abilities for Maize Internode Basal Ring Length, the Entry Point of the Mediterranean Corn Borer. Plant Breeding doi: 10.1111/j.1439- 0523.2010.01789.x
  29. Santiago R, Sandoya G, Butron A, Barros J, Malvar RA (2008) Changes in Phenolic Concentrations during Recurrent Selection for Resistance to the Mediterranean Corn Borer. (Sesamia nonagrioides Lef.). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry doi: 10.1021/jf800922j

(* papers submitted as corresponding author)

Invited talks:

  1. Barros et al. Lignin biosynthesis: what we have learned from grasses. 5th International Conference on Plant Synthetic Biology, Bioengineering and Biotechnology. American Institute of Chemical Engineers. (Virtual, 2021).
  2. Barros et al. Modeling lignin biosynthesis using proteomics and isotopic labeling data in Brachypodium distachyon. 8th Metabolic Pathway Analyses Meeting (Tennessee, 2021).
  3. Barros J, Zhang J, Tuskan GA, Dixon RA, Muchero W. Natural variation of lignin metabolism in the Populus trichocarpa GWAS population. Plant Biology Worldwide Summit 2020, American Society of Plant Biologists annual meeting (Washington, DC, 2020).
  4. Chen F, Barros J, Jacobson D, Tschaplinski T. Lignin Engineering/Manipulation in Plants. The 2nd Annual Inter-Bioenergy Research Centers Lignin Workshop (California, 2019).
  5. Barros J, Dixon RA. 4-Coumarate 3-Hydroxylase (C3H) in the Lignin Pathway is a Cytosolic Ascorbate Peroxidase. American Society Plant Biologists Meeting (California, 2019).
  6. Dixon RA, Barros J, Zhuo C, Ha CM, Liu C, Gallego-Giraldo L. Genetic targets for lignin engineering and valorization in lignocellulosic feedstocks. 41st Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals (Washington, 2019).
  7. Barros J, Serrani-Yarce JC, Chen F, Venables BJ, Dixon RA. Role of Bifunctional Ammonia-Lyase in Grass Cell Wall Biosynthesis. American Society of Plant Biologists Meeting (Texas, 2016).
  8. Barros J, Serrani-Yarce JC, Chen F, Baxter D, Venables BJ, Dixon RA. Role of Bifunctional Ammonia-Lyase in Grass Cell Wall Biosynthesis. American Society of Plant Biologists Meeting (Texas, 2016).
  9. Barros J. Role of bifunctional ammonia-lyase in grass cell wall biosynthesis. Southern Section of the American Society of Plant Biologists (Texas, 2016)
  10. Serrani-Yarce JC, Barros J, Dixon RA. Assessment of the early lignin pathway in Brachypodium distachyon. Southern Section of the American Society of Plant Biologists (Texas, 2016)
  11. Barros J, Dixon RA. 4-Coumarate 3-Hydroxylase (C3H) in the Lignin Pathway is a Cytosolic Ascorbate Peroxidase. Gordon Research Seminar in Plant Metabolic Engineering (New Hampshire, 2015).
  12. Barros J, Serrani-Yarce J, Dixon RA. Bifunctional Ammonia-Lyase: Characterization and Role in Lignin Biosynthesis. Gordon Research Seminar in Plant Metabolic Engineering (New Hampshire, 2015).
  13. Barros J, Santiago R, Jung HJG, Malvar RA. Effect of Cell Wall Diferuloylation on Agronomic Fitness and Silage Quality in Maize. XIII Cell Wall Meeting (Nantes, France, 2013).
  14. Barros J, Romani A, Garrote G, Ordas B. Bioethanol Production of Hydrothermally Pretreated Stover Biomass from Maize Genotypes. Umea Renewable Energy Meeting (Umea, Sweden, 2013).
  15. Barros J. Divergent Selection for Ester-Linked Diferulates in Maize. University of Helsinki (Helsinki, Finland, 2012).
  16. Barros J, Malvar RA, Jung HJG, Santiago R. Cell Wall Composition and Degradability as a Maize Defense Mechanism against Corn Borers. XII Cell Wall Meeting (Porto, Portugal, 2010).

Other presentations:

  1. Barros J, Shrestha H, Serrani-Yarce JC, Abraham PE, Hettich RL, Dixon RA. Understanding grass lignin metabolism from Brachypodium proteomics data. American Society of Plant Biologists Meeting (Poster, virtual presentation, 2020).
  2. Barros J, Zhuo C, Chen F, Dixon RA. C-Lignin Biosynthesis in Poplar. DOE Genomic Sciences Program Annual Principal Investigator Meeting (Poster, Washington DC, 2020).
  3. Barros J, Zhuo C, Chen F, Dixon RA Regulation of C-Lignin Biosynthesis in Poplar. Centers for Bioenergy Innovation Annual Meeting (Poster, Tennessee, 2019).
  4. Barros J, Escamilla-Trevino L, Dixon RA. The Unique Nature of Lignification in Grasses. Centers for Bioenergy Innovation Annual Meeting (Poster, North Carolina, 2018).
  5. Serrani-Yarce JC, Barros J, Escamilla-Treviño L, Engle N, Tschaplinski TJ, Dixon RA. New Insights on the Lignin Pathway in Grasses. Department of Energy Genomic Science Grantees-Contractors Meeting. (Poster, Virginia, 2017).
  6. Santiago R, López-Malvar A, Barros J, Malvar RA. Cell Wall Hydroxycinnamate Cross-linkage Distribution Among Different Maize Plant Tissues. XIV Cell Wall Meeting (Poster, Creta, Greece, 2016).
  7. Barros J, Dixon RA. Assessment of the Early Lignin Pathway in Brachypodium distachyon. American Society of Plant Biologists Meeting (Poster, Texas, USA, 2016).
  8. Barros J, Huhman DV, Sumner LV, Dixon RA. 13C Isotopic Labelling Reveals the Direct Role of Tyrosine Ammonia Lyase in the Phenylpropanoids Biosynthesis. The Noble Foundation Metabolomics Workshop (Poster, Oklahoma, USA, 2015).
  9. Santiago R, Boussada KH, Barros J, Fornale S, Malvar RA. Changes in Cell Wall-bound Hydroxycinnamates in Maize Stems Infested with Sesamia nonagrioides Lef. XIII Cell Wall Meeting (Poster, Nantes, France, 2013).
  10. Barros J, Santiago R, Malvar RA, Jung HJG. Chemical Composition and Cell Wall Degradability of Mature Maize Internodes. Botaniker Tagung (Poster, Berlin, Germany, 2011)
  11. Barros J, Santiago R, Malvar RA, Jung HJG. Chemical Composition and Cell Wall Degradability of Mature Maize Internodes. Botaniker Tagung (Poster, Berlin, Germany, 2011)
  12. Barros J, Romani A, Garrote G, Ordas B. Bioethanol Production of Hydrothermally Pretreated Stover Biomass from Maize Genotypes. Umea Renewable Energy Meeting XIII Cell Wall Meeting (Poster, Nantes, France, 2013)
  13. Santiago R, Boussada KH, Barros J, Fornale S, Malvar RA. Changes in Cell Wall-bound Hydroxycinnamates in Maize Stems Infested with Sesamia nonagrioides Lef. XIII Cell Wall Meeting (Poster, Nantes, France, 2013)
  14. Barros J, Huhman DV, Sumner LV, Dixon RA. 13C Isotopic Labelling Reveals the Direct Role of Tyrosine Ammonia Lyase in the Phenylpropanoids Biosynthesis. The Noble Foundation Metabolomics Workshop (Poster, Oklahoma, USA, 2015)
  15. Escamilla LL, Petranova D, Ha CM, Barros J, Dixon RA. Unraveling pathway diversity for monolignol biosynthesis in plants. DOE BioEnergy Science Center Annual Meeting (Poster, Tennessee, 2016)
  16. Lecoultre MS, Ding XS, Biswal A, Mohnen D, Barros J, Dixon RA, Tang Y, Nelson RS (2016). Cell wall recalcitrance traits of TP17/TP18 genes analyzed through VIGS. DOE BioEnergy Science Center Annual Meeting (Poster, Tennessee, 2016)
  17. Santiago R, López-Malvar A, Barros J, Malvar RA. Cell Wall Hydroxycinnamate Cross-linkage Distribution Among Different Maize Plant Tissues. XIV Cell Wall Meeting (Poster, Crete, Greece, 2016)
  18. Serrani-Yarce, J.C., Barros J, Dixon RA (2016). Assessment of the early lignin pathway in brachypodium distachyon. DOE BioEnergy Science Center Annual Meeting (Poster, Tennessee, 2016)
  19. Xie M, Bryan AC, Yee K, Guo HB, Tschaplinski TJ, Singan VR, Lindquist E, Payyavula RS, Barros J, Dixon RA, Engle N, Sykes RW, Jawdy S, Gunter LE, Thompson O, DiFazio SP, Eveans LM, Winkler K, Collins C, Schmutz J, Guo H, Kalluri U, Modriguez M, Feng K, Muchero W, Chen JG, Tuskan GA A shikimate EPSP synthase gene evolved transcriptional repressor function in Populus. DOE BioEnergy Science Center Annual Meeting (Poster, Tennessee, 2016)
  20. Serrani-Yarce JC, Barros J, Escamilla-Treviño L, Engle N, Tschaplinski TJ, Dixon RA. New Insights on the Lignin Pathway in Grasses. Department of Energy Genomic Science Grantees-Contractors Meeting. (Poster, Virginia, 2017)
  21. Escamilla-Trevino LL, Barros J, Dixon RA. Unraveling pathway diversity for monolignol biosynthesis in plants. Plant Biology 2016, American Society of Plant Biologists Annual Meeting (Poster, Texas, 2016)
  22. Barros J. Early steps of lignin biosynthesis revisited. DOE BioEnergy Science Center Annual Meeting (Invited talk, Tennessee, 2017)
  23. Barros J, Serrani-Yarce JC, Dixon RA. Coumarate 3-Hydroxylase (C3H) in the Lignin Pathway is a Cytosolic Ascorbate-Dependent Peroxidase. 10th DOE BioEnergy Science Center Annual Meeting (Poster, Tennessee, 2017)
  24. Escamilla-Treviño LL, Barros J, Ha CM, Cavazos R, Dixon RA. Is the 3-O-methylation of caffeic acid a step in the biosynthesis of monolignols? 10th DOE BioEnergy Research Center Annual Meeting (Poster, Tennessee, 2017)
  25. Faraji M, Fonseca LL, Barros J, Chen F, Engle N, Tschaplinski T, Dixon RA, Voit EO. Model Analysis of Compartmentalized Lignin Biosynthesis Using Labeled Phenylalanine or Tyrosine in Brachypodium distachyon. 10th DOE BioEnergy Research Center Annual Meeting (Poster, Tennessee, 2017)
  26. Barros J, Shrestha H, Serrani-Yarce JC, Abraham PE, Hettich RL, Dixon RA. Understanding grass lignin metabolism from Brachypodium proteomics data. Plant Biology Worldwide Summit 2020, American Society of Plant Biologists annual meeting (Poster, Washington, DC, 2020)
  27. Barros J, Ha CM, Zhuo C, Rao X, Xiao X, Wang X, Chen F, Dixon RA, Tuskan GA. Genetic engineering to produce C-lignin deposition in plant stems. DOE Genomic Sciences Program Annual Principal Investigator Meeting (Poster, Washington DC, 2020)
  28. Barros J, Zhuo C, Chen F, Dixon RA Regulation of C-Lignin Biosynthesis in Poplar. Centers for Bioenergy Innovation Annual Review (Poster, Tennessee, 2019)
  29. Barros J, Dixon RA. 4-Coumarate 3-Hydroxylase (C3H) in the Lignin Pathway is a Cytosolic Ascorbate Peroxidase. The 2nd Annual Inter-Bioenergy Research Centers Lignin Workshop (Poster, California, 2019)
Google Scholar profile

Research Projects:

• NSF "MCA:PGR: Phylogeny-Guided Biochemical Genomics to Elucidate the Tyrosine-Derived Lignin Metabolic Network of Grasses." (Collaborator) 2019-2023. $1.1M
• DOE "The Bioenergy Research Centers BRC: The Center for Bioenergy Innovation CBI." (Lignin Team Member) 2017-2022. CBI budget: $25M/year
• Swedish NSF "BIOIMPROVE - Improved biomass and bioprocessing properties of wood." (Co- investigator) 2010-2014. $2.6M
• European Research Council "CORNFED: Integration of Advanced Mapping and Phenotyping Methods to Identify Key Alleles for Building European Maize Ideotypes." (Co-investigator) 2009-2012. $400k
• Spanish NSF "Maize Breeding for Corn Borer Resistance." (Co-investigator) 2007- 2012. $800k