The activities of the SCSM department « Cell Structures, Signals and Morphogenesis » are focused on plant cell and its role in growth and vegetative development of higher plants. Research groups of the department work on biological models as Arabidopsis thaliana and Brachypodium distachyon, and also on agronomical and/or industrial important crops as pea, cotton and maize. Genetics and functional genomics approaches are widely shared with the other departments of the Institute Jean-Pierre Bourgin. Research groups mobilize a large variety of scientific fields and competences: imaging and dynamic microscopy, biochemistry, analytical and synthetic chemistry, biophysics, biomimetic systems, modelling. Finality of our research is to improve compatibility between vegetal resources and its use. This including improving the plant architecture and biomass composition with the possibility to be industrially processed. A special effort concerns application in the bioenergy field, vegetal fibers and green chemistry.

Groups :

Group Cell Wall

The « Primary cell wall » team studies the biosynthesis of the cell wall of growing cells and emphasizes on cellulose synthesis, pectins metabolism and coordination between parietal compounds and growth. The group uses plant nmodels as Arabidopsis thaliana and Brachypodium distachyon, and also agronomical and/or industrial important crops as Zea mays (maize).

The « Secondary Cell Wall » team studies mainly plant lignification from the biosynthesis of precursors (the monolignols) in the cytoplasm to the transportation and polymerization in the cell wall. This team uses Arabidopsis thaliana and Brachypodium distachyon as model plants. The group is in charge of the constitution of a chemically mutagenized Brachypodium mutant collection. This collection is used to identify cell wall mutants by forward or reverse genetics (TILLING).

The « Lignin and tanins: structure, assembly and valorization » team studies the structure of native, industrial or synthetic lignins using analytical chemistry methods (degradation, liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy LC-MS). Chemical mechanisms of biosynthesis and specifically plant induced structures are also worked. Maize genes involved in its biosynthesis are looked for as a model. Assembling properties with other parietal polymers and its possible valorizations in biomaterial field i.e.- hydrophobation surface agents (hydrophobation of starch films) or functionalised polymers with modified used properties using physical chemistry or biocatalysis are studied.

Group Cellular basis of morphogenesis

The « Cell biology, plant regeneration » team is focused on control of regeneration technics by organogenesis or somatic embryogenesis and genes transfer to in vitro grown plant cells. Objectives concern fundamental uses (transient activities, "knock-out"...) or more focused studies (resistance to abiotic stresses, biomass use…). Model plants Arabidopsis thaliana and Brachypodium distachyon and also agronomical important crops sorghum and cotton are the studied species. The group is involved in a project aimed to characterize cell regenerating transcriptome profiles (organogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana and somatic embryogenesis in cotton).

The « Branching control in plants » team try to better understand genetic, molecular and physiological factors which control initiation or dormancy maintenance of an axially bud. Our studies are based on a wide collection of pea mutants specifically affected in stem branching. Same genes are studied in moss Physcomitrella patens to better understand function evolution in the land plants hormones strigolactons.

The « Cell differentiation and polarity » team studies cellular mechanisms of development associated to the acquisition of cell identity thought two models: tumor mutants and phloem ontogenesis. The group is focused on the role of fatty acids on cell differentiation and polarity, particularly on biosynthesis, compartmentalization and the role of long chain fatty acids in general and more precisely sphingolipids. Role of palmitoylation is also studied.

The "Spatial Control Of Cell Division" team. In higher plants, the cytoskeleton steadily undergoes structural reorganizations which accompany and/or determine every stage in cell division, elongation and differentiation. Our aim is to characterize cellular activities and regulation networks involved in the organization of microtubule arrays during the cell cycle in land plants. Our studies are focused on entry into mitosis and premitotic determination of the division plane in plant cells. We try to clarify the role of the preprophase band, a specific feature of plant cells, and more generally to explore the links between the microtubule cytoskeleton and the cell cycle machinery. Recent results of the group have revealed a large regulatory complex (TTP) composed of several protein partners. The recruitment of the TTP complex to the cytoskeleton, and its activity at the G2/M transition are necessary for division plane determination and PPB formation in Arabidopsis and moss. This complex also plays a pivotal role in the organization of the interphase array during diffuse growth.

The « Transcription factors and architecture » team is interested in control mechanisms of morphogenesis of the aerial part of plants and its evolution. Two families of transcription factors are studied: homeodomain proteins of the TALE family and NAM/CUC proteins regulated by the microRNAs miR164 during meristems, leafs and flowers development in Arabidopsis and other species.

Publications significatives :

Spinner et al. (2010). The function of TONNEAU1 in moss reveals an ancient mechanism of division plane specification in land plants. Development (in press)

Roudier F., Gissot L, Beaudoin F, Haslam R, Michaelson, L., Marion, J, Molino D, Lima A, Bach L., Morin H, Tellier F, Palauqui JC, Bellec Y, Da Costa M, Vignard J, Rochat C, Markham J., Moreau P, Napier J and Faure JD (2010). Very-long chain fatty acids are involved in polar auxin transport and cell patterning in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell, 22 (2) : 364-375. (pubmed)

The international Brachypodium initiative (2010). Genome sequencing and analysis of the model grass Brachypodium distachyon. Nature, 463 :763-768. (pubmed)

Brewer PB, Dun EA, Ferguson BJ, Rameau C, Beveridge CA (2009). Strigolactone acts Downstream of Auxin to Regulate Bud Outgrowth in Pea and Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol, 150 : 482-493. (pubmed)

Crowell EF, Bischoff V, Desprez T, Rolland A, Stierhof YD, Schumacher K, Gonneau M, Hofte H and Vernhettes S (2009). Pausing of Golgi bodies on microtubules regulates secretion of cellulose synthase complexes in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell, 21 : 1141-1154. (pubmed)

Melser S, B. Batailler M, Peypelut C, Poujol Y, Bellec V, Wattelet-Boyer L, Maneta-Peyret, Faure JD and Moreau P (2009). Glucosylceramide Biosynthesis is Involved in Golgi Morphology and Protein Secretion in Plant Cells.Traffic (pubmed)

Ruel K, Berrio-Sierra J, Pollet B, Thévenin J, Lapierre C, Jouanin L, Joseleau JP (2009). Impact of CCR1-silencing on the asembly of lignified secondary walls in Arabidopsis thaliana. New Phytol, 184 : 99-113. (pubmed)

Azimzadeh et al. (2008). Arabidopsis TONNEAU1 Proteins Are Essential for Preprophase Band Formation and Interact with Centrin. Plant Cell 20 : 2146-2159. (pubmed)

Bach L, Michaelson, R Haslam, Y Bellec, L Gissot, J Marion, M Da Costa, J P Boutin, M Miquel, F Tellier, F Domergue J E.Markham F, Beaudoin J, Napier A and Faure JD (2008). The very-long-chain hydroxy fatty acyl-CoA dehydratase PASTICCINO2 is essential and limiting for plant development. PNAS, 105 (38) : 14727-14731. (pubmed)

Blein T, Pulido A, Vialette-Guiraud A, Nikovics K, Morin H, Hay A, Johansen IE, Tsiantis M, and Laufs P (2008). A conserved molecular framework for compound leaf development. Science 322 : 1835-1839. (pubmed)

Eudes A, Mouille G, Thevenin J, Minic Z, Jouanin L (2008). Purification, cloning and functional characterization of an endogenous beta-glucosidase in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Cell Physiol, 49 : 1331-1341. (pubmed)

Es-Safi NE, Meudec E, Bouchut C, Fulcrand H, Ducrot PH, Herbette G, Cheynier V (2008). New compounds obtained by evolution and oxidation of malvidin 3-O-glucoside in ethanolic medium. J Agric Food Chem, 56: 4584-4591. (pubmed)

Ghidouche S, Es-Safi NE, Ducrot PH (2008). Mechanistic study on the enzymatic oxidation of flavonols. Tetrahedron Lett, 49 : 619-623.

Gomez-Roldan V, Fermas S, Brewer PB, Puech-Pagès V, Dun EA, Pillot JP, Letisse F, Matusova R, Danoun S, Portais J-C, Bouwmeester H, Bécard G, Beveridge CA, Rameau C, Rochange SF (2008). Strigolactone inhibition of shoot branching. Nature, 455 : 189-194. (pubmed)

Marion, J., L. Bach, Y. Bellec, C. Meyer, L. Gissot and J. D. Faure (2008). Systematic analysis of protein subcellular localization and interaction using high-throughput transient transformation of Arabidopsis seedlings. Plant J, 56 (1) : 169-79. (pubmed)

Mir Derikvand M, Berrio-Sierra J, Ruel K, Pollet B, Do C-T, Thévenin J, Buffard D, Jouanin L and Lapierre C (2008) Redirection of the phenylpropanoid pathway to feroloyl malate in Arabidopsis mutants deficient for cinnamoyl-CoA reductase 1. Planta, 227 : 943-956. (pubmed)

Peaucelle A, Louvet R, Johansen JN, Hofte H, Laufs P, Pelloux J and Mouille G (2008). Arabidopsis phyllotaxis is controlled by the methyl-esterification status of cell-wall pectins. Current Biol, 18 : 1943-1948. (pubmed)

Ragni L, Belles-Boix E, Gunl M, and Pautot V (2008). Interaction of KNAT6 and KNAT2 with BREVIPEDICELLUS and PENNYWISE in Arabidopsis Inflorescences. Plant Cell 20 : 888-900. (pubmed)

Ralph J, Kim H, Lu F, Grabber JH, Leple J-C, Berrio-Sierra J, Mir Derikvand M, Jouanin L, Boerjan W and Lapierre C (2008). Identification of the structure and origin of a thioacidolysis marker compound for ferulic acid incorporation into angiosperm lignins (and an indicator for cinnamoyl CoA reductase deficiency). Plant J, 53 : 368-379. (pubmed)

Truernit E, Bauby H, Dubreucq B, Grandjean O, Runions J, Barthelemy J, and Palauqui JC (2008). High-resolution whole-mount imaging of three-dimensional tissue organization and gene expression enables the study of Phloem development and structure in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell, 20 : 1494-1503. (pubmed)

Baumberger S, Abaecherli A, Fasching M, Gellerstedt G, Gosselink R, Hortling B, Li J, Saake B, de Jong E, (2007). Molar mass determination of lignins by size-exclusion chromatography: towards standardisation of the method. Holzforschung, 61, 459-468.

Desprez T, Juraniec M, Crowell E, Jouy H, Pochylova Z, Parcy F, Höfte H, Gonneau M and Vernhettes S. (2007). Organization of cellulose synthase complexes involved in primary cell wall synthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. PNAS, 104 : 15572-7. (pubmed)

Guillaumie S, San-Clemente H, Deswarte C, Martinez Y, Lapierre C, Murigneux A, Barriere Y, Pichon M, Goffner D (2007). MAIZEWALL. Database and developmental gene expression profiling of cell wall biosynthesis and assembly in maize. Plant Physiol, 143, 339-363. (pubmed)

Belles-Boix, E, Hamant, O, Witiak S. M, Morin, H, Traas J and Pautot V (2006). KNAT6: An Arabidopsis Homeobox Gene Involved in Meristem Activity and Organ Separation. Plant Cell, 130, 657-665. (pubmed)

Bouche, N., Lauressergues, D., Gasciolli, V., and Vaucheret, H.(2006). An antagonistic function for Arabidopsis DCL2 in development and a new function for DCL4 in generating viral siRNAs. Embo J, 25 (14) : 3347-3356. (pubmed)

Johnson X, Brcich T, Dun E, Goussot M, Haurogné K, Beveridge CA and Rameau C (2006). Branching genes are conserved across species: genes controlling a novel signal in pea are co-regulated by other long-distance signals. Plant Physiol, 142 : 1014-1026. (pubmed)

Pastuglia M, Azimzadeh J, Goussot M, Camilleri C, Belcram K, Evrard JL, Schmit AC, Guerche P and Bouchez D (2006). Gamma-tubulin is essential for microtubule organization and development in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell, 18: 1412-1425. (pubmed)