Five laboratories from the INRA Versailles Centre have joined forces to establish a Marie-Curie Early Stage Training Site : VERT (Versailles-Evry Research Training site).

Four of these laboratories, the Cell Biology Laboratory (BC), the Plant Genetics Laboratory (GAP), the Seed Biology Laboratory (BS) and the Plant Nitrogen Nutrition Laboratory (NAP) compose the Jean-Pierre Bourgin Institute (IJPB) and are located on the Versailles INRA Campus. The Plant Genomics Laboratory (GV) is close to Versailles, being part of the Evry-Genopole, the major campus for genomics in France. All laboratories are administratively attached to the INRA Versailles Centre. (Location map of the VERT laboratories)

The major goal of this Early Stage Research Training is to provide European scientists at the beginning of their activity with key concepts and methods necessary for a multidisciplinary approach to plant integrative biology in the post-genome era.

The areas of training proposed are based on areas where significant expertise and activity are present on site. Three main research areas corresponding to major questions in plant biology can be distinguished, each of them including several aspects :

Structure and evolution of plant genomes (GV, BC, SGAP) For a better understanding of the organization and evolution of plant chromosomes : includes studies on mechanisms of genetic recombination during plant reproduction, epigenetic regulation of gene expression, plant transposable elements, interactions between the nucleus and organelles… These genetic mechanisms are at the basis of plant evolution and crop improvement.

Responses of plants to biotic and abiotic environment (NAP, GAP, BC, GV) Plants are constantly challenged by a changing environment and must adapt their physiology. For this, they have developed various strategies and adaptations. We are studying their phenotypic plasticity and we are dissecting the (epi-)genetic and physiological architecture of responses of plants with respect to water, nitrogen, and temperature stresses : all these environmental constraints have heavy impacts on the yield and quality of agricultural products.

Developmental biology of plants (BC, BS, GAP) Plants are very special in terms of multicellular development. Several key features of plant development are studied at IJPB : cytoskeleton and cell walls, totipotency and cell differentiation, phytohormone signaling, meristems and architecture, seed development, seed metabolism and maturation, control of germination, gametogenesis, etc… All aspects of plant development, from the seed to the mature plant, are relevant to agronomy and plant breeding.

Functional genomics and resources (GV, SGAP, NAP, BC, BS) In relation with these biological questions, all tools and resources relevant for plant integrative biology are available on site. Intensive training will be proposed in methodologies and techniques for Plant Functional Genomics, aimed at revealing gene function in plants : analysis of mutants obtained by various means (insertion, homologous recombination, RNAi), use of natural variation for the study of complex traits (high-throughput methodologies for genotype & phenotype analysis, combined with quantitative genetics), new methods in cell imaging and biochemistry (confocal microscopy, FTIR microspectroscopy, protein/protein interaction networks), transcriptome analysis (CATMA and Affymetrix Arabidopsis DNA chips, statistical analysis and interpretation of transcriptome data), bioinformatics, management and use of genome databases, and modelling of complex systems.