La chitotriosidase (CHIT1) est une chitinase humaine appartenant à la famille glycosyl hydrolase 18 (GH18) qui hydrolyse la chitine. CHIT1 présente plusieurs caractéristiques enzymatiques conservées dans la famille GH18 qui ne sont pas complètement comprises. Pour renforcer nos connaissances sur le mécanisme catalytique de CHIT1 et de la famille GH18, j'ai amélioré la résolution des structures obtenues par diffraction de rayon-X du domaine catalytique de CHIT1. Ces structures correspondent à la forme apo de CHIT1, pseudo-apo ainsi qu’en complexe avec la chitobiose ont été obtenues à des résolutions comprises entre 0.95Å et 1.10Å. Mes résultats m’ont permis de proposer un nouveau mécanisme d’hydrolyse des chaines chito-oligosaccharidiques. En outre, grâce à une nouvelle stratégie de cristallisation, la première structure cristalline de CHIT1 complète a pu être obtenue à une résolution de 1.95Å. Mon étude donne de nouvelles perspectives sur le mode d'action de CHIT1 et les caractéristiques enzymatiques conservées dans la famille GH18. / Chitotriosidase (CHIT1) is a human chitinase belonging to the glycosyl hydrolase family 18 (GH18), a highly conserved enzyme family. GH18 enzymes hydrolyze chitin, a N-acetyl glucosamine polymer. CHIT1 is characterized by many enzymatic features that are conserved in GH18 and not completely understood. To increase our knowledge on the catalytic mechanism in CHIT1 and GH18 family, I improved the X-ray resolution crystal structure of CHIT1 catalytic domain in apo and pseudo apo forms as well as in complex with a synthetic substrate to a resolution range between 0.95Å and at 1.10Å. My results allow me to suggest a new mechanism for chito-oligosaccharide chains hydrolysis. Moreover, thanks to a new a crystallogenesis strategy, I obtained the first crystal structure of full length CHIT1 at 1.95Å resolution. My study presents many structural and mechanistic aspects of CHIT1 which gives new insights onto its mode of action and shed light into the conserved enzymatic features in GH18 chitinase family.

Bactérias quitinolíticas são autóctones do ecossistema marinho e tem um importante papel no processo de degradação de quitina. Relativamente pouco é conhecido sobre a diversidade e potencial enzimático de bactérias quitinolíticas isoladas de ambientes tropicais costeiros. Amostras de água do mar e de plâncton foram coletadas no Canal de São Sebastião, Baixada Santista e Ubatuba. As bactérias quitinolíticas foram enumeradas e isoladas em meio mínimo contendo quitina coloidal e caracterizadas através de métodos fenotípicos e genotípicos. As maiores contagens de bactérias quitinolíticas foram observadas em amostras de água do mar e plâncton coletadas na Baixada Santista. A diversidade de bactérias quitinolíticas e o potencial de produção de quitinases foram influenciados pelo nível de contaminação fecal presente no ecossistema marinho. Uma maior diversidade foi encontrada em ambiente com médio e baixo impacto antropogênico, mas bactérias quitinolíticas isoladas de ambiente com alta atividade antropogênica mostraram os maiores valores de produção de quitinases. / Chitinolytic bacteria are autochthonous in marine ecosystems and have an important role in chitin degradation process. A very little is know about the diversity and enzymatic potential of chitinolytic bacteria isolated from coastal tropical environments. Seawater and plankton samples were collected at Canal de São Sebastião, Baixada Santista and Ubatuba. Chitinolytic bacteria were counted and isolated in minimal media containing colloidal chitin and characterized using phenotypic and genotypic methods. Highest counts of chitinolytic bacteria were observed in seawater and plankton samples collected at Baixada Santista. The diversity of chitinolytic bacteria and the potential of chitinases production were influenced by the level of fecal contamination present in the marine ecosystem. Highest diversity was found in environment with medium and low anthropogenic impact, but chitinolytic bacteria isolated from environment with high anthropogenic influences showed highest chitinases production.

MSc (Microbiology) / Department of Microbiology

Almost all conifer ovules produce a liquid secretion as part of reproduction. This secretion, termed an ovular secretion, is produced during ovule receptivity and is involved in pollen capture and transport. Historically, examinations of the ovular secretion have focused on how they are part of pollination mechanisms. As a result, the chemical composition of the ovular secretion has not been examined systematically. Investigations into the constituents of the ovular secretion were limited to analyses for simple water soluble compounds such as sugars, minerals, amino acids and organic acids. More recently, the protein component of the secretion has been investigated using mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Proteins involved in processes such as carbohydrate modification, proteolysis, and defence have been identified in conifer ovular secretions. This biochemical complexity suggests a broader view of the function of the ovular secretion is warranted. However, protein identifications only provide putative information on function. Functional characterization of these proteins is needed in order to fully understand how they contribute to ovular secretion function. The research outlined in this dissertation describes the first functional characterizations of proteins found in conifer ovular secretions. Three proteins - invertase, chitinase, and thaumatin-like protein - were characterized in the ovular secretions of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and hybrid yew (Taxus × media). The Douglas-fir ovular secretion is capable of converting sucrose to glucose and fructose, confirming that invertases present in the secretion are functional. The invertase activity was maximal at pH 4.0. Activity was 77% of maximal at pH 4.5, the physiological pH. This indicates that post-secretory hydrolysis of sucrose occurs in situ in the Douglas-fir ovular secretion. Invertases in the ovular secretion are likely involved in controlling the movement of carbohydrates to developing pollen and could facilitate pollen selection. Chitinases present in the Douglas-fir ovular secretion are functional at physiological conditions. All three modes of chitinolytic activity, i.e. endochitinase, chitobiosidase and β-N-acetylglucosaminidase, were detected at physiological pH. β-N-acetylglucosaminidase activity was 80 % of maximal at physiological pH. Chitinases are pathogenesis-related proteins capable of hydrolysing chitin in fungal cell walls. These results suggest the ovular secretion is capable of defending the ovule against infection by phytopathogens. Thaumatin-like protein was immunolocalized to the cell wall and amyloplasts in Douglas-fir and yew nucellar tissue in a pattern consistent with a defensive role. It was also localized to the cell wall of fungal spores and germinating hyphae that were present in the micropyle of a yew ovule. These results provide additional evidence for an antifungal role for the ovular secretion. Functioning enzymes involved in pollen-ovule interactions and ovule defence are present in the conifer ovular secretion. The ovular secretion has functions beyond pollen capture. A revised functional model for the conifer ovular secretion is proposed. / Graduate / 2021-08-17

Exocyst is a protein complex composed of eight subunits, evolutionarily conserved in yeasts, animals, and plants. The main function of exocyst is to mediate the tethering of secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane. However, the involvement of exocyst in some other processes, especially in autophagy, has been recently discovered. Plant exocyst is specific because most of its subunits have multiple paralogs. The most diversified subunit is EXO70, which is encoded by 23 paralogous genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. In this thesis, I dealt with subunit AtEXO70E2 (AT5G61010), which has been localized to double-membrane compartments considerably reminiscent of autophagosomes. These compartments were named EXPOs (for exocyst-positive organelles) and described as a component of unconventional protein secretion pathways. There are also hints that EXO70E2 could play a role in autophagic processes. However, details of this relationship remained unexplored. For my experiments, I used stably transformed lines of A. thaliana and transiently transformed leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana. I performed numerous colocalization experiments, applied various pharmacological treatments to the studied lines, and analyzed a mutant line in the EXO70E2 gene. According to my observations, protein EXO70E2 is expressed especially...

Plants respond to insect and pathogen attack by inducing and accumulating a large set of defense proteins. Colonization of sugarcane stalk by opportunistic fungi, such as Fusarium verticillioides and Colletotrichum falcatum, usually occurs after Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Cambridae) caterpillars attack increasing the damage caused by the borer. Two homologous of BARWIN protein were identified in sugarcane, SUGARWIN1 and SUGARWIN2. Their gene expression is induced in response to wound and Diatraea saccharalis damage. However, the recombinant SUGARWIN protein does not affect insect development; but promotes significant morphological and physiological changes in Fusarium verticillioides and Colletotrichum falcatum, which lead to fungal cell death via apoptosis, indicating that SUGARWINs may work as a first layer of defense against the fungi infection. In this study, we deepen our understanding of the role of SUGARWINs in plant defense and the molecular mechanisms by which these proteins affect fungi by elucidating their molecular targets. Our results show that SUGARWINs play an important role in plant defense against opportunistic pathogens. We demonstrated that SUGARWINs are induced by C. falcatum, and the induction of SUGARWINs can vary among sugarcane varieties. The sugarcane variety exhibiting the highest level of SUGARWIN induction exhibited a considerable reduction in C. falcatum infection. Furthermore, SUGARWIN1 exhibited ribonuclease and chitinase activity, whereas SUGARWIN2 exhibited only chitinase activity. This variable enzymatic specificity seems to be the result of divergent amino acid composition within the substrate-binding site. Additionally, plants attacked by insects and pathogens display profound physiological, morphological and chemical changes or adaptations, which may result in organism attraction or avoidance. In this study, we also aimed to understand the insect-fungi association in sugarcane and the role of fungal volatile compounds in this association. Our results have shown that D. saccharalis positively influences C. falcatum infection on sugarcane, inducing a fast growing when compared to C. falcatum treatment without D. saccharalis attack. In addition, both fungi, C. falcatum and F. verticillioides, have been shown a double effect on D. saccharalis caterpillar, they promoted a strong attraction for insects due volatile organic compound emission and positively influenced D. saccharalis feeding and weight gain in diets supplemented with fungi. Fungal volatile organic compounds from C. falcatum and F. verticillioides were identified and quantified; acoradiene and acorenol were specifically induced by the fungi. These data suggest a synergistic interaction, mediated by organic volatile compounds, between D. saccharalis and the fungi C. falcatum and F. verticillioides in sugarcane. / As plantas respondem ao ataque de insetos e patógenos induzindo e acumulando um grande conjunto de proteínas de defesa. A colonização do caule de cana por fungos oportunistas, como Fusarium verticillioides e Colletotrichum falcatum, geralmente ocorre após o ataque de lagartas de Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Cambridae), resultando no aumento do dano causado pelo inseto. Dois homólogos da proteína BARWIN foram identificados em cana-de-açúcar, SUGARWIN1 e SUGARWIN2. A expressão desses genes é induzida em resposta ao ferimento mecânico e ao ataque de Diatraea saccharalis, entretanto, a proteína não afeta o desenvolvimento do inseto, mas promove alterações morfológicas e fisiológicas significativas em Fusarium verticillioides e Colletotrichum falcatum, causando a morte destes fungos por apoptose. Esses dados indicam que as SUGARWINs podem funcionar como uma defesa inicial contra a infecção fúngica. Neste estudo, aprofundamos nosso entendimento do papel das SUGARWINs na defesa de plantas e os mecanismos moleculares pelos quais essas proteínas afetam os fungos, elucidando seus alvos moleculares. Nossos resultados mostraram que as SUGARWINs desempenham um papel importante na defesa da planta contra patógenos oportunistas. Foi demonstrado que essas proteínas também são induzidas por C. falcatum em cana-de-açúcar, e sua indução pode variar entre as variedades de cana-de-açúcar. A variedade de cana-de-açúcar que apresentou o maior nível de indução de SUGARWINs apresentou uma redução considerável na infecção por C. falcatum. Além disso, SUGARWIN1 exibiu atividade de ribonuclease e quitinase, enquanto que SUGARWIN2 exibiu apenas atividade de quitinase. Esta especificidade enzimática parece ser o resultado da composição divergente de aminoácidos no sítio de ligação do substrato. Além disso, as plantas atacadas por insetos e patógenos exibem profundas alterações fisiológicas, morfológicas e químicas ou adaptações, que podem resultar em atração ou repelência do organismo, dessa forma, estudamos também a associação inseto-fungos na cana-de-açúcar, e o papel dos compostos voláteis fúngicos nessa associação. Nossos resultados mostraram que D. saccharalis influencia positivamente a infecção por C. falcatum em cana-de-açúcar, induzindo crescimento rápido do fungo quando comparado ao tratamento com C. falcatum sem ataque de D. saccharalis. Além disso, ambos os fungos, C. falcatum e F. verticillioides, mostraram um efeito duplo sobre lagartas de D. saccharalis, promovendo uma forte atração desses insetos devido à emissão de compostos orgânicos voláteis e influenciando positivamente a alimentação de D. saccharalis e ganho de peso em dietas suplementadas com fungos. Os compostos orgânicos voláteis fúngicos de C. falcatum e F. verticillioides foram identificados e quantificados; acoradieno e acorenol foram especificamente induzidos pelos fungos. Estes dados sugerem uma interação sinergistica, mediada por compostos orgânicos voláteis, entre D. saccharalis e os fungos C. falcatum e F. verticillioides em cana-de-açúcar.

Chez les insectes, les chitinases sont des enzymes principalement impliquées dans la dégradation de la chitine, lors des processus de croissance. Les chitinases représentent donc des cibles d'intérêt dans le développement de moyens de lutte alternatifs aux pesticides utilisés contre les ravageurs des cultures. Au cours de ces travaux de thèse, nous avons été amené à évaluer la pertinence de la dérégulation des activités chitinases chez les pucerons. L'impact des chitinases sur le développement du puceron M. persicae a été évalué par des tests de prise alimentaire réalisés in planta, sur des plantes de pommes de terre exprimant une chitinase d'insecte (Phaedon cochleariae, Coléoptère) et in vitro, en incorporant une chitinase bactérienne (Serratia marcescens) dans un milieu artificiel. Des effets probiotiques ont été mis en évidence dans les deux cas, remettant en cause l'utilisation des chitinases en tant que biopesticide pour lutter contre les pucerons. Compte tenu de ces effets inattendus, nous avons étudié les effets d'une stratégie antagoniste, basée sur l'utilisation d'inhibiteurs de chitinases. Quatre inhibiteurs de chitinases, d'origine et de nature variées, ont ainsi été testés via un milieu artificiel. Nos résultats rapportent pour la première fois une activité inhibitrice de ces molécules sur des pucerons. Nous avons donc orienté nos recherches dans cette voie, afin d'identifier de nouveaux inhibiteurs de chitinases. Deux approches ont été initiées avec d'une part la purification des chitinases du puceron M. persicae et d'autre part par l'évaluation des effets d'oligosaccharides mimétiques de la chitine et des inhibiteurs de chitinases. Les résultats obtenus nous laissent à penser que les inhibiteurs de chitinases constituent une voie prometteuse dans l'élaboration de nouveaux bioinsecticides.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T17:40:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Heloisa_Maria_Formentini_tese.pdf: 1264963 bytes, checksum: d416be804a86c6ba7273d6aacedf8878 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-08-31 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In Brazil, the tomato is one of the vegetable species of great importance both economically and socially, however several factors are limiting its production as an example the diseases caused by nematodes of the genus Meloidogyne that limit the production in infested areas. Seeking new measures of protection and control of plant disease induced resistance is na alternative considerering that little attention has been directed to the possibility of induced resistance to root pathogens like nematodes. Therefore, this study aimed to verify the effectiveness of the chemical inducer acibenzolar-S-methyl, the biotic inductor Bacillus cereus and plant extracts of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and turmeric (Curcuma longa) in the induced resistance in susceptible and resistant tomato in plants infected with Meloidogyne incognita race 3. Two experiments were conducted simultaneously both followed the 2 x 6 factorial design with two tomato genotypes, one susceptible to M. incognita (Santa Clara) and a resistant (Ivety) and six treatments: ASM (125 mg i.a L -1 ), Bacillus cereus (6.10 7 CFU mL -1 ), rosemary 10%, turmeric 10%, water and a control (no inoculum and no spraying in the aerial part), with five replicates. Each vase with a capacity of 2 L, were filled with a mixture of soil, sand and compost previously autoclaved and homogenized in the ratio 2:2:1 and were transplanted to each one three tomato seedlings susceptible and resistant. The treatments were sprayed in the aerial part in tomato plants in all vases except the absolute control. At 72 h after the first application of treatments was carried out the inoculation of 407/100 cm 3 of J2 and eggs per vase. In the first experiment, using destructive samples of tomato treated and inoculated with M. incognita were determined the response of both genotypes to the treatments applied to the enzymatic activity of peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, chitinase, β-1,3 glucanase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase from roots of tomato plants that were macerated and homogenized to withdrawals in time 0 h, 24 h, 48 h, 96 h and 120 h after the first application of the treatments. In the second experiment, the variables analyzed to determine the effect of treatments on nematode population were the number of root-knots, juveniles and eggs in the soil accomplished at 56 days after the first application of the treatments that were reapplied every seven days during this period. From the results obtained it was concluded that there was a reduction in the number of root-knots in the roots of tomato plants showing no difference between the two genotypes for plants that received the treatments with acibenzolar-S-methyl, turmeric, rosemary and B. cereus. There was a reduction in the formation of root-knots in susceptible cultivar, confirming their potential in protecting the genotypes used against the attack of M. incognita. For the enzimatic activity peroxidase was the enzyme strongly associated with resistance with the highest activity in resistant genotype if compared to susceptible regardless of inducer treatment. In susceptible tomato B. cereus stood out in the induction of chitinase and peroxidase whereas for the resistant tomato rosemary induced peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase and rosemary extracts and turmeric induced chitinase enzyme to the susceptible genotype / No Brasil o tomate é uma das espécies de hortaliças de grande importância tanto no ponto de vista econômico quanto social, no entanto vários fatores são limitantes para sua produção como exemplo as doenças causadas por fitonematoides principalmente as espécies do gênero Meloidogyne que inviabilizam a produção nas áreas infestadas. Buscando novas medidas de proteção e controle de doenças de plantas a indução de resistência é uma alternativa haja vista que pouca atenção tem sido direcionada a possibilidade de indução de resistência à patógenos do sistema radicular como os fitonematoides. Assim este trabalho teve como objetivo verificar a eficácia do indutor químico acibenzolar-S-metil, do indutor biótico Bacillus cereus e de extratos vegetais de alecrim (Rosmarinus officinalis) e cúrcuma (Curcuma longa) na indução de resistência em tomateiros suscetível e resistente infectados com Meloidogyne incógnita raça 3. Foram conduzidos dois experimentos simultaneamente ambos seguiram o esquema fatorial 2 x 6 com dois genótipos de tomateiro um suscetível à M. incognita (Santa Clara) e um resistente (Ivety) e seis tratamentos: ASM (125 mg i.a L -1 ), Bacillus cereus (6.10 7 UFC mL -1 ), alecrim 10%, cúrcuma 10%, água e uma testemunha absoluta (sem inóculo e sem pulverização na parte aérea), com cinco repetições. Cada vaso, com capacidade para 2 L, foram preenchidos com a mistura de solo, areia e composto orgânico previamente autoclavados e homogeneizados na proporção 2:2:1 e para cada vaso foram transplantados três mudas de tomateiro suscetível e resistente. Os tratamentos foram pulverizados na parte aérea dos tomateiros em todos os vasos com exceção da testemunha absoluta. Às 72 h após a primeira aplicação dos tratamentos foi realizada a inoculação de 407/100 cm 3 de J2 e ovos por vaso. No primeiro experimento, utilizando amostras destrutivas de tomateiros tratados e inoculados com M. incognita foram determinadas a resposta dos dois genótipos aos tratamentos aplicados para a atividade enzimática das enzimas peroxidase, polifenoloxidase, quitinase, β-1,3 glucanase e fenilalanina amônia-liase a partir do macerado homogeneizado das raízes dos tomateiros para o tempo de coleta 0 h, 24 h, 48 h, 96 h e 120 h após a aplicação dos tratamentos. No segundo experimento, as variáveis analisadas para determinar o efeito dos tratamentos sobre a população do nematoide foram o número de galhas, juvenis e ovos presentes no solo realizado aos 56 dias após a primeira aplicação dos tratamentos que foram reaplicados a cada sete dias durante este período. A partir dos resultados obtidos concluiu-se que houve uma redução no número de galhas no sistema radicular dos tomateiros não apresentando diferença entre os dois genótipos para as plantas que receberam os tratamentos com acibenzolar-S-metil, cúrcuma, alecrim e Bacillus cereus. Houve uma redução na formação de galhas na cultivar suscetível, confirmando seu potencial na proteção dos genótipos utilizados contra o ataque do M. incognita. Para a atividade enzimática a peroxidase foi a enzima que esteve fortemente associada à resistência com a atividade superior no genótipo resistente em relação ao suscetível independentemente do tratamento indutor. No tomateiro suscetível o B. cereus destacou-se na indução de peroxidase e quitinase enquanto que para o tomateiro resistente o alecrim induziu peroxidase e polifenoloxidase e os extratos de alecrim e cúrcuma induziram a enzima quitinase para o genótipo suscetível