Les cellules dendritiques plasmacytoïdes (pDCs) font le lien entre l'immunité innée et l'immunité adaptative en produisant de l'interféron de type 1 en grandes quantités ainsi qu'en induisant l'activation et la prolifération des cellules T naïves de manière antigène-spécifique. Les pDCs expriment à haut niveau les récepteurs TLR7 et TLR9 et détectent ainsi les acides nucléiques d'origine virale. Les TLRs 7 et 9, localisés dans le réticulum endoplasmique (RE) à l'état basal, sont relocalisés vers les endosomes tardifs, lors de l'activation, pour initier la signalisation. Ce processus est dépendant de la protéine chaperon UNC93B1. Au cours de ma thèse, j'ai caractérisé une nouvelle molécule de la famille des protéines membranaires associées aux lysomes (LAMP), nommée BAD-LAMP. Cette protéine est, au sein du système immunitaire humain, exprimée spécifiquement dans les pDCs. Contrairement aux autres membres de la famille, BAD-LAMP n'est pas détectée dans les lysosomes mais est retenue dans le RE. J'ai également démontré que BAD-LAMP est régulée négativement lors de l'activation des pDCs induite par un ligand de TLR9. L'utilisation d'un système de cellules HeLa tranfectées et de différents mutants de BAD-LAMP avec des défauts de localisation m'ont permis d'établir que BAD-LAMP et UNC93B1 sont capables d'influencer mutuellement les adressage, par un mécanisme restant à identifier. BAD-LAMP pourrait aussi remplir un rôle de chaperon du complexe UNC93B1-TLR9 et moduler la réponse TLR9. L'étude d'un tel mécanisme de contrôle permettrait de mieux comprendre la régulation fine de la réponse immunitaire. / Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) link innate and adaptative immunity by producing large amounts of type-1 interferon and inducing naive T cell activation and proliferation in an antigen-specific manner. pDCs express high levels of TLR7 and TLR9 and thereby sense viral nucleic acids. TLRs 7 and 9, which rest in the endoplamic reticulum (ER) at steady-state, are re-localized to the late endosomal compartment upon activation for signaling. this process is dependent of the interaction between TLRs and the chaperone UNC93B1. During my thesis, I characterized a new molecule of the lysosome-associated membrane protein (LAMP) family, named BAD-LAMP. In the human immune system, this protein is exclusively expressed in pDCs. BAD-LAMP is not detected in lysosomes, as opposed to the other LAMP family members, but is retained in the ER compartment. I also demonstrated that BAD-LAMP is down-regulated after pDCs activation by a TLR9 ligand. Using trnasfered HeLa cells and several mutant forms of BAD-LAMP with localization defects, I etablished that BAD-LAMP and UNC93B1 can influence reciprocally their intercellular trafficking by a yet uncharacterize mechanism. BAD-LAMP could therefore act as a chaperone of UNC93B1-TLR9 complex and moduate the TLR9 response. The study of such a regulatory mechanism could help to understand better the fine tuning of the immune response.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Compared to mammals, nematodes appear to exhibit a unique GABAergic nervous system. Haemonchus controtus is a parasitic nematode that infects ruminants worldwide. Hco-UNC-49 is a H. contortus GABA-gated chloride channel and is an orthologue to the UNC-49 channel from the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Previous research by our group has shown that while the UNC-49 channels from the two nematodes share similar sequence homology they do not share identical sensitivity to GABA. To further investigate the characteristics of the Hco-UNC-49 channel, this study tested the effects of various modulators, insecticides and anti-parasitic drugs on channel function. Most notably, the molecules penicillin G, propofol and pregnenolone sulfate all had similar effects on Hco-UNC-49 as reported previously for Cel-UNC-49. On the other hand, Hco-UNC-49 appears to be less sensitive to picrotoxin inhibition compared to what has been reported for Cel-UNC-49. Novel effects of a number of anthelmintics were also observed. For example, the anthelmintics ivermectin and moxidectin both enhanced Hco-UNC-49 GABA responses, while piperazine was able to directly activate Hco-UNC-49 at high concentrations. These results suggest that Hco-UNC-49 is likely an in vivo target for these anthelmintics. / UOIT

Understanding gene function and genetic relationships is elemental in our efforts to better understand biological systems. Here, I describe a reliable high-throughput approach, Systematic Genetic Interaction analysis (SGI), capable of revealing both weak and strong genetic interactions in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. I also present evidence that UNC-73 functions cell-autonomously in an UNC-40 pathway to direct muscle arm extension in C. elegans. Previous efforts to systematically describe genetic interactions between redundant genes on a global scale either have focused on core biological processes in protozoans or have surveyed catastrophic interactions in metazoans. I investigated synthetic genetic interactions between eleven ‘query’ mutants in conserved signal transduction pathways and hundreds of ‘target’ genes compromised by RNAi. A network of 1246 genetic interactions was uncovered through an unbiased global analysis of the interaction matrix, establishing the largest metazoan genetic interaction network to date. To investigate how genetic interactions connect genes on a systems-wide level, the SGI network was superimposed with existing networks of physical, genetic, phenotypic and co-expression interactions. Fifty-six putative functional modules were identified within the superimposed network, one of which regulates fat accumulation and is coordinated by bar-1(ga80)/β-catenin interactions. This led to the discovery that SGI interactions link distinct functional modules on a global scale, which is a previously unappreciated level of organization within metazoan systems. In addition, I present evidence that the properties of genetic networks are conserved between C. elegans and S. cerevisiae, but that the connectivity of the interactions within the current networks is not. Although the buffering between functional modules may differ between species, studying these differences may provide insight into the evolution of divergent form and function. In C. elegans the postsynaptic membrane of the neuromuscular junction reaches its destination through an active process of guided cell extension. The worm has 95 body wall muscles (BWMs) that extend projections called 'muscle arms' to motor axons. The muscle arms harbour the postsynaptic elements of neuromuscular junctions. The stereotypical pattern of muscle arm extension was exploited in a forward genetic screen for new genes required for guided cell migration by looking for mutations that caused a reduction in the number of arms that extend to the motor axons. One of the resulting mutants was tr117, which extended half the number of arms compared to wild type animals. Genetic mapping, complementation tests, and sequencing revealed that tr117 was a mutation in unc-73/Trio, which encodes a guanine nucleotide exchange factor. Expression of UNC-73 specifically in the BWMs rescued the muscle arm development defects of unc-73(e936) mutants, indicating that UNC-73 functions cell-autonomously to regulate muscle arm extension. UNC-73::CFP was localized to muscle arm termini in a pattern similar to that of UNC-40/Dcc, which directs muscle arm extension. UNC-73 over-expression suppressed the Madd phenotype of unc-40 null worms and unc-73(e936) suppressed ectopic myopodia induced by UNC-40 over-expression. These results indicate that UNC-73 functions downstream of UNC-40 in a pathway that regulates muscle arm extension.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Understanding gene function and genetic relationships is elemental in our efforts to better understand biological systems. Here, I describe a reliable high-throughput approach, Systematic Genetic Interaction analysis (SGI), capable of revealing both weak and strong genetic interactions in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. I also present evidence that UNC-73 functions cell-autonomously in an UNC-40 pathway to direct muscle arm extension in C. elegans. Previous efforts to systematically describe genetic interactions between redundant genes on a global scale either have focused on core biological processes in protozoans or have surveyed catastrophic interactions in metazoans. I investigated synthetic genetic interactions between eleven ‘query’ mutants in conserved signal transduction pathways and hundreds of ‘target’ genes compromised by RNAi. A network of 1246 genetic interactions was uncovered through an unbiased global analysis of the interaction matrix, establishing the largest metazoan genetic interaction network to date. To investigate how genetic interactions connect genes on a systems-wide level, the SGI network was superimposed with existing networks of physical, genetic, phenotypic and co-expression interactions. Fifty-six putative functional modules were identified within the superimposed network, one of which regulates fat accumulation and is coordinated by bar-1(ga80)/β-catenin interactions. This led to the discovery that SGI interactions link distinct functional modules on a global scale, which is a previously unappreciated level of organization within metazoan systems. In addition, I present evidence that the properties of genetic networks are conserved between C. elegans and S. cerevisiae, but that the connectivity of the interactions within the current networks is not. Although the buffering between functional modules may differ between species, studying these differences may provide insight into the evolution of divergent form and function. In C. elegans the postsynaptic membrane of the neuromuscular junction reaches its destination through an active process of guided cell extension. The worm has 95 body wall muscles (BWMs) that extend projections called 'muscle arms' to motor axons. The muscle arms harbour the postsynaptic elements of neuromuscular junctions. The stereotypical pattern of muscle arm extension was exploited in a forward genetic screen for new genes required for guided cell migration by looking for mutations that caused a reduction in the number of arms that extend to the motor axons. One of the resulting mutants was tr117, which extended half the number of arms compared to wild type animals. Genetic mapping, complementation tests, and sequencing revealed that tr117 was a mutation in unc-73/Trio, which encodes a guanine nucleotide exchange factor. Expression of UNC-73 specifically in the BWMs rescued the muscle arm development defects of unc-73(e936) mutants, indicating that UNC-73 functions cell-autonomously to regulate muscle arm extension. UNC-73::CFP was localized to muscle arm termini in a pattern similar to that of UNC-40/Dcc, which directs muscle arm extension. UNC-73 over-expression suppressed the Madd phenotype of unc-40 null worms and unc-73(e936) suppressed ectopic myopodia induced by UNC-40 over-expression. These results indicate that UNC-73 functions downstream of UNC-40 in a pathway that regulates muscle arm extension.

No description available.

<p>Per definition så befinner sig Nordkorea och Sydkorea i krig med varandra sedan 25 juni 1950. Den aktiva delen av kriget varade endast i tre år och avlöstes av <em>Armistice </em><em>Agreement </em>27 juli 1953. Avtalet syftade till att möjliggöra för politiska företrädare att enas om ett fredsavtal – något man aldrig lyckades uppnå.</p><p>Denna uppsats analyserar tiden från Kairokonferensen 1943 intill <em>Armistice Day </em>1953 utifrån hur bakomliggande incitament – sett ur realistiska och liberalistiska perspektiv inom ramen för internationella relationer – kan förklara händelseutvecklingen på den koreanska halvön.</p><p>Resultatet visar på hur erfarenheter och efterbörd av VK II, politiska målsättningar, misstro mellan parterna och till FN, successivt bygger upp dagens delade Korea utifrån vad som främst återfinns inom den realistiska teoribildningen.</p> / <p>North Korea and South Korea has been at war with each other since June 25, 1950. The active part of the war lasted only three years, which resulted in the <em>Armistice Agreement </em>July 27, 1953. The main purpose of the agreement was to allow political representatives to open up for diplomatic negotiations and agree on a peace agreement – something they never managed to achieve. </p><p>This paper will analyze the time from the Cairo Conference in 1943 until <em>Armistice Day </em>in 1953, and investigate how realistic and liberalized political forces, in the context of International Relations theory, influenced the developments on the Korean Peninsula.</p><p>The conclusions will show how the post-war reconstructions of WW II, U.S. and Soviet foreign policy objectives and UN intervention gradually shaped a permanent landmark at the 38th parallel based on realistic values.</p>

Per definition så befinner sig Nordkorea och Sydkorea i krig med varandra sedan 25 juni 1950. Den aktiva delen av kriget varade endast i tre år och avlöstes av Armistice Agreement 27 juli 1953. Avtalet syftade till att möjliggöra för politiska företrädare att enas om ett fredsavtal – något man aldrig lyckades uppnå. Denna uppsats analyserar tiden från Kairokonferensen 1943 intill Armistice Day 1953 utifrån hur bakomliggande incitament – sett ur realistiska och liberalistiska perspektiv inom ramen för internationella relationer – kan förklara händelseutvecklingen på den koreanska halvön. Resultatet visar på hur erfarenheter och efterbörd av VK II, politiska målsättningar, misstro mellan parterna och till FN, successivt bygger upp dagens delade Korea utifrån vad som främst återfinns inom den realistiska teoribildningen. / North Korea and South Korea has been at war with each other since June 25, 1950. The active part of the war lasted only three years, which resulted in the Armistice Agreement July 27, 1953. The main purpose of the agreement was to allow political representatives to open up for diplomatic negotiations and agree on a peace agreement – something they never managed to achieve.  This paper will analyze the time from the Cairo Conference in 1943 until Armistice Day in 1953, and investigate how realistic and liberalized political forces, in the context of International Relations theory, influenced the developments on the Korean Peninsula. The conclusions will show how the post-war reconstructions of WW II, U.S. and Soviet foreign policy objectives and UN intervention gradually shaped a permanent landmark at the 38th parallel based on realistic values.

Le développement de Caenorhabditis elegans est finement régulé et aboutit au nombre constant de 959 cellules par individu. Une partie de ces régulations repose sur les microARN, ARN simple brin d’environ 22 nucléotides. Ils peuvent diminuer l'expression des gènes en ciblant des séquences homologues dans les régions 3' non transcrites (3'UTR) des ARN messagers. Pour déterminer l'impact de cette régulation, nous utilisons une méthode permettant de visualiser in vivo une différence d'expression induite post-transcriptionnellement. Cette méthode se base sur l'utilisation de deux protéines fluorescentes : la GFP (verte) et la mCherry (rouge) exprimées sous le contrôle du promoteur du gène d'intérêt. La mCherry est suivie par un 3'UTR contrôle et reflète l'activité du promoteur. La GFP est suivie par le 3'UTR du gène d'intérêt et subit les mêmes régulations que le gène endogène. La différence d'expression entre les deux protéines devrait donc refléter la régulation s'opérant sur le 3'UTR du gène. La transparence de C. elegans permet de localiser les protéines rapportrices par microscopie en fluorescence à tous les stades du développement dans l'organisme entier. Initialement, le 3'UTR du gène unc-54 (myosine de type II) a été choisi comme contrôle. Le rapporteur bicolore a révélé une régulation s’opérant sur unc-54 3’UTR jusqu’ici considérée comme permissif. La régulation observée s’opère dans les muscles et les neurones ADF. La caractérisation de cette régulation a permis de mettre en évidence le rôle potentiel de mir-1820. Le profil d’expression de mir-1820 a pu être établi grâce à une fusion avec la GFP et correspond au profil des régulations observées sur unc-54 3’UTR. / Caenorhabditis elegans development is very tightly regulated, leading to the same number of cells in each individual. Part of this regulation network relies on small single strand RNAs (miRNAs), which can target homologous sequences in the 3’ untranslated regions (3’UTR) of messenger RNAs. We want to investigate the contribution of miRNAs during neurons differentiation. In order to study the miRNA contribution to gene regulation we use double fluorescent reporters that allow us to visualize the posttranscriptional contribution to regulation throughout development. The GFP and the mCherry are expressed under the control of the gene promoter, but followed by either the 3’UTR of interest, or a control 3’UTR. We first chose as a control 3’UTR the unc-54 3’UTR (myosin class II). The gene unc-54 is expressed through all larval stages and in the adult worms. The two colors reporter system showed that unc-54 3’UTR undergoes a regulation in the ADF pair of neurons and partially in the body wall muscle. The characterization of this regulation pointed out a potential role for mir-1820. The GFP was cloned between mir1820 5’ and 3’ sequences and the construction displayed an expression profile overlapping with the regulation pattern observed on unc-54 3’UTR.