Plants are fundamental to life on earth, crucially providing the basis of our food supply. As world population continues to grow, so too does the pressure on our agricultural systems, with one of the biggest challenges being the control of plant pathogens to ensure a healthy crop. The interaction between plant and pathogen is complex, with subtleties at the molecular level dictating the boundary between health and disease. This is exemplified by pathogen effectors; secreted proteins which enter the plant cell and interact with host targets to facilitate infection. AVR2 is one such effector, secreted by the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans; the pathogen responsible for potato late blight. AVR2 interacts with a family of kelch-repeat containing phosphatases in potato, the BSLs, implicated in brassinosteroid pathway signalling – a major hormone signalling pathway in plants associated with growth and development. This work investigates the role of AVR2 and its host targets in pathogen virulence, with focus on the link between the brassinosteroid pathway and immunity in S. tuberosum. StBSL1 is shown to be a ‘susceptibility factor’ in P. infestans infection – a host protein with a positive effect on pathogen virulence. AVR2 stabilises BSL1 in planta, and both AVR2 and BSL1 are shown to suppress primary defence responses in the plant. Transcriptional analysis of brassinosteroid-treated S. tuberosum is used to identify a set of marker genes for active BR signalling. Strikingly, AVR2 is shown to upregulatethis pathway, and specifically upregulates the transcription factor StHBI1-like, identified as a suppressor of immunity. These findings reveal a novel mechanism in oomycete effector biology; the exploitation of crosstalk between the brassinosteroid pathway and immune signalling in plants.

Infection of barley (Hordeum vulgare) leaves with the rust fungus, Puccinia hordei, causes changes in the host protein synthesis. This thesis analyses these changes in the barley cultivar Triumph following inoculation of 7-day-old leaves with either a virulent or an avirulent race of P. hordei. The initial approach was to isolate membrane-bound polysomes from infected leaves, translate them in vitro and analyse the translation products. These products include the integral membrane proteins which were expected to be involved in the response of the host to the pathogen. A method based on differential centrifugation in the presence of a ribonuclease-inhibiting buffer was developed for separating membrane-bound polysomes from the rest of the cytoplasmic polysomes. Membrane-bound polysomes were found to comprise one fifth of the total polysomes in the leaves. Analysis of the translation products of membrane-bound polysomes by SDS-PAGE showed them to be of higher average molecular weight than those from free polysomes. Comparison of polypeptides produced by membrane-bound polysomes from healthy and inoculated plants showed some differences however the low yield of membrane-bound polysomes made it difficult to obtain conclusive results. Thus it was decided to isolate total polysomes by including 1% Triton X-100 in the extraction buffer. Polysomes were extracted from 12 to 72 h after inoculation. Infection caused a decline in yield of polysomes during this period when compared with healthy leaves of the same age. Polysomes isolated 16 h after inoculation with the virulent race were 20% less efficient at translation than polysomes from control leaves. In contrast polysome isolated from leaves inoculated with the avirulent race were 20% more efficient. Analysis of the labelled translation products by SDS-PAGE and fluorography showed relative increases in the synthesis of some proteins by 16 h after inoculation with either race when compared to products from healthy leaves. Protein synthesis in the infected plants was further analysed by in vivo labelling and one- and two-dimensional PAGE. The fluorographs revealed increased synthesis of a group of proteins from 58 to 116 kDa starting 12 h after inoculation with either race of P. hordei; confirming the results from the polysome translations. Two polypeptides with molecular weights of about 66 kDa were found to increase following infection only with the virulent race. By three days after inoculation with either fungal race the most obvious change in protein synthesis was a marked decrease in the synthesis of the two most prominent polypeptides with molecular weights of 15 and 51 kDa which were considered to be the subunits of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase. The elicitor hypothesis, in attempting to explain cultivar-specific resistance in plants, postulates that resistance is controlled by the interaction of specific fungal elicitors and plant receptors and that this interaction which only occurs between resistant hosts and avirulent pathogens triggers specific gene expression leading to resistance. This hypothesis does not fit the situation in the barley-P. hordei interaction as protein synthesis showed similar changes following infection with either a virulent or an avirulent race.

The main objective of this thesis dissertation is functionally characterizing the genes involved in biotic and abiotic stresses of plants at molecular level. Previously, upon pathogen attack Rad6 gene expression was found to be changed in wheat and barley plants. To functionally characterize the Rad6 gene, VIGS (Virus induced gene silencing) system was used. HR (Hypersensitive response) like symptoms was detected in every silenced barley and wheat plants. To figure out, transcriptomes and proteomes of Rad6 silenced plants were analyzed. 2-D PAGE analysis was also performed on silenced and control wheat plants. No pathogen growth was observed in Rad6 silenced barley lines. Additionally, the susceptible wild type Arabidopsis plants showed resistant phenotype when any of the Rad6 gene copies is mutated. This suggests that Rad6 gene has a negative regulatory role in plant disease resistance which was proved for the first time. Yeast two hybrid protein interaction study suggests that RAD6 carrying out its function by interacting with SGT1 protein and regulating resistance related genes. It has been first time reported in this thesis that E2 (Ubiquitin conjugating enzyme) takes role in plant disease resistance. Boron which is the other consideration in the scope of thesis as an abiotic stress factor at a very limited amount is necessary for the normal development of plants. This study is conducted on highly boron tolerant Gypsophila perfoliata L. collected from a location in the boron mining area. The plant samples were tested in the presence of high boron (35 mg/kg) concentrations. The transcriptomes of the plant samples treated with the excess levels of boron to that of the samples grown under normal concentration were compared using differential display PCR method. Thirty bands showing differential expression levels at varying time points were analyzed. 18 of them were confirmed via qRT-PCR.

No description available.

Submitted by Onia Arantes Albuquerque (onia.ufg@gmail.com) on 2018-11-28T10:58:41Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Fernanda de Cássia Silva - 2015.pdf: 5826945 bytes, checksum: fd6401b916da6182fb0e4450ddb2faa3 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2018-11-28T13:35:50Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Fernanda de Cássia Silva - 2015.pdf: 5826945 bytes, checksum: fd6401b916da6182fb0e4450ddb2faa3 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-28T13:35:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Fernanda de Cássia Silva - 2015.pdf: 5826945 bytes, checksum: fd6401b916da6182fb0e4450ddb2faa3 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-10-07 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / In the common bean crop, environmental influence and the differential behavior of genotypes to environments they have been reported for various important traits, and not restricted to grain yield. Initially, the producers crave for cultivars with high grain yield, early, maturing, upright plant architecture that is conducive to direct mechanized harvesting, commercial grain size and disease resistant. Unlike, the other segments of the production chain crave for grains with other attributes. For industry it is important that new cultivars present grains with high technology quality and processing and for consumers higher nutritional, cuisine and functional quality. Thus, these characteristics need to be combined to meeting the demands of the entire chain and enable the adoption of a new cultivar. And for this, the factors that influence the phenotypic expression of these traits require more studies. The objetive of this study were i) to study the effect of the genotype x environment interaction (GxE) in the grain yield associated with agronomic and grain quality traits and ii) identify carioca common bean genotypes that have simultaneously high adaptability and stability for these traits. Were conducted 79 trials Cultivation Value and Use (CVU) with carioca common bean lines, distributed in Distrito Federal and States of Goiás, Distrito Federal, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Pernambuco, Bahia, Alagoas and Sergipe. These experiments were conducted in the years 2011, 2012 and 2013, the sowing times of dry, winter and rainy. The experimental design was a randomized block design with three replications and plots of four lines, with 4 m row. The experiments consisted of 17 carioca common bean genotypes: thirteen elite lines and four controls (BRS Estilo, Pérola, BRS Sublime e CNFC 10762). The agronomic traits were evaluated: grain yield, plant architecture, lodging and reaction to anthracnose, angular leaf spot, common bacterial blight and wilt bacterial wilt, in addition to grain quality traits: visual aspect of grain, sieve in yield, 100 100 weight, cooking time and crude protein concentration. Individual and combined analyses of variance were realizedand analysis of adaptability and stability, the Nunes graphical method, for all characters. The index posts sum was used for the selection of genotypes favorable phenotypes for most traits, in addition to adaptability and joint stability. High environmental influence and interaction GxE in phenotypic expression for agronomic traits and traits related to grain quality was detected. It was possible to select genotypes with superiority for each character set. The use of the estimates of adaptability and stability combined with selection index was useful in evaluating genotype performance against the environmental variations. The lines CNFC 15033, CNFC 15070, CNFC 15025, CNFC 15049 and CNFC 15086 combined phenotypic good sized, high adaptability and stability for most agronomic traits. The genotypes who stand out for grain quality characters were CNFC 15097, CNFC 15038, CNFC 15025, CNFC 15033 and BRS Estilo. From these results, CNFC 15025, CNFC 15033, CNFC 15097 and CNFC 15038 line highlighted by to associate traits of agronomic interest the high quality of grain, as well as being stable and adapted to different cropping regions. Thus, these breeding lines have potential to be indicated as new cultivars and/or used as parents in breeding programs aimed at improving these phenotypes. / Na cultura do feijoeiro-comum, a influência ambiental e o comportamento diferencial dos genótipos aos ambientes têm sido relatados para vários caracteres de importância e que não se restringem à produtividade de grãos. A princípio, os produtores almejam cultivares com alta produtividade de grãos, precoces, arquitetura de planta ereta que propicie a colheita mecanizada direta, grãos com padrão comercial, além de serem resistentes às principais doenças. Diferentemente, os demais segmentos da cadeia produtiva anseiam por grãos com outros atributos. Para a indústria é importante que novas cultivares apresentem grãos com alta qualidade tecnológica e de beneficiamento. Para os consumidores, maior qualidade nutricional, culinária e funcional. Desse modo, essas características precisam ser combinadas para atender demandas de toda a cadeia e viabilizar a adoção de uma nova cultivar. E, para isso, os fatores que influenciam a manifestação fenotípica desses caracteres necessitam de mais estudos. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram: i) estudar o efeito da interação de genótipos com ambientes (GxA) para a produtividade de grãos associada aos caracteres agronômicos e de qualidade de grãos e ii) identificar genótipos de feijoeirocomum do grupo carioca que apresentem simultaneamente alta adaptabilidade e estabilidade para esses caracteres. Foram realizados 79 ensaios de Valor de Cultivo e Uso (VCU) com linhagens de feijoeiro-comum com grão carioca, distribuídos no Distrito Federal e nos Estados de Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Pernambuco, Bahia, Alagoas e Sergipe. Esses ensaios foram conduzidos nos anos de 2011, 2012 e 2013, nas épocas de semeadura da seca, inverno e águas. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso, com três repetições e parcelas de quatro linhas com quatro metros de comprimento. Os ensaios foram constituídos por 17 genótipos de feijoeiro-comum do tipo de grão carioca: treze linhagens elite e quatro testemunhas (BRS Estilo, Pérola, BRS Sublime e CNFC 10762). Foram avaliados os caracteres agronômicos: produtividade de grãos, arquitetura de planta, tolerância ao acamamento e reação à antracnose, manchaangular, crestamento bacteriano comum e murcha de curtobacterium, além dos caracteres de qualidade de grãos: aspecto visual dos grãos, rendimento de peneira, massa de 100 grãos, tempo de cocção e teor de proteína bruta. Realizaram-se as análises de variância individual e conjunta e, posteriormente, as análises de adaptabilidade e estabilidade, pelo método gráfico de Nunes, para todos os caracteres. O índice de soma de postos foi utilizado para a seleção dos genótipos com fenótipos favoráveis para os caracteres em conjunto, além da adaptabilidade e estabilidade conjunta. Foi detectada grande influência ambiental e interação de GxA na expressão fenotípica para os caracteres agronômicos e de qualidade dos grãos. Foi possível selecionar genótipos com superioridade para cada conjunto de caracteres. O emprego das estimativas de adaptabilidade e estabilidade aliada ao índice de seleção foi útil na avaliação do comportamento dos genótipos frente às variações ambientais. As linhagens CNFC 15033, CNFC 15070, CNFC 15025, CNFC 15049 e CNFC 15086 associaram boas médias fenotípicas, alta adaptabilidade e estabilidade para a maioria dos caracteres agronômicos. Os genótipos que se destacaram para os caracteres de qualidade de grãos foram CNFC 15097, CNFC 15038, CNFC 15025, CNFC 15033 e BRS Estilo. Com base nesses resultados, as linhagens CNFC 15025, CNFC 15033, CNFC 15097 e CNFC 15038 destacaram-se por associar características de interesse agronômico à boa qualidade dos grãos, além de serem adaptadas e estáveis às diferentes regiões de cultivo. Assim, essas linhagens elite tem potencial para serem indicadas como novas cultivares e/ou utilizadas como genitores em programas de melhoramento visando a melhoria desses fenótipos.

Na última década, a podridão vermelha das raízes da soja (PVR), ou síndrome da morte súbita, causada pelo fungo Fusarium solani f.sp. glycines, tornou-se uma doença que é motivo de preocupação para os sojicultores, técnicos e pesquisadores nas regiões onde esta doença já foi constatada, sendo a única estratégia de controle viável a utilização de cultivares resistentes. Diante disto, o principal objetivo do presente trabalho foi o estudo do controle genético da reação da soja a PVR por meio de técnicas de genética clássica e molecular. Foi utilizada a geração F2 de um dialelo 5x5, sem os recíprocos, envolvendo cinco cultivares: Forrest, MG/BR-46 (Conquista), IAC-4, FT-Cristalina e FT-Estrela, sendo as duas primeiras mais resistentes a PVR que IAC-4, considerada moderadamente resistente e, as duas últimas, altamente suscetíveis. Além de testes de inoculação com as cultivares, foram conduzidos três experimentos com a geração F2: um em telado (semeadura em julho de 2001) e dois em casa de vegetação (semeadura em setembro de 2001 e julho de 2002), sendo os dois primeiros em blocos ao acaso e o terceiro no delineamento inteiramente casualizado. O patógeno foi inoculado com grãos de sorgo colonizados, colocando-se três grãos no fundo de cada cova, no momento da semeadura, fazendo-se cinco covas por vaso, cada qual constituindo uma parcela com cinco plantas. Em cada experimento, foram avaliadas individualmente 50 plantas de cada genitor e 150 plantas de cada cruzamento F2, entre os 30 e 40 dias após a emergência, utilizando-se uma escala de notas de 1 a 5 para a severidade dos sintomas foliares da PVR. A porcentagem de incidência da doença em cada parcela e um índice de doença também foram calculados. Nas análises de variância com os dados de médias de parcelas, observaram-se diferenças altamente significativas entre os genitores e entre populações F2 para a severidade e índice de doença dos sintomas foliares, na maioria dos casos, embora os genitores resistentes e suscetíveis não foram muito contrastantes. As cultivares Forrest e Conquista comportaram-se sempre como resistentes, e Cristalina e Estrela como suscetíveis, enquanto que IAC-4 apresentou comportamento instável. Pela análise dialélica de Jinks-Hayman reafirmou-se a influência do ambiente sobre o controle da resistência à manifestação dos sintomas foliares da PVR, a qual foi controlada quantitativamente. Nos experimentos de 2001, constatou-se apenas a ação de efeitos gênicos aditivos. Porém, no experimento conduzido em telado, a resistência demonstrou controle por genes recessivos, enquanto que na casa de vegetação, na maior parte, por genes dominantes. No experimento de 2002 constatou-se a presença de efeitos gênicos aditivos e de dominância, predominando o efeito destes últimos. Assim, com base no experimento de 2002, para o grupo de cultivares estudado, os parâmetros genéticos calculados permitiram verificar que: o grau médio de dominância indicou a presença de sobredominância; predominaram genes recessivos no grupo dos genitores; pelo menos três locos ou blocos gênicos que exibiram dominância foram responsáveis pelo controle da resistência a PVR; as herdabilidades estimadas no sentido restrito foram médias (0,33 a 0,62) e, no sentido amplo, altas (0,90 a 0,96), confirmando a presença de dominância; a resistência foi controlada, na maior parte, por genes dominantes e a ordem decrescente de dominância das cultivares foi a seguinte: 'Conquista', 'Cristalina', 'Forrest', 'Estrela' e 'IAC-4'; a exclusão de 'Cristalina', por suspeita de apresentar distribuição de genes correlacionada com 'Conquista' e 'Estrela', melhorou a adequação dos dados de índice de doença ao modelo genético aditivo-dominante de Jinks-Hayman. A utilização de cinco marcadores moleculares microssatélites (Satt163, Satt309, Satt354, Satt371 e Satt570), relatados como ligados a cinco QRLs da PVR, indicou a provável presença de multialelismo nestes locos, o que não invalidou a adequação dos dados ao modelo de Jinks-Hayman. Pela análise de ligação entre 126 indivíduos F2 do cruzamento 'Conquista' x 'Estrela' com os marcadores Satt163 e Satt354, no experimento conduzido em telado, houve ligação fraca (P<0,10) entre estes locos e os respectivos QRLs, havendo tendência dos alelos recessivos serem os responsáveis pelo controle da resistência nestes dois locos, concordando com os resultados da análise dialélica para este experimento. / In order to study the genetic control of soybean resistance to sudden death syndrome (SDS) by classical and molecular genetic techniques a 5x5 diallel with the F2 generation, without the reciprocals, was carried out. The following parents were used: 'Forrest', 'MG/BR-46 (Conquista)', 'IAC-4', 'FT-Cristalina' and 'FT-Estrela'. The first two cultivars are more resistant to SDS than 'IAC-4', that is considered to be moderately resistant to SDS, and the last two cultivars are highly susceptible. Tests of inoculation were done with the cultivars and three experiments with the F2 generation (two in 2001 and one in 2002) were carried out, all of them in greenhouses. The fungus was inoculated by three colonized sorghum grains placed at the bottom of the holes at the planting. It was used five-holes/clay pot, which one was considered a plot with five plants. In each experiment with the F2 generation 50 single plants of each parent and 150 single plants of each F2 population were evaluated between 30 and 40 days after emergency by using a scale (1 to 5) based on foliar severity symptoms. The disease incidence and a disease index also were calculated for each plot. In the ANOVAs with data plot average for severity and disease index highly significant differences were detected among the treatments in almost all cases, although the resistant and the susceptible parents did not differ too much. The parents 'Forrest' and 'Conquista' were always more resistant than the others. 'Cristalina' and 'Estrela' were the most susceptible parents, while 'IAC-4' was unstable. Jinks-Hayman's analysis reaffirmed the environment effect on the genetic control of the resistance to SDS foliar symptoms, which was quantitatively controlled. In the 2001 experiments there was observed only additive genic effects, but in one experiment recessive genes had controlled the resistance, while in the other, in major part, dominant genes had controlled the resistance to SDS. In the 2002 experiment it was showed mainly dominance effects and also some additive genic effects. In the last experiment, for the group of parents used, the genetic parameters indicated that: the average degree of dominance showed the presence of overdominance; there were more recessive than dominants genes in the group of the parents; at least three loci or genic blocks that exhibited dominance were responsible for the genetic control of the resistance to SDS; the heritability in the narrow-sense had middle values (0.33 to 0.62), and in the broad-sense had high values (0.90 to 0.96), reinforcing the presence of dominance effects; the resistance to SDS was controlled, mostly, by dominant genes; the decreasing order of dominance of the parents were: 'Conquista', 'Cristalina', 'Forrest', 'Estrela' and 'IAC-4'; and the exclusion of 'Cristalina' of the diallel for disease index by suspect of gene correlated distribution with 'Conquista' and 'Estrela' improved the fitting of the data to Jinks-Hayman's additive-dominant model. Five microsatellite markers (Satt163, Satt309, Satt354, Satt371 and Satt570), reported as linked to five SDS QRLs, were used and showed the possibility of occurrence of multiallelism in those loci, but this evidence did not invalidate the fitting of the data to Jinks-Hayman's model. The molecular analysis in 126 plants of 'Conquista' x 'Estrela' cross with the markers Satt163 and Satt354, in the first experiment of 2001, showed the tendency of weakly association (P<0,10), between those loci and the QRLs. This analysis showed also tendency that the recessive genes controlled the resistance to SDS in both loci, in according to the results obtained in the diallel analysis for this experiment.

No description available.

Les molécules classiques du complexe majeur d’histocompatibilité de classe II (CMHII) sont des glycoprotéines de surface spécialisées dans la présentation de peptides, principalement dérivés de pathogènes extracellulaires, aux récepteurs des lymphocytes T CD4+ afin d’initier la réponse immunitaire adaptative. Elles sont encodées, avec celles du CMH de classe I, par les gènes les plus polymorphiques identifiés jusqu’à maintenant, avec plusieurs loci et une grande diversité allélique à chacun d’eux. De plus, le polymorphisme des gènes du CMHII n’est pas limité qu’aux séquences codantes. Il est également observé dans les promoteurs où on a démontré ses effets sur le niveau d’expression des gènes. La variation de la régulation d’un gène est considérée comme un facteur important et pour laquelle des modifications morphologiques, physiologiques et comportementales sont observées chez tous les organismes. Des séquences d’ADN répétées impliquées dans cette régulation ont été identifiées dans les régions non-codantes des génomes. D’un autre côté, la sélection par les pathogènes permettrait l’évolution et le maintien du polymorphisme des gènes du CMH chez les vertébrés. À ce sujet, plusieurs études ont montré l’implication de différents allèles du CMH dans la résistance ou la susceptibilité aux maladies. Cette étude avait pour objectifs de caractériser le polymorphisme du gène MHIIb chez l’omble de fontaine (Salvelinus fontinalis) et de documenter ses effets au niveau de la survie conférée par des allèles et/ou génotypes particuliers lors d’une infection, ainsi que sur la variation du niveau d’expression du gène dans différentes conditions. Dans une première partie, nous avons identifié un total de 6 allèles du gène MHIIb, désignés Safo-DAB*0101 à Safo-DAB*0601, qui montrent une grande similarité avec les séquences codantes provenant de poissons téléostéens et de l’humain. L’analyse des séquences du domaine b1 a permis de détecter l’effet d’une pression sélective positive pour maintenir le polymorphisme dans cette région de la molécule. Quatre de ces allèles ont été testés lors d’une expérience d’infection avec le pathogène Aeromonas salmonicida afin d’évaluer l’effet qu’ils pouvaient avoir sur la survie des poissons. Nous avons trouvé que l’allèle DAB*0101 était significativement associé à la résistance à la furonculose. En plus d’avoir été identifié chez les individus homozygotes pour cet allèle, l’effet a également été remarqué au niveau de la survie les poissons de génotype DAB*0101/*0201. À l’opposé, les facteurs de risque élevé obtenus pour les génotypes DAB*0201/*0301 et DAB*0301/*0401 suggèrent plutôt une association à la susceptibilité. Étant donné la faible fréquence à laquelle l’allèle DAB*0101 a été retrouvé dans la population, le modèle de la sélection dépendante de la fréquence pourrait expliquer l’avantage conféré par ce dernier et souligne l’importance de ce mécanisme pour le maintien du polymorphisme du gène MHIIb chez l’omble de fontaine. Dans une seconde partie, nous avons rapporté la présence d’un minisatellite polymorphique formé d’un motif de 32 nucléotides dans le second intron du gène MHIIb, et pour lequel un nombre exclusif de répétitions du motif a été associé à chaque allèle (69, 27, 20, 40, 19 et 25 répétitions pour les allèles DAB*0101 à DAB*0601 respectivement). L’expression relative de quatre allèles a été évaluée dans des poissons hétérozygotes aux températures de 6 ºC et 18 ºC. Les résultats indiquent que les allèles possédant un long minisatellite montrent une réduction de l’expression du gène d’un facteur 1,67 à 2,56 par rapport aux allèles qui en contiennent un court. De même, des allèles qui incluent des minisatellites de tailles similaires n’affichent pas de différence significative au niveau de l’abondance du transcrit aux deux températures. De plus, l’effet répressif associé aux longs minisatellites est amplifié à la température de 18 ºC dans des poissons de trois génotypes différents. Nous avons finalement observé une augmentation significative par un facteur 2,08 de l’expression totale du gène MHIIb à la température de 6 ºC. Ces résultats appuient l’implication des séquences d’ADN répétées dans la régulation de l’activité transcriptionnelle d’un gène et suggèrent qu’un minisatellite sensible aux différences de températures pourrait être soumis aux forces sélectives et jouer un rôle important dans l’expression de gènes et l’évolution des organismes poïkilothermes. / Classical major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII) molecules are cell-surface glycoproteins specialized in the presentation of peptides, mainly derived from extracellular pathogens, to the antigen receptors of CD4+ T cells in the adaptive immune system. They are encoded, with those of the MHC class I, by the most polymorphic genes known to date, with multiple loci and high allelic diversity at each one. Moreover, the polymorphism within MHCII genes is not restricted to coding sequences. It has also been observed in promoters where it was shown to affect the expression level of the genes. Variation in gene regulation is believed to be an important factor from which modification in morphology, physiology or behaviour can be observed in all organisms. Repeated DNA sequences with functional roles in this regulation have been identified within the non-coding parts of the genomes. On the other hand, pathogen-driven selection is also believed to be important in the evolution and maintenance of the polymorphism of the MHC genes in vertebrates. Studies have shown the implication of different MHC alleles in disease resistance or susceptibility. In this study, our aims were to characterize the polymorphism of the MHIIb gene in brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis), to document its effects on the survival conferred by specific alleles and/or genotypes following an infection and on the variation of the expression level of the gene in different environmental conditions. In a first part, we identified a total of 6 MHIIb alleles, designated Safo-DAB*0101 to Safo-DAB*0601, showing a high similarity to coding sequences from teleost fish and human. Analysis of the b1 domain sequences indicates the effect of a positive selection pressure to select polymorphic mutations in that region of the molecule. Four of these alleles were tested in a challenge experiment against the pathogen Aeromonas salmonicida to evaluate their effect on fish survival. We found that one allele, DAB*0101, was significantly associated with resistance to furonculosis. In addition to homozygotes for this allele, its resistance effect was also detected in the heterozygote individuals of the DAB*0101/*0201 genotype. In contrast, other allelic combinations, namely heterozygous genotypes DAB*0201/*0301 and DAB*0301/*0401 were significantly associated with increased susceptibility. Given that its frequency was relatively low in the population, the negative frequency dependant selection hypothesis could explain the advantage associated with the allele DAB*0101 over the other alleles and highlight the importance of this mechanism to sustain variation at the MHC in brook charr. In a second part, we reported the identification of a polymorphic minisatellite formed of a 32 nucleotides motif in the second intron of MHIIb gene, and for which distinctive repeat numbers of the motif were associated to each alleles (69, 27, 20, 40, 19 and 25 repeats for the DAB*0101 to DAB*0601 alleles respectively). Relative expression levels of four alleles were determined in heterozygous fish at temperature of 18 ºC and 6 ºC. Results indicate that alleles carrying the longest minisatellite showed a 1.67 to 2.56-fold reduction in the transcript expression relatively to the shortest one. In contrast, no significant differences were seen in the expression levels between alleles with comparable minisatellite length at both temperatures. Furthermore, the repressive activity associated to the longest minisatellite was more effective at temperature of 18 ºC in fish from three different genotypes. We finally observed a significant 2.08-fold up-regulation of the total MHII transcript amount at 6 ºC. The results support the implication of repeated DNA sequences in the regulation of the gene transcriptional activity and suggest that a temperature-sensitive minisatellite could potentially be submitted to selective forces and therefore play an important role in gene expression and evolution in ectothermic organisms.

Cyclic nucleotide-gated channels (CNGCs) are non-selective cation channels that were first identified in vertebrate photosensory and olfactory neurons. Although the physiological roles and biophysical properties of animal CNGCs have been well studied, much less is known about these channels in plants. The Arabidopsis genome encodes twenty putative CNGC subunits that are postulated to form channel complexes that mediate various physiological processes involving abiotic and biotic stress responses, ion homeostasis and development. The identification of Arabidopsis autoimmune CNGC mutants, such as defense no death class (dnd1 and dnd2), and the constitutive expressor of pathogenesis related genes 22 (cpr22) implicate AtCNGC2, 4, 11 and 12 in plant immunity. Here, I present a comprehensive study of the molecular mechanisms involved in CNGC-mediated signaling pathways with emphasis on pathogen defense. Previously, a forward genetics approach aimed to identify suppressor mutants of the rare gain-of-function autoimmune mutant, cpr22, identified key residues that are important for CNGC subunit interactions and channel function. First, I present a structure-function analysis of one of these suppressor mutants (S58) that revealed a key residue in the cyclic nucleotide binding domain involved in the stable regulation of CNGCs. Second, I present a new suppressor screen using AtCNGC2 T-DNA knockout mutants that specifically aimed to identify novel downstream components of CNGC-mediated pathogen defense signaling. In this screen, I successfully isolated and characterized the novel Arabidopsis mutant, repressor of defense no death 1 (rdd1), and expanded this study to demonstrate its involvement in AtCNGC2 and AtCNGC4-mediated signal transduction. Additionally, I demonstrated for the first time, the physical interaction of AtCNGC2 and AtCNGC4 subunits in planta. The findings presented in this thesis broaden our current knowledge of CNGCs in plants, and provide a new foundation for future elucidation of the structure-function relationships and signal transduction mediated by these channels.

Cyclic nucleotide-gated channels (CNGCs) are non-selective cation channels that were first identified in vertebrate photosensory and olfactory neurons. Although the physiological roles and biophysical properties of animal CNGCs have been well studied, much less is known about these channels in plants. The Arabidopsis genome encodes twenty putative CNGC subunits that are postulated to form channel complexes that mediate various physiological processes involving abiotic and biotic stress responses, ion homeostasis and development. The identification of Arabidopsis autoimmune CNGC mutants, such as defense no death class (dnd1 and dnd2), and the constitutive expressor of pathogenesis related genes 22 (cpr22) implicate AtCNGC2, 4, 11 and 12 in plant immunity. Here, I present a comprehensive study of the molecular mechanisms involved in CNGC-mediated signaling pathways with emphasis on pathogen defense. Previously, a forward genetics approach aimed to identify suppressor mutants of the rare gain-of-function autoimmune mutant, cpr22, identified key residues that are important for CNGC subunit interactions and channel function. First, I present a structure-function analysis of one of these suppressor mutants (S58) that revealed a key residue in the cyclic nucleotide binding domain involved in the stable regulation of CNGCs. Second, I present a new suppressor screen using AtCNGC2 T-DNA knockout mutants that specifically aimed to identify novel downstream components of CNGC-mediated pathogen defense signaling. In this screen, I successfully isolated and characterized the novel Arabidopsis mutant, repressor of defense no death 1 (rdd1), and expanded this study to demonstrate its involvement in AtCNGC2 and AtCNGC4-mediated signal transduction. Additionally, I demonstrated for the first time, the physical interaction of AtCNGC2 and AtCNGC4 subunits in planta. The findings presented in this thesis broaden our current knowledge of CNGCs in plants, and provide a new foundation for future elucidation of the structure-function relationships and signal transduction mediated by these channels.