Epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMTs) are fundamental and indispensable to embryonic morphogenesis throughout the animal kingdom. At the onset of gastrulation in the sea urchin embryo, micromere-derived primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs) undergo an EMT process to ingress into the blastocoel, and these cells later become the larval skeleton. Much has been learned about PMC specification in sea urchin embryos. However, much less is known about how states of the sequentially progressing PMC gene regulatory network (GRN) controls the EMT process during PMC ingression. Transcriptional regulators such as Snail and Twist have emerged as important molecules for controlling EMTs in many model systems. Sea urchin snail and twist genes were cloned from Lytechinus variegates, and each has been experimentally connected to the PMC regulatory network; these experiments demonstrate several requirements for PMC ingression, and in doing so, begin to illustrate how a gene regulatory network state controls morphogenesis. Functional knockdown analyses of Snail with morpholino-substituted antisense oligonucleotides (MASO) in whole embryos and chimeras demonstrated that Snail is required in micromeres for PMC ingression. Investigations also show that Snail downregulates cadherin expression as an evolutionarily conserved mechanism, and Snail positively regulates a required endocytic clearance of epithelial membrane molecules during EMT. Perturbation experiments indicate that Twist has accessory roles in regulating PMC ingression, and possibly plays a maintenance role in PMC specification network state. In addition, Twist also functions in the post-EMT network state, particularly in directing PMC differentiation and skeletogenesis. The recently annotated sea urchin genome accelerates the discovery of new genes and holds strong promise of mapping out a complete canvas of the micromere-PMC gene regulatory network. Using the genome resources we successfully cloned several newly identified PMC genes, and found most of them to be expressed in micromeres just prior to ingression of the nascent PMCs. Current experiments focus on the roles of these genes in preparing for, executing, and/or controlling the mesenchymal behavior following PMC ingression. The functions and inter-relationships of these genes will greatly augment our understanding of how a gene regulatory network state controls a crucial morphogenetic event. / Dissertation

L’objectif de ce travail de thèse est d’évaluer le degré de contamination des différents compartiments du site de la décharge d’Étueffont à savoir : les lixiviats, les sédiments, l’eau souterraine, les poissons, les insectes et les microorganismes de la décharge d’Étueffont. Ce travail de recherche est structuré en neuf chapitres.Après une première partie (Part I) consacrée à une étude bibliographique, le deuxième chapitre (Part II) présente le site d’étude, c’est-à-dire l’installation de stockage de déchets non dangereux(ISDND) d’Étueffont. La troisième partie (Part III) est consacrée à l’analyse de la qualité des lixiviats dans les lagunes, les unités de stockage des déchets « Nouveau casier », « Sous casier », « Ancienne décharge », les ruisseaux du gros Pré et Mont Bonnet. La quatrième partie (Part IV) intitulée « Contamination métallique des sédiments du site de la décharge d’Étueffont », aborde l’étude de la variation spatiotemporelle des éléments traces métalliques au niveau des lixiviats et des sédiments dans les quatre lagunes du site de la décharge d’Étueffont. Afin de déterminer le degré de contamination métallique des lixiviats et des sédiments, nous avons procédé à un suivi de certains éléments localisés en amont, au milieu et en aval de chaque lagune avec un pas d’échantillonnage trimestriel entre octobre 2013 et avril 2016. La cinquième partie (Part V), complémentaire du chapitre précédent, définit plus précisément la distribution spatiale du panache à travers l’analyse de la qualité de l’eau souterraine au moyen de piézomètres. La sixième partie (Part VI) concerne les effets des métaux lourds sur les échanges gazeux et la fluorescence des chlorophylles chez (Typha latifolia). Le septième chapitre (Part VII) est consacré à l’étude des microorganismes de la décharge d’Etueffont : apport de la cytométrie en flux. Dans le huitième chapitre (Part VIII), nous aborderons l’étude de la bioaccumulation des éléments traces métalliques dans le Chironome Chironomus riparius. La dernière partie (Part IX) intitulée « Étude de la bioaccumulation des éléments traces métalliques au niveau des différents organes du gardon Rutilus rutilus», aborde l’étude de la bioaccumulation des éléments traces métalliques au niveau de différents organes (muscle, foie, arêtes et branchies). / The objective of this thesis work is to estimate the contamination level in the various compartments of the Étueffont discharge site namely: leachates, sediments, groundwater, fishes and insects. The microorganisms (< 10 µm) of the Étueffont discharge of were investigated at the single cell level by flow cytometry. This research work is structured in nine chapters.The first part (Part I), is dedicated to a literature review. Part II presents the study site, the storage of non-hazardous waste (ISDND) at Étueffont. Part III is dedicated to the analysis of leachate quality in lagoons, NC, SC, AD, MB and GP. Part IV addresses "Metal Sediment Contamination of Étueffont discharge site" It concerns the study of spatial and temporal variation of trace metals in leachate and sediment in the four lagoons landfill site of Étueffont. To determine the metal contamination level in leachate and sediment, we conducted follow-elements located upstream, middle and downstream in each lagoon with quarterly sampling between October 2013 and April 2016. Part V complements the previous chapter, by specifically defining the spatial distribution of the plume through the quality analysis of the piezometer groundwater. Part VI addresses the heavy metals impacts on gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence in (Typha latifolia). Part VII is dedicated to the microorganisms (<10 µm) investigation in the Étueffont discharge: by using flow cytometry. In the (Part VIII), we addressed the study of bioaccumulation of trace metallic elements (Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Cd and Pb) in insect Chironomus riparius. Part IX entitled "Study bioaccumulation of trace metals in the various organs of roach Rutilus rutilus" concerns bioaccumulation of trace metals in different organs (muscle, liver, bones and gills) of this fish.