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In this study, I examined the use of mouse (Mus musculus) Fat Specific Protein 27 (FSP27) ectopically expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana benthamiana as a means to increase lipid droplet (LD) presence in plant tissues. In mammalian cells, this protein induces cytoplasmic LD clustering and fusion and helps prevent breakdown of LDs contributing to the large, single LD that dominates adipocytes. When expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana benthamiana, FSP27 retained its functionality and supported the accumulation of numerous and large cytoplasmic LDs, although it failed to produce the large, single LD that typifies adipose cells. FSP27 has no obvious homologs in plants, but a search for possible distant homologs in Arabidopsis returned a Tudor/PWWP/MBT protein coded for by the gene AT1G80810 which for the purposes of this study, we have called LIPID REGULATORY TUDOR DOMAIN CONTAINING GENE 1 (LRT1). As a possible homolog of FSP27, LRT1 was expected to have a positive regulatory effect on LDs in cells. Instead, a negative regulatory effect was observed in which disruption of the gene induced an accumulation of cytoplasmic LDs in non-seed tissue. A study of lrt1 mutants demonstrated that disruption this gene is the causal factor of the cytoplasmic LD accumulation observed in the mutants, that this phenotype occurs in above ground tissues and is present throughout the early growth stages of the plant. Further examination of lrt1 mutant plants has allowed a preliminary understanding of the role LRT1 may play in LD regulation. Taken together, the results of this study point towards some promising strategies to increase LD content in plant tissues.

Insulin resistance is an early marker of Type II diabetes. Excessive lipid accumulation in muscle and liver leads to insulin resistance, and lowering tissue lipids causes an enhancement of insulin action. The enzyme AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is activated when cellular energy levels are compromised, such as during exercise; this enhances fuel oxidation and inhibits energy consuming processes. The hypothesis in this thesis was that activating AMPK in a lipid-induced insulin resistant state leads to tissue lipid reduction and improved insulin sensitivity. Insulin resistant high-fat fed (HF-) rats were administered 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-??-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR), a specific AMPK activator. During an euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp performed 24h later, HF-rats showed increased whole body, muscle and liver insulin action, independent of changes in PKB-phosphorylation. The liver had reduced triglycerides, malonyl-CoA and increased IkB-a content. A lowering of muscle malonyl-CoA was consistent with conditions favouring increased lipid utilisation. Normal, chow-fed rats also showed improved insulin action post-AICAR. Further studies showed that basal glucose uptake was not increased 24h after AICAR, suggesting that AMPK activation had caused an increase in insulin sensitivity. Diacylglycerols and triglycerides, but not ceramides, were reduced in the liver of AICAR treated HF-rats, suggesting lipid reduction as a likely mediator of enhanced liver insulin action. These lipid species were not reduced in muscle. AICAR administration to HF-rats lowered plasma glucose and fatty acids (FA) acutely, probably due to increased muscle glucose uptake and FA oxidation. Glycogen was reduced in liver and increased in muscle, suggesting glucose mobilisation from liver to muscle. Adrenergic blockade excluded the sympathetic nervous system in the acute AICAR effects. AMPK was activated in white muscle and liver of HF-rats immediately after AICAR, the same tissues that exhibited later improved insulin sensitivity. Tracer technologies used to investigate glucose and lipid fluxes showed that AMPK activation in white muscle simultaneously increased both glucose and FA uptake and their metabolism, with glucose also being stored as glycogen. The liver showed lower lipid synthesis, consistent with reduced liver lipid accumulation observed 24h post-AICAR. In conclusion, these results suggest that activation of AMPK leads to selective tissue lipid reduction and improved insulin action, and is a potential target for the treatment of insulin resistance and type II diabetes.

Insulin resistance is an early marker of Type II diabetes. Excessive lipid accumulation in muscle and liver leads to insulin resistance, and lowering tissue lipids causes an enhancement of insulin action. The enzyme AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is activated when cellular energy levels are compromised, such as during exercise; this enhances fuel oxidation and inhibits energy consuming processes. The hypothesis in this thesis was that activating AMPK in a lipid-induced insulin resistant state leads to tissue lipid reduction and improved insulin sensitivity. Insulin resistant high-fat fed (HF-) rats were administered 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-??-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR), a specific AMPK activator. During an euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp performed 24h later, HF-rats showed increased whole body, muscle and liver insulin action, independent of changes in PKB-phosphorylation. The liver had reduced triglycerides, malonyl-CoA and increased IkB-a content. A lowering of muscle malonyl-CoA was consistent with conditions favouring increased lipid utilisation. Normal, chow-fed rats also showed improved insulin action post-AICAR. Further studies showed that basal glucose uptake was not increased 24h after AICAR, suggesting that AMPK activation had caused an increase in insulin sensitivity. Diacylglycerols and triglycerides, but not ceramides, were reduced in the liver of AICAR treated HF-rats, suggesting lipid reduction as a likely mediator of enhanced liver insulin action. These lipid species were not reduced in muscle. AICAR administration to HF-rats lowered plasma glucose and fatty acids (FA) acutely, probably due to increased muscle glucose uptake and FA oxidation. Glycogen was reduced in liver and increased in muscle, suggesting glucose mobilisation from liver to muscle. Adrenergic blockade excluded the sympathetic nervous system in the acute AICAR effects. AMPK was activated in white muscle and liver of HF-rats immediately after AICAR, the same tissues that exhibited later improved insulin sensitivity. Tracer technologies used to investigate glucose and lipid fluxes showed that AMPK activation in white muscle simultaneously increased both glucose and FA uptake and their metabolism, with glucose also being stored as glycogen. The liver showed lower lipid synthesis, consistent with reduced liver lipid accumulation observed 24h post-AICAR. In conclusion, these results suggest that activation of AMPK leads to selective tissue lipid reduction and improved insulin action, and is a potential target for the treatment of insulin resistance and type II diabetes.

Rhodotorula glutinis (Rhodosporidium toruloides) est une levure oléagineuse dont les fortes capacités d’accumulation lipidique à partir de glucose comme source carbonée ont fait de la souche un modèle d’étude. La capacité de cette levure à utiliser le glycérol ou le xylose en simple ou co-substrat avec le glucose est toutefois encore peu explorée. De l’analyse des travaux antérieurs il a été possible de dégager les verrous scientifiques qui nécessitent une amélioration des connaissances du comportement physiologique de cette levure pour la conversion des substrats cités. Des stratégies expérimentales adaptées à la quantification rationnelle des dynamiques de Rhodotorula glutinis en conditions de croissance et accumulation lipidique à partir de xylose et de glycérol en simple ou co-substrats avec le glucose ont été développées. Des résultats originaux ont été obtenus dont :- la mise en évidence des potentialités de co-consommation des substrats xylose et glucose ou glycérol et glucose sans accumulation de substrat ni production de métabolites en conditions contrôlées des flux de substrats. Il a été possible de déterminer la vitesse spécifique maximale de consommation du carbone de la souche qui diminue lorsque la part de xylose ou glycérol augmente dans l’apport de carbone total.- la quantification de la dynamique de croissance sur xylose et glycérol pur en terme de taux de croissance et de rendement : sur xylose µmax= 0.034h-1 et RS/X= 0.28 Cmolx.Cmolxylose-1; sur glycérol µmax=0.04h-1 RS/X=0.31Cmolx.Cmolglycérol-1.- la quantification des vitesses spécifiques et rendements de production de lipides à partir de xylose ou de glycérol en simple ou co-substrat avec du glucose : 20%xylose-80%glucose : qp=0.065CmolTAG.Cmolbiomasse.h-1, RS/P=0.3CmoleTAG.Cmolesubstrat-1 100%xylose : qp=0.035065CmolTAG.Cmolbiomasse.h-1, RS/P=0.31CmoleTAG.Cmolesubstrat-1, 25% glycérol-75%glucose : qp=0.07065CmolTAG.Cmolbiomasse.h-1, RS/P=0.25CmoleTAG.Cmolesubstrat-1 , 100% glycérol : qp=0.03065CmolTAG.Cmolbiomasse.h-1, RS/P= 0.29CmoleTAG.Cmolesubstrat-1.- L’impact de la nature des substrats sur le profil lipidique de Rhodotorula glutinis demeure léger : il apparait que le xylose entraîne une surproduction de C16:0 et C18:3et le glycérol favorise l’accumulation de C18:0 / Rhodotorula glutinis (Rhodosporidium toruloides) is an oleaginous yeast. The micro-organism has demonstrated high lipid accumulation when utilizing glucose as a substrate, and has become a model for oil production. Glycerol and xylose are interesting as substrates for production of oil from renewable resources, but the capacity of R. glutinis to utilize glycerol and xylose as substrates has not been characterized well. Fermentation strategies were designed to quantify growth and lipid accumulation dynamics of R. glutinis when utilizing glycerol and xylose - either as pure substrates, or as co-substrates with glucose. Several original results have been found, including: - Co-consumption of xylose or glycerol along with glucose was observed, without carbon substrate accumulation or byproduct formation, when the carbon feed rate was carefully controlled. The specific carbon consumption rate decreases when the proportion of the second substrate (glycerol or xylose) increases in the feed, relative to glucose. - Growth capacities were characterized on pure xylose and pure glycerol in terms of growth rate and carbon yields: on xylose μmax= 0.034h-1 and RS/X= 0.28 Cmolx.Cmolxylose-1; on glycerol μmax=0.04h-1 RS/X=0.31Cmolx.Cmolglycerol-1. - specific production rate of lipid production and substrate to product carbon conversion yields from xylose or glycerol as single or cosubstrate with glucose were determinated: 20%xylose-80%glucose : qp=0.065CmolTAG.Cmolbiomasse.h-1, RS/P=0.3CmoleTAG.Cmolesubstrat-1 100%xylose : qp=0.035065CmolTAG.Cmolbiomasse.h-1, RS/P=0.31CmoleTAG.Cmolesubstrat-1, 25% glycerol-75%glucose : qp=0.07065CmolTAG.Cmolbiomasse.h-1, RS/P=0.25CmoleTAG.Cmolesubstrat-1 , 100% glycerol : qp=0.03065CmolTAG.Cmolbiomasse.h-1, RS/P= 0.29CmoleTAG.Cmolesubstrat-1. - Substrate diversification slightly impacts Rhodotorula glutinis´s lipid profile: xylose leads to an overproduction of C16:0 and C18:3 and glycerol increases C18:0 accumulation

L’accumulation de lipides chez une espèce levurienne Yarrowia lipolytica souche sauvage a été caractérisée par l’analyse dynamique et systémique des différents états métaboliques identifiés lors des cultures sous conditions environnementales parfaitement maitrisées, à hautes densités cellulaires selon deux stratégies bien distinctes. En premier lieu sur substrat osidique avec le phosphore comme élément inducteur de l’accumulation de lipides, stratégie originale pour déclencher l’accumulation de lipides chez cette souche. Et deuxièmement sur co-susbtrats glucose et oléate et sans aucune limitation nutritionnelle.Ces stratégies de conduites ont permis de dégager les points suivants :- La limitation phosphore déclenche une accumulation en lipides mais aussi en polysaccharides de réserves mobilisables mais non transitoire contrairement à la limitation azote.- La teneur en phosphore de la biomasse catalytique est très variable. De ce fait, le taux de croissance de la biomasse catalytique n’est pas contrôlable par le débit en phosphore.- Le phosphore joue un rôle dans la régulation de l’entrée de glucose dans la cellule, et permet d’éviter la production de citrate lorsque les voies de production de biomasse et de lipides sont en débordement sur une large gamme de rapport C/P (de 0 à 8000 Cmole.mole-1).- La capacité maximale d’accumulation en réserves carbonées chez Y. lipolytica wT est identique quelle que soit la méthode d’accumulation (limitation azote, limitation phosphore, co-substrats glucose / oléate) et est égale à 0,5 Cmole/CmoleX-1. Il existe donc un phénomène de régulation de la levure encore inconnu et limitant l’accumulation en réserves carbonées chez cette souche.Ces résultats ont permis d’identifier des points clés dans l’accumulation en réserves carbonées de cette espèce levurienne et de proposer un mode de conduite original faisant l’objet d’un dépôt de brevet / Lipid accumulation by the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica wT was characterized by dynamic and systemic analysis of different metabolic states in a microbial culture under fully controlled environmental conditions with high cell concentration and under two different strategies:Glucose as the substrate and phosphorus limitation as an inducer of lipid accumulation, an original strategy for lipid accumulation in Y. lipolytica wT.A co-substrate strategy with glucose and oleic acid and without any nutritional limitation.These strategies allowed showing the following points:- Phosphorus limitation triggers a lipid accumulation and a non-transient accumulation of reserve polysaccharide that can be consumed by biomass when necessary, contrary to nitrogen limitation- Phosphorus rate in catalytic biomass shows great variations. Catalytic growth rate cannot be governed by phosphorus input. - Phosphorus has a role in regulating cellular glucose uptake and allows avoiding citric acid production due to overflow of carbon input over a large range of C/P ratios (0 to 8000 Cmol.mol-1)- Maximum capacity of reserve carbon accumulation in Y. lipolytica wT is similar for any culture strategy tested (under nitrogen limitation, phosphorus limitation or with glucose and oleic acid co-substrates) and is equal to 0,5 Cmol/CmolX-1. There is an unknown phenomenon of carbon regulation limiting reserve carbon accumulation in Y. lipolytica wT. Results allowed identifying key points in reserve carbon accumulation in this particular yeast strain and suggesting an original process, claim of a patent