Les interactions cellules épithéliales-bactéries peuvent conduire à l'établissement d'une tolérance vis-à-vis des bactéries commensales ou à l’élimination des bactéries pathogènes par le système immunitaire. La détection des bactéries est une étape indispensable à l’orientation de cette réponse. Contrairement aux mammifères, la reconnaissance des bactéries chez la drosophile repose principalement sur la détection d’un composant de la paroi bactérienne, le peptidoglycane (PG), par une famille de récepteurs, les "PeptidoGlycan Recognition Receptors" (PGRPs). Chez la drosophile, le PG des bactéries intestinales extracellulaires peut pénétrer dans les entérocytes et aussi traverser l’épithélium intestinal. Dans l’intestin la détection du PG est régionalisée, elle implique en fonction des domaines deux récepteurs PGRPs distincts (PGRP-LC et PGRP-LE). L'activation de ces PGRPs déclenche une même voie de signalisation NF-kB et conduit à la production de peptides antimicrobiens. La sur-activation de cette voie peut être néfaste pour l'hôte, son intensité est notamment contrôlée par des PGRPs à activité enzymatique qui clivent le PG pour le rendre non immunogène.Au cours de ma thèse, j’ai développé des outils visant à étudier le double mode de détection du PG dans l’intestin. J’ai également testé si les transporteurs de la famille SLC15 étaient impliqués dans le trafic cellulaire du PG. Une partie de ma thèse a aussi été consacrée à préciser le rôle des PGRPs catalytiques dans la réponse immunitaire. / Bacterial interactions with the host epithelium can lead to the establishment of a tolerance regarding commensal bacteria or to the triggering of an immune response to eliminate pathogenic bacteria. The detection of bacteria is an essential step in the orientation of this response. In contrast to mammals, the bacteria recognition in Drosophila is mainly based on the detection of a bacterial wall component, peptidoglycan (PG), by a family of receptors, the PeptidoGlycan Recognition Receptors (PGRP). In Drosophila, the PG of extracellular intestinal bacteria can enter the enterocytes and also cross the intestinal epithelium. In the intestine, the detection of PG is regionalized and involves, depending on the domains, two distinct PGRP receptors (PGRP-LC and PGRP-LE). The activation of these PGRPs leads to the activation of the same NF-kB signaling pathway and triggers the production of antimicrobial peptides. The over-activation of this pathway can be harmful to the host, and therefore its intensity is controlled by PGRP proteins which have an enzymatic activity that degrades the elicitor activity of PG.During my thesis, I have generated tools to study the dual mode of PG detection in the intestine. I also tested whether the carriers of the SLC15 family were involved in PG cell trafficking. Part of my thesis was also devoted to clarify the role of catalytic PGRPs in the immune response.

Le système immunitaire inné repose sur la détection de motifs microbiens et l'activation de réponses adaptées, parmi lesquelles les voies de signalisation dépendantes des facteurs NF-κB jouent un rôle primordial. Ces voies sont finement régulées afin d'éviter une réponse immunitaire excessive et soutenue dans le temps qui peut causer de nombreuses pathologies, comme les maladies auto-immunes et pro-inflammatoires. Au cours de ma thèse, j'ai élucidé certains mécanismes de régulation des voies de signalisation NF-κB, Toll et IMD, chez la drosophile, qui reposent sur l'ubiquitination de protéines et leur dégradation par la voie endocytaire ou le protéasome. L'ubiquitination réversible des protéines est une modification post-traductionnelle qui permet de réguler leur activité, leur stabilité et leur localisation subcellulaire. En particulier, l'ubiquitination des récepteurs membranaires peut servir de signal d'endocytose et de dégradation lysosomale. Chez la drosophile, le récepteur PGRP-LC reconnaît spécifiquement le peptidoglycane (PGN) bactérien de type acide diaminopimélique et induit la voie de signalisation IMD. J'ai montré que PGRP-LC est ubiquitiné, internalisé et dégradé par la voie endocytaire. Dans ce processus, j'ai identifié le rôle majeur de la déubiquitinase USP8 qui contrôle la dégradation de PGRP-LC ubiquitiné. J'ai aussi mis en évidence que la stimulation de la voie IMD par les PGN augmente l'internalisation et la dégradation de PGRP-LC, assurant l'élimination des récepteurs après que la voie IMD ait été activée. En outre, j'ai participé à des études visant à comprendre le rôle des déubiquitinases USP2, USP34 et USP36, préalablement sélectionnées par l'équipe comme des régulateurs négatifs des voies IMD et/ou Toll. Mes résultats ont notamment contribué à montrer que USP2 agit principalement au niveau de la protéine adaptatrice Imd, en permettant l'hydrolyse de ses chaînes d'ubiquitine K48 et sa dégradation par le protéasome. Finalement, j'ai observé que USP2 interagit également avec PGRP-LC et favorise l'hydrolyse des chaînes K48 associées à ce récepteur, bien que dans ce cas, la dégradation des formes poly-ubiquitinées K48 de PGRP-LC ne dépende pas du protéasome, mais des protéines de la voie endocytaire Hrs, Rab5 et de la déubiquitinase USP8. / The innate immune system relies on the recognition of “non-self” and on the activation of adapted responses, among which NF-κB signaling pathways play a crucial role. These pathways are tightly regulated, in order to prevent an excessive and sustained immune response, responsible for several pathologies, such as autoimmune and pro-inflammatory diseases. During my PhD thesis, I elucidated some Drosophila regulatory mechanisms of NF-κB pathways, Toll and IMD, which rely on protein ubiquitination and their subsequent degradation by the endocytic pathway or proteasome. Reversible ubiquitination of proteins is a post-translational modification, regulating their activity, their stability and the subcellular localization. In particular, ubiquitination of membrane receptors could trigger their internalization and their subsequent lysosomal degradation. In Drosophila, the PGRP-LC receptor specifically recognizes diaminopimelic acid containing peptidoglycan (PGN) and induces the IMD signaling pathway. I proved that PGRP-LC receptor is ubiquitinated, internalized and degraded by the endocytic pathway. In this process, I identified the major role of the USP8 deubiquitinating enzyme, which controls the degradation of ubiquitinated PGRP-LC. Besides, I showed that the IMD stimulation by PGN enhances the PGRP-LC internalization and its degradation, ensuring receptors elimination once the IMD pathway has been activated. Moreover, I took part to studies, aiming to understand the role of USP2, USP34 and USP36, previously selected by the team as negative regulators of the IMD and/or Toll pathways. In particular, my results showed that USP2 principally acts at the Imd level, allowing for the hydrolysis of its K48 poly-ubiquitin chains and its proteasomal degradation. Finally, I observed that USP2 also interacts with PGRP-LC and favors the hydrolysis of PGRP-LC associated K48 chains, whereas the degradation of K48 poly-ubiquitinated PGRP-LC is independent from the proteasome, but rather depends on the Hrs and Rab5 endocytic proteins and on the USP8 deubiquitinating enzyme.

La drosophile se défend contre les infections microbiennes par un ensemble de réponses immunitaires très efficaces comme la synthèse de peptides antimicrobiens. L’expression de ces peptides antimicrobiens est contrôlée par deux voies indépendantes : la voie Toll et la voie IMD. La voie IMD est activée par PGRP-LC, une protéine de la famille PGRP (Peptidoglycan Recognition Protein). PGRP-LF est un régulateur négatif spécifique de la voie IMD. Il a été proposé que cette protéinepourrait agir spécifiquement au niveau du récepteur PGRP-LC, en séquestrant le ligand peptidoglycane (PGN) et en empêchant son accès à PGRP-LC. Mon travail de thèse a été de résoudre la structure des deux domaines PGRP de PGRP-LF, LFz et LFw, dans le but de caractériser le mécanisme de régulation par cette protéine.J’ai exprimé le domaine LFz dans des cellules S2 et le domaine LFw dans des bactéries. J’ai résolu la structure cristallographique de LFz à la résolution de 1.72Å et celle de LFw à la résolution de 1.94Å. Les structures de LFz et LFw montrent qu’elles ne possèdent pas la crevasse de liaison classique des PGRP, et ne peuvent pas interagir avec le PGN. J’ai confirmé ces résultats structuraux par des étudesbiochimiques de liaison des ces domaines à du PGN insoluble. L’aspect de régulation par PGRP-LF, par une séquestration du PGN, n’est donc valide. J’ai cloné et exprimé dans des cellules S2 les protéines PGRP-LCx et PGRP-LCa (partenaire du complexe activateur de la voie IMD) dans le but d’étudier leur interaction avec PGRP-LF. J’ai mis en évidence, par des analyses de résonnance plasmonique de surface, une interaction entre PGRP-LF et PGRP-LCx en absence et en présence duPGN. Ces données nous permettent de proposer un modèle dans lequel PGRP-LF assure la régulation négative de la voie IMD par compétition avec PGRP-LCa pour la liaison au récepteur PGRP-LCx. / The fruit fly defends itself against microbial infections by a set of highly effective immune responses that involve the synthesis of antimicrobial peptides. The expression of these antimicrobial peptides is controlled by two independent pathways: the Toll pathway and the IMD pathway. The IMD pathwayis activated by PGRP-LC, a protein of the PGRP family (Peptidoglycan Recognition Protein). PGRPLF is a specific negative regulator of the IMD pathway. It has been proposed that this protein specifically acts at the receptor PGRP-LC, by sequestering peptidoglycan (PGN) and preventing its access to PGRP-LC. My thesis work aims to solve the structure of the two PGRP domains of PGRPLF, LFz and LFw, in order to characterize the mechanism of regulation by this protein. I have expressed the LFz domain in S2 cells and the LFw domain in bacteria. I have solved the crystalstructure of LFz at 1.72 Å resolution and that of LFw at 1.94Å resolution. Structures of LFz and LFw show they do not possess the classical binding cleft found in others PGRP, and cannot interact with the PGN. I have confirmed these structural results with biochemical studies of binding of these domains with insoluble PGN. The model of regulation by PGRP-LF, by a sequestration of PGN, is no longer valid. I have cloned and expressed in S2 cells PGRP-LCx and PGRP-LCa proteins (partners of theactivating complex of the IMD pathway) in order to elucidate whether there is direct interaction between PGRP LF and one of two isoforms of PGRP-LC. I have demonstrated, through Surface Plasmon Resonance analysis, an interaction between PGRP-LF and PGRP-LCx. Actually, PGRP-LF regulates negatively the IMD pathway by competing with PGRP-LCa to bind to the PGRP-LCx receptor.

All eukaryotic organisms have an innate immune system characterized by germ-line encoded receptors and effector molecules, which mediate detection and clearance of microbes such as bacteria, fungi, and parasites. VertebrateDrosophila as a genetically tractable organism with a This thesis concerns the peptidoglycan recognition protein (PGRP) gene family in the fruit fly. The family consists of thirteen genes, of which a few have been reported to be part of the signaling pathways that regulates immune Data presented show that the putative receptors have affinity for peptidoglycan, but not for lipopolysaccharide, or the fungal cell wall polymer beta-glucan. PGRP-SA, receptor of the Toll pathway, has a preference for In a search for novel PGRP receptors I found two PGRP proteins that instead displayed enzymatic activity towards peptidoglycan. They are of the N-actylmuramoyl L-alanine amidase type, which degrades peptidoglycan by splittingStaphylococcus aureus peptidoglycan looses its immune elicitor capacity. This is in contrast to lysozyme-degraded peptidoglycan, which isDrosophila PGRPs to be potential enzymes. PGRP-SB1 is the other enzymatic PGRP described within this thesis. It has a moreBacillus megaterium. In conclusion, receptor PGRP proteins binds bacterial peptidoglycan and triggers immune gene pathways and enzymatic PGRPs have the capacity to reduce the elicitor property of peptidoglycan.

In general the work behind this thesis has revolved around the interesting pattern recognition gene family PGRPs (peptidoglycan recognition proteins). In particular the transmembrane PGRP-LC and to investigate its multifaceted role in the immune response of the fruit fly. As a well characterized model organism living on, and surrounded by, a multitude of microorganisms, Drosophila melanogaster serves as a great tool to gain insights about innate immunity. The two pillars of Drosophila innate immunity are the humoral and the cellular defense. Together they are very potent and can vanquish many infections, but if one of these pillars is damaged, chances are that the defense will collapse and the organism will succumb to the infection. The initial step in any immune response is to become aware of the pathogen. To accomplish this, innate immunity relies on recognizing common molecular building blocks necessary each group of microorganisms. One such building block is the bacterial cell wall component peptidoglycan. PGRPs are a widely spread gene family, and proteins of this family can bind peptidoglycan. We describe that there are 13 PGRP genes in Drosophila, one these codes for PGRP-LC. As it sits in the cell membrane in any of its three different splice forms, PGRP-LC can bind peptidoglycan, dimerize, and subsequently activate the imd/relish signalling pathway, and thereby trigger a vast production of antimicrobial peptides. These short peptides are the firearms of the humoral response. We identified three new inducible antimicrobial peptide genes, Diptericin B, Attacin C and Attacin D. Analyses of their sequences shed light on the evolution and relationship of these antimicrobial peptides The antimicrobial peptides are potent weapons, but without a functional cellular response the animal is at loss. Animals lacking blood cells are gravely compromised. It is interesting to find that PGRP-LC is involved at this end of the immune response equation as well. We have found that PGRP-LC is able to activate blood cells and increase numbers of circulating cells, in a JNK (Jun N-terminal kinase) dependent manner. Intriguingly this activation is not dependent on Relish, the NF-kB transcription factor of the Imd/Relish pathway. PGRP-LC activation funnels into both Imd/Relish and the JNK pathways. When PGRP-LC is lost, it appears that some basal, or background, JNK activation is lost. These effects are very mild, however the animal appears to become more sensitive to additional perturbations in this signalling pathway. This was the starting point when we started to re-evaluate Dredd, the caspase responsible for cleaving and activating Relish. Dredd also contributes to the JNK signalling pathway.

Markbyggarna AB är ett företag som huvudsakligen utför markarbete och maskintjänster. Företagets IT-system är formad för att stödja typiskt kontorsarbete. Projektet inriktades på att hjälpa företaget effektivisera det befintliga systemet och i större omfattning nyttja kostnadsfria alternativ som finns tillgängliga i dagens läge. Arbetet startade med definiering utav systemets avgörande aspekter. För hårdvarorna ställdes krav på CPUs, RAMs och hårddiskens belastning. För mjukvaror definierades funktioner som systemet bör innehava. För trådburen och trådlös nätverk definierades krav på internetanslutning. Efteråt samlades informationen om prestanda i det befintliga systemet med hjälpa av olika övervakningssystem, verktyg och intervjuer. PGRG tillämpades för hårdvarornas övervakning. För nätverksövervakning skapades ett eget övervakningssystem med stöd av de kommandobaserade verktygen Iperf, Speedtest-cli och verktyget Vistumbler. Övervakningsresultaten jämfördes med de önskade egenskaperna och skillnaden mellan dessa två utgjorde underlag för förändringsarbete även med beställarens önskemål i åtanke. Såldes gick den praktiska delen av projektet bland annat på att trådlös signal förstärktes genom installation av AP, introduktion av nya applikationer, en anslutning till företagets PC hemifrån samt skapades system för säkerhetskopiering. Även har en rad andra säkerhetsåtgärder vidtagits. För att kunna utvärdera det genomförda arbetet övervakades det trådlösa nätverket på nytt. Dessa förändringar har gjort att IT-systemet blivit säkrare, med bättre presterande nätverk. Flexibiliteten och funktionaliteten har också ökat. Totalt gick projektet på 1660 kr för inköp av hårda varor. Det gick att täcka de flesta av företagets behov med kostnadsfria mjuka varor.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Indiana University School of Dentistry / Background: Pre-eclampsia a potentially life threatening hypertensive disorder occurring in 3-14% of pregnancies. Its etiology is multifactorial involving the placenta. The only “cure” that currently exists is the delivery of the baby, which is often pre-term. There is no early pregnancy screening test to recognize those at risk. Recently, an altered immune-inflammatory responses at the placental level in response to infectious agents (eg., periodontal pathogens) have been proposed to be etiological for this pregnancy complication. A new class of Pattern Recognition Receptors called Peptidoglycan Recognition Proteins (PGRPs) constituting 4 distinct molecules PGRP 1-4 is emerging as a key player in modulating host responses to peptidoglycan and its breakdown products. A critical knowledge gap exists on the role of PGRPs in the innate immune responses that occur at the maternal-fetal interface in response to pathogens and their components that may be present in maternal circulation secondary to chronic infections. Aim: The aim of this pilot study is to investigate the expression PGRPs in the placenta of pre-eclamptic women. The overall goal is to better understand the association of periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Methods and Materials: This case control study consisted of subjects with: (1) normal term pregnancies (n=7) (2) pre-eclampsia (n=7). Preeclampsia was defined as hypertension (systolic blood pressure of ≥ 140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure of ≥ 90 mm Hg on at least 2 occasions, 4 hours to 1 week apart) and proteinuria (≥ 300 mg in a 24-hour urine collection or one dipstick measurement of ≥ 2+). A real time quantitative PCR array was used to analyze the relative mRNA expression of TLR2, TLR4, NOD1, NOD2, PGRP1, PGRP2, PGRP3, and PGRP4. Immunohistochemistry was performed to determine the cell type(s) expressing the PGRP proteins in the placental tissue. Summary statistics (mean, standard deviation, range, 95% confidence interval for the mean) were calculated for PGRP 1-4 expression for each group. Results and conclusions: The PCR data showed the expression of PGRPs 1, 3 and 4 in the placental samples. There was an up-regulation of PGRP-1 (1.4 fold) and down regulation of PGRP-3 (1.3 fold) and PGRP-4 (1.6 fold). TLR2, TLR4 and NOD2 mRNA were also elevated in the placental samples. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated positive staining for PGRPs 3 and 4 in the trophoblasts. The results from this novel research could lead to development of salivary and/or plasmatic biomarkers for early detection of PE and warrants further investigation.

The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is an excellent model organism to study the innate immune response, because insects and mammals share conserved features regarding the recognition and destruction of microorganisms and Drosophila is easily accessible to genetic manipulation. In my present study, I identified a new family of pattern recognition molecules for bacterial peptidoglycan in Drosophila, the Peptidoglycan Recognition Proteins (PGRP). This family of proteins is widespread in the animal kingdom, for instance there are 4 PGRP genes in humans with unknown function. So far, all tested PGRPs (from insects and mammals) have been shown to bind peptidoglycan. In Drosophila, we found and characterized 13 PGRP genes, which fall into two classes: Short PGRPs and Long PGRPs. To the short group belong PGRP-SA, SB1, SB2, SC1A, SC1B, SC2, and SD with short transcripts and predicted extracellular proteins. The long members are PGRP-LA, LB, LC, LD, LE, and LF with long transcripts and predicted intracellular and membrane spanning proteins. Transcripts from the 13 different PGRP genes are present in immune competent organs, and the majority are inducible by infection. The transcriptional regulation of the inducible PGRP genes occurs either via the imd/Relish or in some cases Toll/Dif pathway. My RNAi experiments in mbn-2 cells revealed that the peptidoglycan recognition protein PGRP-LC is a major activator of the imd/Relish pathway. In PGRP-LC deficient mbn-2 cells, Relish signalling is almost entirely blocked. However, the complex PGRP-LC gene generates three alternative splice forms, each of them carrying one of three possible PGRP domains, LCx, LCy, and LCa. I found that in the tissue culture system PGRP-LCa plays a specific role in the recognition of Gram-negative bacteria, while PGRP-LCx is crucial for the recognition of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and peptidoglycan. Targeted mutagenesis of the PGRP-LCa isoform in vivo shows that the situation is more complicated than in the cell culture experiments. In conclusion, PGRPs constitute a highly diversified family of proteins, including key players of the innate immune response.

grainy head (grh) genes encode a family of transcription factors conserved from fly to human. Drosophila grh is the founding member of this gene family and has multiple functions, including tracheal tube size control, epidermal barrier formation and reconstruction after wounding. To understand the underlying molecular mechanism of grh functions, we tried to isolate its direct targets and analyze their function. We identified ten grh targets by combining bioinformatics and genetics. Grh directly controls the expression of stitcher (stit), which encodes a Ret family receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), during both development and wound healing. Stit promotes actin cable assembly and induces extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation around the wound edges upon injury. Stit also activates barrier repair genes and its own expression at the wound sites in a Grh-dependent manner. This positive feedback loop ensures efficient epidermal wound repair. In addition, Grh regulates the expression of multiple genes involved in chitin biosynthesis or modification. Most of the genes are required for tracheal tube size control. Two of them, verm and serp, encode related putative luminal chitin deacetylases. The functional analysis of verm and serp identifies an important role of luminal chitin matrix modification in limiting tracheal tube elongation. Therefore, it is very likely that Grh controls tracheal tube size through regulating multiple targets involved in the assembly or modification of luminal chitin matrix. Grh also directly activates the epidermal expression of Peptidoglycan recognition protein LC (PGRP-LC) gene that is required for the induction of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) upon infection. Furthermore, ectopically expressing Grh is sufficient to induce AMP Cecropin A lacZ reporter (CecA-LacZ) in the embryonic epidermis. These results suggest a new function of Grh in the local immune responses in Drosophila barrier epithelia. / At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 1: Manuscript.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-08T16:55:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 118130.pdf: 51421238 bytes, checksum: c53077d4494dc753fb475e564df765e5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-08-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This research constitutes part of a project funded by FAPESC, which objective to promote competence of action in preventing and tackling environmental disaster in the Vale do Itajaí, in the municipality of Ilhota and in the south shore of Santa Catarina, municipality of Araranguá. The main purpose of this research is to promote community participation in disaster risk management in communities Barranca and Baixadinha/Vila São José in Araranguá. The specific objectives proposed are identify and characterize the risk perceptions of communities to stand the occurrence of floods and very strong winds; promote the identification of ways of organizing communities to address and prevent environmental disasters, specifically floods; testing methodologies of Geographic Information System - Participatory (GIS-P) in the mapping of risk and the preventive management of environmental disasters; encourage in promoting dialogue between Civil Defence and communities to articulate for the construction of their Plans Risk Management Participatory (PRMP) providing contributions to the constitution of Community Nuclei Civil Protection and Defense (NUPDECs). The theoretical and thematic framing comprises History Socio-Spatial, Perception Socio-Environmental, the GIS-P, Prevention and Coping With Environmental Disaster and Popular Participation in Disaster Prevention and Coping. The research methodology is qualitative and belong as a case study developed with the two communities, starting from the application of interviews, meetings, workshops, development of social mapping, use of participant observation to build data to integrate a GIS P. The achieved results comprises the historic and environmental characterization, survey of existing data about floods occurred historically, personal understandings about environmental disasters and risks inherent, as well as suggestions of structural and non-structural measures for inclusion in PRMP, making possible communities involve in a reflection of how their perceptions and experiences can contribute to the prevention of environmental disasters and coping, while minimizing their environmental impacts as well as making them more resilient. Adding to the results is the discussion with the participation of communities and Civil Defense, about actions for the constitution of NUPDECs in consonance with the actions of the local Civil Defense, bringing together wills for implementing measures that make possible to increase its resilience by reducing local vulnerability in coping with environmental disasters. / Esta pesquisa constitui-se parte de um projeto financiado pela FAPESC, que visa promover competências de ação na prevenção e enfrentamento de desastres ambientais na região do Vale do Itajaí, no município de Ilhota e no litoral Sul catarinense, município de Araranguá. A finalidade principal desta pesquisa é promover a participação comunitária na gestão de risco de desastres nas comunidades Barranca e Baixadinha/Vila São José, em Araranguá. Como objetivos específicos propôs-se identificar e caracterizar as percepções de risco das comunidades frente à ocorrência de enchentes e ventos fortes; identificar formas de organização das comunidades no sentido de enfrentar e prevenir desastres ambientais, especificamente as enchentes; testar metodologias de Sistema de Informação Geográfica Participativo (SIG-P) no mapeamento de risco e no planejamento preventivo de desastres ambientais; auxiliar na promoção do diálogo entre a Defesa Civil e as comunidades no sentido de se articularem para a construção de seus Planos de Gestão de Risco Participativo (PGRs) fornecendo contributos para a constituição de Núcleos Comunitários de Proteção e Defesa Civil (NUPDECs). O enquadramento teórico-temático compreende a História Ambiental, a Formação Sócio-Espacial, a Percepção Sócio-Ambiental, o SIG-P, a Prevenção e Enfrentamento de Desastres Ambientais e a Participação Popular na Prevenção e Enfrentamento de Desastres. A metodologia da pesquisa é qualitativa enquadrando-se como estudo de caso desenvolvido com as duas comunidades, partindo desde a aplicação de entrevistas, realização de reuniões, desenvolvimento de oficinas de cartografia social, emprego da observação participante até construção de dados para integrar um SIG-P. Os resultados alcançados compreendem a caracterização histórica e ambiental, levantamento de dados existentes sobre as enchentes ocorridas historicamente, entendimentos pessoais sobre desastres ambientais e riscos inerentes, bem como sugestão de medidas estruturais e não estruturais para inclusão nos PGRs, possibilitando envolver as comunidades numa reflexão de como suas percepções e experiências podem contribuir para a prevenção e enfrentamento de desastres ambientais, minimizando seus impactos socioambientais gerados bem como tornando-as mais resilientes. Somando-se aos resultados está a discussão com a participação das comunidades e da Defesa Civil sobre as ações para a constituição dos NUPDECs, em consonância com as ações da Defesa Civil local, reunindo vontades para a concretização de medidas que possibilitem aumentar sua resiliência reduzindo a vulnerabilidade local no enfrentamento de desastres ambientais.