Ce projet vise à étudier, par une approche pluridisciplinaire, l’influence des la cristallisation des protéines membranaires (PM) en prenant pour protéine modèle le complexe photosynthétique RC-LH1-pufX de Rhodobacter blasticus. Des cristaux de ce complexe avaient été obtenus en présence de dodécyl-!-maltoside (DDM) et avaient diffractés à 8 Å de résolution. L’objectif final est de pouvoir améliorer, de façon rationnelle, la qualité des cristaux du complexe RC-LH1-pufX grâce à une meilleure compréhension des mécanismes mis en jeu. Dans un premier temps, trois tensioactifs dérivés du DDM ont été conçus et synthétisés. L’intérêt est d’augmenter la rigidité et le caractère lipophobe des parties hydrophobes des tensioactifs par rapport au DDM, pour les rendre moins déstabilisants envers la protéine: soit par l’incorporation d’un groupement bicyclohexyle (PCC-maltoside), soit par l’ajout d’un segment fluoré de longueur modulable (F4H5- et F2H9-maltoside). Nous avons inclus également le F8TAC, tensioactif fluoré utilisé depuis une vingtaine d’années pour le maintien en solution des PM, et les "tripodes", amphiphiles faciaux dont la géométrie particulière n’avaient jamais été testée. Nous avons ensuite réalisé la caractérisation physico-chimique, en solution, de ces tensioactifs et du DDM en terme de CMC (concentration micellaire critique), nombre d’agrégation, taille (par diffusion de la lumière dynamique, DLS), facteur de forme (par diffusion des rayons X aux petits angles, SAXS) et facteur de structure (par mesure du second coefficient du viriel, indicateur du potentiel des tensioactifs à initier la cristallisation)afin de déterminer les caractéristiques importantes au maintien en solution et à la cristallisation des PM. Le PCC-malt présentant le même comportement que le DDM,nous l’avons sélectionné pour réaliser une étude en présence de la protéine.Après avoir mis au point une méthode de dosage des tensioactifs par HPTLC (HighPerformance Thin Layer Chromatography) et identifier les lipides présents dans les de Rhodobacter blasticus, nous avons pu quantifier les quantités de lipides et de tensioactifs associés à la protéine en présence de DDM et de PCC-malt.Enfin, dans une dernière partie, nous avons réalisé des essais de cristallisation du complexe RC-LH1-pufX en présence des tensioactifs sélectionnés pour faire le lien entre les conditions de cristallisation et l’étude physico-chimique des micelles en solution. / Membrane proteins (MPs) are involved in the regulation of various fundamental cellular functions, such as cell recognition, receptor-mediated signal transduction and selective transportation of metabolites. However despite their huge importance, researches in MPs are relatively limited. For example MPs represent approximately 30% of the human proteome and less than 1% of current Protein Data Bank entries. Indeed, the presence of hydrophobic domains in MPs makes them not soluble in water. Therefore surfactants are used to extract MPs from their native environment and substitute for lipids around the transmembrane domain of the protein, forming water-soluble complexes. However MPs are often unstable in surfactant solution because of the intrusion of the alkyl chain of the surfactant into the transmembrane domain and/or the dissociation of stabilizing lipids, cofactors or subunits. Our project aims to study, through a multidisciplinary approach, the influence of surfactants for MP crystallization. Since dodecylmaltoside (DDM) is the most common gentle detergent used for MPs crystallization, we synthesized three new structurally DDM-derivative surfactants whose designs were expected to limit MPs inactivation. The objective was to increase the rigidity and the lipophobic behavior of the hydrophobic moiety by adding a bicyclohexyl group (PCC-maltoside) or using different lengths of fluorinated segments (F4H5- and F2H9-maltoside). Comparison of these surfactants with DDM occurs on:Physico-chemical properties: Surfactants are characterized by their CMC, molar mass (SEC-MALS, SAXS), hydrodynamic size (DLS), form factor (SAXS) and structure factor (A2, indicator of surfactant potential to lead to crystallization) in order to determine their best characteristics for MPs crystallization. Biochemical properties: We chose the RC-LH1-Puf X complex from Rhodobacter blasticus as model protein because of its biological interest. Besides this membrane protein has already been crystallized in DDM giving a low diffraction resolution (8Å). A better understanding of mechanisms involved in crystallization is a prerequisite for the development of rational approaches to increase crystals quality. Therefor protein complexes are characterized by quantifying lipids and surfactants bound to the transmembrane domain. Surfactant and lipid assays are performed by High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC). Crystallization trials: we show the link between crystallization and surfactants physico-chemical properties

La protéine NS5A est essentielle pour la réplication et l'assemblage du virus de l'hépatite C (VHC), et elle constitue une cible thérapeutique prometteuse pour le développement d'antiviraux. Cependant, aucune fonction claire n'a encore été décrite pour NS5A, et les connaissances structurales restent limitées. Ainsi, nous avons caractérisé l'état intrinsèquement désordonné des domaines D2 et D3 de NS5A en décrivant leurs espaces conformationnels et leurs potentialités de repliement en combinant différentes méthodes biophysiques. Nous avons aussi mis en évidence la variabilité structurale du domaine D2 au sein des génotypes du VHC, ce qui pourrait être en rapport avec les différences de pathogénie et d'efficacité des thérapies observées selon les génotypes. L'interaction de D2 et D3 avec la cyclophiline humaine A (CypA) a été étudiée par résonance plasmonique de surface (SPR). Bien que des mutations au sein du domaine D2 rendent la réplication du VHC moins dépendante de la présence de CypA, ces mutations n'empêchent pas la liaison entre D2 et CypA. En revanche, elles induisent des perturbations structurales qui pourraient affecter la cinétique d'interconversion des conformères de D2. Nous avons montré par SPR que D2 et D3 interagissent avec le domaine de fixation à l'ADN du récepteur nucléaire FXR. Cette interaction pourrait inhiber la fixation de FXR sur sa cible ADN, suggérant une implication de NS5A dans la modulation de l'activité transcriptionnelle de ce récepteur nucléaire. L'ensemble de ces informations, nous a permis de proposer un modèle de la structure globale de NS5A permettant une meilleure compréhension des propriétés structurales et fonctionnelles de cette protéine énigmatique / NS5A is essential for HCV replication and particle assembly, and constitutes a very promising drug target. However, no clear function has yet been described for NS5A, and structural knowledge remains limited. We characterized the intrinsically disordered nature of NS5A domains D2 and D3, and describe their folding propensity and their overall conformational behaviour by combining different biophysical methods. We also highlighted the structural variability of D2 domain in HCV genotypes, which might be correlated with the disparities observed between genotypes in terms of pathogenesis and efficiency of therapies. The interactions between D2 and D3 with human cyclophilin A (CypA) was analysed by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). We showed that mutations in the D2 domain conferring resistance of HCV replication to CypA inhibitors did not prevent the interaction between D2 and CypA. However, they induce structural perturbations that may affect the kinetics of conformers interconversion of D2. We also showed by SPR that D2 and D3 interact with the of DNA-binding domain of the nuclear receptor FXR (farnesoid X receptor alpha). This interaction reduce the binding of FXR to its DNA target, suggesting an involvement of NS5A in the modulation of the transcriptional activity of FXR. All this data led us to propose a model of the overall structure of NS5A, which provides a useful template for a better understanding of structural and functional properties of this enigmatic protein

Aujourd’hui, la recherche sur les technologies de stockage d’énergie connaît un essor important dû au fort développement de l’électronique portable et des modes de transport écologiques. La plupart des batteries commercialisées utilisent des électrolytes liquides ou à base de liquides qui limitent leur stabilité thermique, la densité d’énergie et la sécurité. Ces limitations pourraient être considérablement diminuées par l’utilisation d’électrolytes polymères solides (SPE) et la technologie lithium métal polymère (LMP). L’objectif des SPE est de combiner au sein du même matériau une conductivité ionique élevée et une tenue mécanique suffisante pour éviter la formation de dentrites de lithium. Dans ce contexte, les copolymères triblocs PS-b-POE-b-PS, avec le POE comme bloc conducteur et le bloc PS apportant la résistance mécanique, sont d’excellents candidats. Afin d’établir des corrélations composition/morphologie/performance, le but de mes travaux de thèse est d’obtenir une caractérisation détaillée des copolymères à blocs synthétisés. Ainsi, les PS-b-POE-b-PS synthétisés (NMP) ont été analysés par chromatographie liquide aux conditions limites de désorption LC LCD. De plus, les analyses de la nano structuration (AFM, TEM et SAXS), des propriétés thermiques (DSC) et mécaniques (DMA) sont discutées. Enfin, des mesures d’impédance ont été effectuées via des cellules symétriques Lithium/ Electrolyte/ Lithium. / The research on electrochemical storage of energy is today in a stage of fast and profound evolution owing to the strong development of portable electronics requesting power energy as well as the requirement of greener transport modes. Most commercial batteries use liquid or liquid-based electrolytes, which limits their thermal stability, energy density and safety. These limitations could be considerably offset by the use of solid polymer electrolytes (SPE) and lithium metal polymer technology (LMP). However, the main drawback of the SPE is the decrease of the ionic conductivity with increasing mechanical strength, necessary to avoid the formation of lithium dendrites during the recharge of the battery. In this context, triblock copolymers PS-b-PEO-b-PS with a PEO block as ionic conductor and PS block providing mechanical strength was a promising candidate as SPE. In order to build composition/morphology/performance relationships, the aim of my PhD is to characterize carefully the block copolymer. For that purpose, the PS-b-PEO-b-PS synthesized (NMP) were characterized using Liquid Chromatography under Limiting Conditions of Desorption (LC LCD). Furthermore, analyses of morphologies and nano-structure by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) techniques, analyses of thermal (DSC) and mechanical (DSC) properties will be also discussed. Finally, measures of impedance were made via symmetric cells Lithium / Electrolyte / Lithium.

Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit der Synthese von Alkylmethacrylat-Blockcopolymeren, der Charakterisierung ihrer chemischen Struktur und ihres Mikrophasenseparationsverhaltens sowohl im Festkörper als auch in dünnen Filmen. Grundlegendes Ziel war die Einführung funktioneller Gruppen in ein Alkylmethacrylat-Blockcopolymersystem. Eine erste Einschätzung der Effektivität von funktionalisierten Diblockcopolymeren als Template für die Darstellung geordneter Silica-Strukturen über Sol-Gel-Reaktionen von Alkoxysilanen wurde angestrebt. Es wurde das Diblockcopolymersystem Poly(pentylmetacrylat-b-methylmethacrylat) PPMA-b-PMMA untersucht. Dieses wurde nach dem Mechanismus der anionischen Polymerisation dargestellt, um eine größtmögliche Kontrolle über Molmassen, Zusammensetzungen und Polydispersitäten ausüben zu können. Als vielseitig modifizierbare und stabile funktionelle Gruppe wurde die Allylfunktion ausgewählt. Diese konnte durch Endcapping mit Allylbromid an das Kettenende der Diblockcopolymere angebunden werden. An den Kettenanfang konnte die Allylfunktion durch Initiierung mittels Allyllithium gebunden werden. Durch Kombination von funktionellem Initiator und funktionellem Endcapping wurden bifunktionelle Diblockcopolymere erzeugt. Multifunktionalisierte Blockcopolymerproben wurden ebenfalls durch anionische Polymerisation erhalten. Durch sequenzielle Polymerisation von PMA, Allylmethacrylat und schließlich MMA wurden Triblockcopolymere dargestellt. Zwei weitere Typen von multifunktionalisierten Diblockcopolymeren, in denen die funktionellen Gruppen nahezu statistisch verteilt über einen der beiden Blöcke vorliegen, wurden durch statistische Copolymerisation erhalten. Alle Klassen von mono-, di- und multiallylfunktionalisierten Blockcopolymeren konnten durch Hydroborierung mit 9-BBN und anschließende Oxidation in mono-, di- und multihydroxylfunktionalisierte Blockcopolymere überführt werden. Die polymeranaloge Umsetzung der Hydroxylfunktion in eine Triethoxysilylfunktionon konnte modellhaft an einem hydroxylfunktionalisierten PMMA durchgeführt werden. Das Mikrophasenseparationsverhalten der Blockcopolymere wurde durch eine Kombination von analytischen Methoden wie SAXS, T-SAXS, GISAXS, TEM und AFM untersucht. Der Einfluss von Anzahl und Position der funktionellen Gruppen auf die Phasenseparation wurde geprüft. Die dargestellten Blockcopolymere zeigen ein Mikrophasenseparationsverhalten, das weitgehend mit den bereits vorliegenden Ergebnissen übereinstimmt. Trotz des geringen Wechselwirkungsparamters von χPMA,MMA = 0,065 tritt Phasenseparation auf, der Übergang von nichtgeordneter zu geordneter Phase (ODT) kann an ausgewählten Proben verfolgt werden. Die Bulkmorphologien werden nicht durch die Anwesenheit von ein oder zwei funktionellen Gruppen der Allyl- oder Hydroxylfunktion beeinflusst. Sind deutlich mehr als zwei funktionelle Gruppen entlang der Blockcopolymerkette vorhanden, kann das Mikrophasenseparationsverhalten nicht mehr direkt mit dem der nichtfunktionalisierten Diblockcopolymere verglichen werden. Blockcopolymere mit funktionellen Gruppen, die statistisch verteilt über einen der Alkylmethacrylatblöcke vorliegen, verhalten sich prinzipiell wie Diblockcopolymere. Die Phasenseparation ist schlechter ausgeprägt als in reinen Diblockcopolymeren, teilweise kann keine Phasenseparation festgestellt werden. Zum Teil kann dies auf vergrößerte Polydispersitäten und nachträgliche partielle Vernetzungsreaktionen zurückgeführt werden. Durch den Einbau von deutlich mehr als zwei funktionellen Gruppen entlang der Kette wird eine Verstärkung der Tendenz zur Phasenseparation erreicht, wenn der effektive Wechselwirkungsparameter zwischen den Blöcken größer wird als im nichtfunktionalisierten Diblockcopolymeren. Sehr polare Gruppen wie Hydroxylfunktionen beeinflussen Mikrophasenseparationsverhalten und Morphologieausbildung der Alkylmethacrylat-Diblockcopolymere stärker als wenig polare Allylfunktionen. In Triblockcopolymeren mit einem multiallyl- bzw. multihydroxylfunktionalisierten Mittelblock strebt das System einem dreiphasigen Zustand entgegen. Die experimentellen Befunde zum Phasenseparationsverhalten wurden mit theoretischen Phasendiagrammen verglichen, die für nichtfunktionalisierte Diblockcopolymere und Triblockcopolymere mit einem multiallyl- oder multihydroxylfunktionalisierten Mittelblock durch Mean-Field-Kalkulation auf Basis der RPA simuliert wurden. Das experimentell ermittelte Phasenseparationsverhalten der dargestellten Proben erfolgt im Einklang mit der berechneten Spinodalbedingung. Zum besseren Verständnis des Phasenseparationsverhaltens wurde das dynamische Relaxationsverhalten des Systems betrachtet. Zu diesem Zweck wurden Untersuchungen mittels dielektrischer Breitbandspektroskopie durchgeführt. Es wurde gezeigt, dass lokale Beweglichkeiten in den untersuchten Blockcopolymeren gehemmt und kooperative Bewegungen der α-Relaxationsprozesse im PPMA-Block langsamer bzw. bei höheren Temperaturen und im glasartigen PMMA-Block schneller bzw. bei niedrigeren Temperaturen als in den jeweiligen Homopolymeren erfolgen. Nach Untersuchung der Festkörpermorphologie wurden nicht-, mono-, di- und multifunktionalisierte Blockcopolymere hinsichtlich ihrer Morphologieausbildung in dünnen Filmen untersucht. Prinzipiell finden sich in dünnen Filmen dieselben Morphologien wie in Bulk. Durch die eingeschränkte Geometrie der Filme kommt es in dicken Filmen zur Ausbildung von Strukturen, die parallel zur Siliciumwaferoberfläche ausgerichtet vorliegen, während in sehr dünnen Filmen mit Schichtdicken kleiner als die entsprechenden Bulkdomänenabstände stehende Strukturen erzwungen werden. Für zylindrische Morphologien ist der Einfluss der Filmdicke auf die Orientierung der Strukturen deutlicher als für symmetrische lamellare Morphologien. Im Hinblick auf eine spätere Anwendung von nanostrukturierten Diblockcopolymeren wurden im Rahmen des Projektes verschiedene Ansätze verfolgt, für die nicht-, mono- und difunktionalisierte Diblockcopolymerproben der vorliegenden Arbeit von Projektpartnern eingesetzt wurden. Besonders wichtig war in diesem Zusammenhang die Anwendung von Blockcopolymeren als Template zur Erzeugung geordneter Silica-Strukturen. An der Universität von Modena und Reggio Emilia wurde eine Dissertation zum Thema organisch-anorganischer Hybridmaterialien durch den Sol-Gel-Prozess angefertigt. Die in der genannten Arbeit entwickelten Methoden wurden für die vorliegende Arbeit übernommen und für multifunktionalisierte Blockcopolymersysteme weiterführend selbst untersucht. Erste Untersuchungen zur Einschätzung der Templateigenschaften von Alkylmethacrylat-Blockcopolymeren in Silica-Sol-Gel-Reaktionen wurden an einigen multihydroxylfunktionalisierten Di- und Triblockcopolymeren durchgeführt. Die ersten vorliegenden Ergebnisse geben Grund zur Annahme, dass multihydroxylfunktionalisierte Blockcopolymere in der Lage sind, die Ausbildung von Silica-Partikeln bei in-situ durchgeführten Sol-Gel-Reaktionen mit SiO2-Precursoren in eine Richtung zu lenken, eine chemische Anbindung von organischer und anorganischer Phase zu erzwingen und die Form der ausgebildeten Silica-Nanostrukturen durch die vorgegebene Diblockcopolymermorphologie zu beeinflussen. Tatsächlich ist es gelungen, Silica in geordneter Weise in die Zylindermorphologie von PPMA-b-PMMA-Diblockcopolymeren einzubinden. Versuche, die organische Matrix durch Lösungsmittel oder Pyrolyse zu entfernen und die verbleibenden Silica-Strukturen hinsichtlich Ihrer Form und Porosität zu charakterisieren, werden zukünftig zum Verständnis des Bildungsprozesses in einer bevorzugten Phase oder an deren Grenzfläche beitragen. Die Steuerung der Silica-Partikelform kann nur dann tatsächlich gezielt erfolgen, wenn Phasenverhalten und Morphologiebildung für das Composit-System mit Silica-Precursor und verschiedenen Zwischenstufen mit jeweils unterschiedlichen Wechselwirkungen zu den Blockcopolymerphasen sowohl aus theoretischer Sicht verstanden als auch experimentell über eine größere Bandbreite nachgewiesen wurden. Das in dieser Arbeit entwickelte Blockcopolymersystem ließe sich in Bezug auf seine chemische Struktur sehr leicht auf vielfältige Weise erweitern. Für multifunktionalisierte Blockcopolymere bietet sich eine große Bandbreite von Variationen hinsichtlich Zusammensetzung, Molmasse und Verteilung von funktionellen Gruppen über beliebige Positionen entlang der Polymerkette sowohl innerhalb der drei für die vorliegende Arbeit gewählten Klassen von Di- und Triblockstrukturen als auch außerhalb dieser an. Es wurde gezeigt, dass eingebaute Allylfunktionen in der Lage sind, Vernetzungsreaktionen einzugehen, die u. U. steuerbar sind und zu definierten Nanogelstrukturen umgesetzt werden könnten. Kohlenstoffdoppelbindungen bieten Angriffspunkte für eine Vielzahl von polymeranalogen Umsetzungen, so dass aus allylfunktionalisierten Blockcopolymeren ein Pool von unterschiedlich funktionalisierten Blockcopolymeren darstellbar ist. Die Resultate der vorliegenden Arbeit zeigen, dass eine Anbindung funktioneller Gruppen an das Alkylmethacrylat-Blockcopolymer unter den gewählten Bedingungen mit guter Kontrolle über Anzahl und Position der Gruppen entlang der Kette grundsätzlich möglich ist. Der Einfluss der erzeugten funktionellen Gruppen auf das Mikrophasenseparationsverhalten des Blockcopolymersystems wurde eingeschätzt und wird in künftigen Arbeiten zum Verständnis der Strukturbildung in organisch/anorganischen Hybridmaterialien beitragen. / The present study deals with the synthesis of alkyl methacrylate block copolymers, the characterization of their chemical structure and the microphase separation behavior in bulk and thin films. The main objective of this work was the attachment of functional groups to an alkyl methacrylate diblock copolymer system. A first evaluation of the ability of functionalized block copolymer structures to act as a templating material regarding silica formation in sol-gel synthesis of alkoxysilanes was aspired. The diblock copolymer system of poly(pentyl metacrylate-b-methyl methacrylate) (PPMA-b-PMMA) was chosen. It was synthesized following the mechanism of anionic polymerization to achieve effective control over molar mass, composition and polydispersity. The allyl functionality was chosen for a versatilely modifiable and stable functional group and attached to the terminal chain end by endcapping the living polymer chain ends with allyl bromide. The head of the chain was functionalized by initiation with allyl lithium. By combining functional initiation and endcapping, bifunctional diblock copolymers were synthesized. Furthermore multifunctionalized block copolymers were produced by anionic polymerization. By sequential anionic polymerization of PMA, allyl methacrylate and finally MMA, triblock copolymers were obtained. Two more classes of multifunctionalized block copolymers with functional groups randomly distributed in one of the two blocks were synthesized by random copolymerization. All types of mono-, di- and multiallylfunctionalized block copolymers were transformed into mono-, di- and multihydroxylfunctionalized block copolymers by hydroboration and subsequent oxidation. The polymer-analogue reaction of hydroxyl groups to triethoxysilane functions was carried out exemplarily for hydroxy terminated PMMA. The microphase separation behavior of the block copolymers was investigated by a combination of methods such as SAXS, T-SAXS, GISAXS, TEM and AFM. The influence of number and position of functional groups along the chain was examined. The block copolymers synthesized show a microphase separation behavior in accordance to previous results. Despite the low value of the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter χPMA,MMA = 0,065 phase separation occurred and the transition from the ordered to the disordered state (ODT) was followed for selected samples. Bulk morphologies are not influenced by the presence of one or two allyl or hydroxyl groups. In case of considerably more than two functional groups attached to the block copolymer chain the microphase separation behavior of nonfunctionalized and functionalized block copolymers cannot be compared directly. Block copolymers having functional groups randomly distributed along the chain of one of the two methacrylic blocks generally show the typical behavior of diblock copolymers. Their phase separation becomes less pronounced than in pure diblock copolymers, sometimes cannot be detected. To some extent this observation may be referred to increased polydispersities and partial crosslinking. If considerably more than two groups were attached to the block copolymer chain, the tendency towards phase separation increased in case of an increasing value of the effective interaction parameter compared to nonfunctionalized diblock copolymers. Microphase separation behavior and morphology formation are more affected by highly polar groups such as the hydroxyl function than by less polar groups like the allyl function. In triblock copolymers with a middle block of successive allyl or hydroxyl functions the systems tends to form a three phase system which offers much more possibilities regarding the formation of ordered structures. Experimental results of phase separation were compared to theoretical phase diagrams, which were calculated by a Mean Field approach for nonfunctionalized diblock and triblock copolymers with multiallyl- or multihydroxylfunctionalized middle block based on RPA. The experimental results are in good accordance with the simulated spinodal condition. To increase the understanding of microphase separation processes, the dynamic relaxation behavior of the system was investigated. Therefore samples were examined by broadband dielectric spectroscopy. It was shown that local movements of the block copolymer system were decelerated in general, cooperative dynamics of the α processes were slowed down for the fluent PPMA block while they were accelerated for the glassy PMMA block. After bulk morphology investigation thin films of non-, mono-, di- and multifunctionalized block copolymers were prepared. Generally thin films develope the same morphologies as in the bulk state. Due to the confined geometry of a thin film thick films tend to form structures oriented parallel to the wafer surface, while in thin films with thicknesses lower than the respective bulk domain spacing standing structures are constraint. For cylindrical morphologies the impact of film thickness is more obvious than in symmetric lamellar structures. With respect to a possible application of nanostructured diblock copolymers different approaches were taken by project partners using non-, mono- and difunctionalized block copolymers of the present study. Remarkable in this context was the application of block copolymers as template for the creation of ordered silica structures. A doctoral dissertation on organic/inorganic hybrid materials by sol-gel process was prepared in Modena. Methods developed in this thesis were adopted to the present study and further investigated on multifunctionalized block copolymer systems. First investigations aiming at the evaluation of the templating abilities of alkyl methacrylate block copolymers in silica sol-gel reactions were carried out with multihydroxyfunctionalized di- and triblock copolymers. Preliminary results give reason to the expectation of multihydroxyfunctionalized di- and triblock copolymers being able to direct the formation of silica nanoparticles in sol-gel reactions carried out in situ with silica precursors, enforcing the chemical bonding between organic and inorganic phases and influencing the shape of silica nanostructures by the default block copolymer nanostructure. Indeed silica was incorporated successfully into the cylindrical structure of PPMA-b-PMMA diblock copolymers. Future experiments on removing the organic matrix by solvent or pyrolysis to investigate shape and porosity of the remaining silica structures will increase the understanding of the silica formation process inside a preferential phase or at the interface of the block copolymers. Nevertheless, the silica particle shape can be taylored deliberately only if phase separation behavior and morphology evolution in the composite system containing silica precursor and several derivatives thereof with nonuniform interactions towards block copolymer phases are well understood from the theoretical point of view as well as experimental proof needs to be given over a broader range. The block copolymer system developed in the present study easily can be extended manifoldly regarding the chemical structure of the polymer. In the case of multifunctionalized block copolymers a tremendous variety of different products can be obtained by modulation of composition, molar mass and especially distribution of functional groups to any position along the polymer chain far beyond the limits of the three classes of multifunctionalized di- and triblockstructures chosen for this thesis. It was shown that allyl functions incorporated inherently are able to undergo crosslinking reactions, which may be controlled similarly to network formations by inorganic crosslinkers and may result in defined nanogel structures. Furthermore carbon doublebonds are open to attacks for various polymer-analogue reactions hence offering the possibility of creating a pool of differently functionalized block copolymers from a single sample of allylfunctionalized block copolymer. The results of the present study basically prove a feasibility of the binding of functional groups to alkyl methacrylate block copolymer chains with high control over number and position of functional groups along the polymeric chain. The impact of functional groups on the microphase separation behavior of the block copolymer system was evaluated and will increase the understanding of structure formation in organic/inorganic hybrid materials of future work.

Le travail de thèse consistera à explorer et caractériser l'ensemble conformationnel de protéines intrinsèquement désordonnées (IDPs) en utilisant plusieurs techniques complémentaires, notamment des simulations avancées de dynamique moléculaire et la diffusion des rayons X aux petits angles (SAXS). Les IDPs sont des protéines possédant une ou plusieurs régions n'ayant pas de structures secondaires stables lorsqu'elles sont isolées, mais pouvant en adopter lors de leur association avec de multiples autres protéines. La question, à laquelle ce travail souhaite répondre dans le cas de trois IDPs, est de savoir si ces éléments de structures secondaires, formés à l'interfaces des complexes protéine-protéine, pré-existent de façon transitoire, ou non, à l'état non-lié des IDPs en solution. S'il est possible d'identifier et de caractériser ces éléments de reconnaissance moléculaire dans les IDPs isolées, alors les résultats de ce travail permettront de guider par la suite la détermination des structures de complexes protéiques impliquant des IDPs. / The PhD work will consist in exploring and characterizing the conformational ensemble of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), by using several complementary methods, including enhanced molecular dynamics simulations and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). IDPs are proteins having one or several regions that lack stable secondary structures in the unbound state, but which can adopt various structured conformations to bind other proteins. In the case of three IDPs, the project aims to answer the question of whether these secondary structures formed at the protein-protein interfaces transiently pre-exist or not in the unbound state of solvated IDPs. If it is possible to identify and characterize these molecular recognition features (MoRFs) in the IDP unbound state, then the results of this work will subsequently help to determine the structures of protein complexes involving IDPs.

In dieser Doktorarbeit wird die Hypothese geprüft, ob Osteozyten einen direkten Einfluss auf die Knocheneigenschaften in ihrer unmittelbaren Umgebung haben. Der zentrale Experimentieransatz ist dabei die Korrelation der Organisation des Osteozytennetzwerks mit den Mineraleigenschaften des Knochens auf der Submikrometerebene. Es wird gezeigt, dass bereits die anfängliche Ausrichtung der Osteoblasten entscheidend für die Synthese von hoch ausgerichtetem Knochenmaterial ist. Die dabei entstehenden Osteozytennetzwerke sind so organisiert, dass die Osteozyten und ihre Zellfortsätze jeweils einen möglichst kleinen Abstand zum Knochenmineral haben. Deshalb wird vermutet, dass genau diese Netzwerkorganisation mitentscheidend ist, wie gut die Zellen das Mineral in ih-rer Umgebung beeinflussen können. Messungen der Knochenmineraleigenschaften auf Submikrometerebene mit Röntgenkleinwinkelstreuung bestätigen diese Vermutung. Dabei wird deutlich, dass Knochenmaterial in der Nähe der Osteozyten durch andere Mineraleigenschaften geprägt ist. Um zu klären, wie Osteozyten Mineral in ihrer direkten Umgebung verändern können, werden Mechanismen der passiven Mineralherauslösung aus der mineralisierten Oberfläche des Osteozytennetzwerks untersucht. Es wird gezeigt, dass kalziumarme ionische Lösungen unter physiologischen Bedingungen große Mengen von Kalzium-Ionen aus dem Knochen lösen und diese dann durch die Osteozytennetzwerkstrukturen diffundieren können. Zum Abschluss wurde medullärer Knochen von Hühnern als ein Modellsystem für rasanten Knochenumbau untersucht. Dieser spezielle Knochentyp dient den Hennen als labiles Kalziumreservoir und ermöglicht dadurch die tägliche Eierschalenproduktion. Experimente am medullären Knochen-material zeigen insbesondere die Bedeutung von weniger stabilen Mineralstrukturen die benötigt werden um den Knochen an den schnellen, sich wiederholenden Knochenauf- sowie Abbau optimal anzupassen. / This thesis aims to test the hypothesis whether osteocytes have a direct influence on bone material properties in their vicinity. In this regard, the concomitant ana-lysis of osteocyte network organization and bone ultrastructural properties on the submicron level is the central approach to answer this question. In this work, it is shown that already initial cell-cell alignment during the process of bone formation is crucial for the synthesis of highly organized bone. Furthermore it is proposed that the occurrence of highly ordered osteocyte networks visualized with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) has a strong impact on the ability of osteocytes to directly influence bone material properties. These highly organized networks are another consequence of initial cell-cell alignment and are found to be arranged such as to feature short mineral cell distances. Examination of sub-micron mineral properties with scanning small angle x-ray scattering (sSAXS) shows that bone material in the direct vicinity of osteocytes and their cell proc-esses shows different mineral properties compared to bone further away in the depth of the tissue. Moreover, mechanisms of passive mineral extraction from the mineralized surface of the osteocyte network, due to the treatment with calcium poor ionic solutions, are investigated. It is shown that this chemical process occurring under physiological conditions leads not only to the dissolution of considerable amounts of calcium, but also to efficient diffusion of these ions through the osteocyte network structures. Finally, medullary bone which is intended as a labile calcium source for daily egg shell formation in hens is used as a model system for rapid bone turnover rates. This bone type in particular indicates the importance of uniquely adapted, less stable mineral structures to fit the requirements for rapid bone resorption as well as reformation.

Foram estudadas as características estruturais de xerogéis obtidos pelo método sol-gel a partir de soluções líquidas precursoras compostas de cloreto de níquel (NiCl2), butanol, água e ácido acético, secos em estufa e tratados a diferentes temperaturas entre 150 e 900ºC. Nos tratamentos isotérmicos a essas temperaturas os elementos voláteis se desprendem do material inicial e transformações estruturais acontecem. Analisaram-se os materiais porosos resultantes (xerogéis) mediante técnicas estruturais: espalhamento de raios X a baixo ângulo (SAXS), espectroscopia de absorção de raios X (XANES e XAFS), difração de raios X (XRD) e microscopia eletrônica de varredura. Complementaram-se estes estudos mediante análise química (espectroscopia de infravermelho), térmica (análise térmica diferencial), gravimétrica (perda de massa) e de densidade. Os resultados experimentais demonstraram que a estrutura porosa do material inicial à base de NiCl2 se transforma numa estrutura bifásica, também porosa, composta por uma fase rica em NiCl2 e outra em óxido de níquel (NiO), sendo que a fração de volume ocupada pela fase de NiO no material final aumenta com a temperatura de tratamento térmico. No caso de temperaturas acima de 500ºC, praticamente todo o volume da amostra se transforma e é ocupado pela fase NiO. Mostrou-se que a estrutura porosa presente em todos os materiais, estudada por SAXS, é composta por nanoporos (10-150Å) e mesoporos (maiores que 150Å), sendo que a fração de volume ocupada pelos mesmos depende da temperatura do tratamento térmico. Em particular os nanoporos somente estão presentes nas amostras tratadas abaixo de 500ºC. A ordem local média ao redor dos átomos de Ni, determinada por EXAFS, corresponde ao esperado de sistemas bifásicos cujas frações de volume dependem da temperatura de tratamento, em concordância com os resultados de XRD. Investigaram-se as características dos materiais obtidos após os diferentes tratamentos térmicos em função de diferentes condições de preparação das soluções precursoras. Numa primeira série de experiências, variou-se o conteúdo de ácido acético na solução. Demonstrou-se que maiores concentrações de ácido acético promovem a formação de um material com estrutura mais compacta. Numa segunda série de experiências variou-se o conteúdo de água. Determinou-se que a quantidade de água afeta somente a estrutura dos materiais tratados a temperaturas inferiores à 500ºC. / Structural properties of several xerogels obtained by the sol-gel procedure and heat treated at different temperatures between 150 and 900ºC were studied. The initial systems were dry gels prepared from liquid solutions composed of nickel chloride, buthanol, water and acetic acid. During the different isothermal treatments, volatile species leave the inicial material and structural transformations occur. The resulting porous materials (xerogels) were studied by means of several structural techniques: small angle X ray scattering (SAXS), X ray absorption spectroscopy (XANES and EXAFS), X ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy. These studies were complemented with chemical analysis (infrared spectroscopy), differential thermal analisis, mass loss and density measurements. The experimental results demonstrated that the porous structure of the starting material, based on nickel chloride, transforms in a also porous biphasic structure composed of nickel chloride and nickel oxide, respectively, rich fase. The volume fraction occupied by the nickel oxide rich fase of the final material increases with temperature of heat treatment. For temperatures above 500ºC, practically all the sample volume transforms and is occupied by the NiO phase. It was demonstrated that the porous structure of all materials, studied by SAXS, is composed of nanopores (sizes ranging from 10 to 150Å ) and mesopores (larger than 150Å), their fraction depending on the heat treatment temperature. Particularly, nanopores are only present in samples treated below 500ºC. The average local order close to nickel atoms, determined by EXAFS, corresponds to the expected one for biphasic systems whose volume fractions depend on treatment temperature, in agreement with XRD results. The structural properties of the several materials obtained after different heat treatments were studied as functions of preparation conditions of precursor solutions. In a first series of experiments, acetic acid content in the solution was varied. It was demonstrated that higher acetic acid content promotes the formation of more compact structures. In a second series of experiments, water content was varied. It was concluded that water content only affects the structure of the materials heat treated at temperatures below 500ºC.

Foram estudadas as características estruturais de xerogéis obtidos pelo método sol-gel a partir de soluções líquidas precursoras compostas de cloreto de níquel (NiCl2), butanol, água e ácido acético, secos em estufa e tratados a diferentes temperaturas entre 150 e 900ºC. Nos tratamentos isotérmicos a essas temperaturas os elementos voláteis se desprendem do material inicial e transformações estruturais acontecem. Analisaram-se os materiais porosos resultantes (xerogéis) mediante técnicas estruturais: espalhamento de raios X a baixo ângulo (SAXS), espectroscopia de absorção de raios X (XANES e XAFS), difração de raios X (XRD) e microscopia eletrônica de varredura. Complementaram-se estes estudos mediante análise química (espectroscopia de infravermelho), térmica (análise térmica diferencial), gravimétrica (perda de massa) e de densidade. Os resultados experimentais demonstraram que a estrutura porosa do material inicial à base de NiCl2 se transforma numa estrutura bifásica, também porosa, composta por uma fase rica em NiCl2 e outra em óxido de níquel (NiO), sendo que a fração de volume ocupada pela fase de NiO no material final aumenta com a temperatura de tratamento térmico. No caso de temperaturas acima de 500ºC, praticamente todo o volume da amostra se transforma e é ocupado pela fase NiO. Mostrou-se que a estrutura porosa presente em todos os materiais, estudada por SAXS, é composta por nanoporos (10-150Å) e mesoporos (maiores que 150Å), sendo que a fração de volume ocupada pelos mesmos depende da temperatura do tratamento térmico. Em particular os nanoporos somente estão presentes nas amostras tratadas abaixo de 500ºC. A ordem local média ao redor dos átomos de Ni, determinada por EXAFS, corresponde ao esperado de sistemas bifásicos cujas frações de volume dependem da temperatura de tratamento, em concordância com os resultados de XRD. Investigaram-se as características dos materiais obtidos após os diferentes tratamentos térmicos em função de diferentes condições de preparação das soluções precursoras. Numa primeira série de experiências, variou-se o conteúdo de ácido acético na solução. Demonstrou-se que maiores concentrações de ácido acético promovem a formação de um material com estrutura mais compacta. Numa segunda série de experiências variou-se o conteúdo de água. Determinou-se que a quantidade de água afeta somente a estrutura dos materiais tratados a temperaturas inferiores à 500ºC. / Structural properties of several xerogels obtained by the sol-gel procedure and heat treated at different temperatures between 150 and 900ºC were studied. The initial systems were dry gels prepared from liquid solutions composed of nickel chloride, buthanol, water and acetic acid. During the different isothermal treatments, volatile species leave the inicial material and structural transformations occur. The resulting porous materials (xerogels) were studied by means of several structural techniques: small angle X ray scattering (SAXS), X ray absorption spectroscopy (XANES and EXAFS), X ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy. These studies were complemented with chemical analysis (infrared spectroscopy), differential thermal analisis, mass loss and density measurements. The experimental results demonstrated that the porous structure of the starting material, based on nickel chloride, transforms in a also porous biphasic structure composed of nickel chloride and nickel oxide, respectively, rich fase. The volume fraction occupied by the nickel oxide rich fase of the final material increases with temperature of heat treatment. For temperatures above 500ºC, practically all the sample volume transforms and is occupied by the NiO phase. It was demonstrated that the porous structure of all materials, studied by SAXS, is composed of nanopores (sizes ranging from 10 to 150Å ) and mesopores (larger than 150Å), their fraction depending on the heat treatment temperature. Particularly, nanopores are only present in samples treated below 500ºC. The average local order close to nickel atoms, determined by EXAFS, corresponds to the expected one for biphasic systems whose volume fractions depend on treatment temperature, in agreement with XRD results. The structural properties of the several materials obtained after different heat treatments were studied as functions of preparation conditions of precursor solutions. In a first series of experiments, acetic acid content in the solution was varied. It was demonstrated that higher acetic acid content promotes the formation of more compact structures. In a second series of experiments, water content was varied. It was concluded that water content only affects the structure of the materials heat treated at temperatures below 500ºC.

L'IRES du VHC est organisé en une structure secondaire, complexe et hautement conservée, qui comprend quatre domaines distincts (I-IV). Cette organisation permet la liaison directe du facteur d'initiation eucaryote eIF3 et de la sous-unité 40S du ribosome. Le facteur d'initiation eucaryote eIF3 est un complexe de 13 protéines (~ 800 kDa). Certaines de ses sous-unités montrent une affinité pour l'ARN, et parmi elles deux possèdent des motifs de reconnaissance à l'ARN (MRR) : eIF3b (aa : 185-268) et eIF3g (aa : 239-317). Afin de déterminer l'implication de ces motifs dans l'interaction ARN-protéine, nous avons cloné les domaines contenant ces motifs MRR, ainsi que les protéines entières eIF3b et eIF3g. Nous avons ensuite étudié l'interaction de l'ARN et/ou domaines d'ARN avec le complexe eIF3 et/ou protéines ou domaines protéiques en utilisant la méthode de rétention sur filtre. Nous avons ainsi calculé les différentes constantes apparentes de dissociation entre : eIF3/IRES, eIF3b/IRES et MRR-eIF3b/IRES. Ces résultats montrent que la sous-unité eIF3b se lie directement au domaine III de l'IRES via son motif MRR situé dans le domaine N-terminal. Dans un deuxième temps, nous avons utilisé la spectroscopie RMN pour identifier précisément les acides aminés impliqués dans la reconnaissance de l'ARN viral. En utilisant différentes techniques telles que FBA, RMN et SAXS, il s'avère que le domaine IIId (30 nucléotides) représente le motif minimum impliqué dans l'interaction MRR-eIF3b/IRES. Enfin, la technique de SAXS a été mise à profit pour étudier la structure tridimensionnelle de l'IRES libre en solution.

The first part of this thesis is concerned with thestructure-property relationships in nonionic surfactantsystems. The main aim was to investigate how the surfactantstructure influences the adsorption at interfaces andinteractions between surfactant coated interfaces.Particularly, the effect of the structure of the surfactantheadgroups was investigated. These were sugar-based headgroupwith varying size and flexibility and poly(ethylene oxide)based headgroups with or without an additional amide or estergroup. The hydrophobic part of the surfactant consisted mostlyof straight alkyl chains, except for one type of poly(ethyleneoxide) based surfactant with a dehydroabietic hydrophobe. The main technique that was used is the surface forcetechnique, with which the forces acting between two adsorbedsurfactant layers on hydrophilic or hydrophobic surfaces can bemeasured. These forces are important for e.g. the stability ofdispersions. The hydrophilic surfaces employed were glass andmica, whereas the hydrophobic surfaces were silanized glass andhydrophobized mica. The adsorption behavior on hydrophilicsurfaces is highly dependent on the type of headgroup andsurface, whereas similar results were obtained on the two typesof hydrophobic surfaces. To better understand how the surfaceforces are affected by the surfactant structure, measurementsof adsorbed amount and theoretical mean-field latticecalculations were carried out. The results show that the sugarsurfactant layers and poly(ethylene oxide) surfactant layersgive rise to very different surface forces, but that the forcesare more similar within each group. The structure-propertyrelationships for many other physical properties have beenstudied as well. These include equilibrium and dynamicadsorption at the liquid-vapor interface, micelle size, micelledynamics, and wetting. The second part in this thesis is about the aggregationbetween cationic polyelectrolytes and an anionic surfactant.The surface force technique was used to study the adsorption ofa low charged cationic polyelectrolyte on mica, and theaggregation between the adsorbed polyelectrolyte with theanionic surfactant. The aggregation in bulk was studied withturbidimetry, small angle neutron scattering (SANS), and smallangle x-ray scattering (SAXS). An internal hexagonal aggregatestructure was found for some of the bulk aggregates. <b>Keywords:</b>nonionic surfactant, sugar surfactant,poly(ethylene oxide), amide, ester, polyelectrolyte, SDS,hydrophobic surface, glass surface, mica, adsorption,aggregation, micelle size, surface forces, wetting, dynamicsurface tension, NMR, TRFQ, SANS, SAXS, mean-field latticecalculations.