Growth anisotropy, in which cells grow predominantly in one direction, is common in plant cells, and an essential event for plant form and function. The direction and degree of growth anisotropy are governed by the mechanical properties of the primary cell wall. When aligned in a parallel manner, cellulose microfibrils accommodate great resistance in the direction of their alignment to expansion driven by isotropic turgor pressure. Using the Arabidopsis thaliana inflorescence stem as a model system, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis demonstrated that the establishment of parallel arrangement of microfibrils is closely correlated with anisotropic cell expansion. In the novel anisotropy 1 (any1) mutant allele of the primary cellulose synthase CesA1, growth defects were correlated with random cellulose microfibril patterns in some inflorescence stem tissues. Microtubules have been considered to be the most likely candidates for controlling the orientation of cellulose microfibrils. Recent studies have indeed demonstrated a close association of the plasma membrane-localized cellulose-synthase-complexes (CSCs) that produce cellulose and cortical microtubules. Despite this close association, microtubule disruption did not cause cellulose microfibrils to lose parallel alignment in the radial and inner periclinal walls of cells in the inflorescence stem, suggesting that microtubules influence mechanical properties of cellulose microfibrils other than orientation. X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrated that cellulose crystallinity in wild-type plants declines at the growth-promoting temperature of 29°C, whereas crystallinity fails to adapt and remains high in mor1-1, the temperature-sensitive mutant whose microtubule arrays become disorganized at its restrictive temperature (29°C). This finding suggests that organized microtubules are involved in reducing cellulose crystallinity that normally accompanies increased cell expansion. Live-cell imaging of CSCs by tracking a yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)-tagged CesA6 subunit in hypocotyl cells demonstrated that dynamic and well-organized microtubules affect the velocity, the direction of movement, and the density of CSCs, suggesting that there is a close relationship between microtubules and CSCs. Together with the finding that microtubules also control the distribution of COBRA, a GPI-anchored wall protein that is essential for growth anisotropy, I discuss the variety of roles microtubules play in anisotropic growth.

Growth anisotropy, in which cells grow predominantly in one direction, is common in plant cells, and an essential event for plant form and function. The direction and degree of growth anisotropy are governed by the mechanical properties of the primary cell wall. When aligned in a parallel manner, cellulose microfibrils accommodate great resistance in the direction of their alignment to expansion driven by isotropic turgor pressure. Using the Arabidopsis thaliana inflorescence stem as a model system, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis demonstrated that the establishment of parallel arrangement of microfibrils is closely correlated with anisotropic cell expansion. In the novel anisotropy 1 (any1) mutant allele of the primary cellulose synthase CesA1, growth defects were correlated with random cellulose microfibril patterns in some inflorescence stem tissues. Microtubules have been considered to be the most likely candidates for controlling the orientation of cellulose microfibrils. Recent studies have indeed demonstrated a close association of the plasma membrane-localized cellulose-synthase-complexes (CSCs) that produce cellulose and cortical microtubules. Despite this close association, microtubule disruption did not cause cellulose microfibrils to lose parallel alignment in the radial and inner periclinal walls of cells in the inflorescence stem, suggesting that microtubules influence mechanical properties of cellulose microfibrils other than orientation. X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrated that cellulose crystallinity in wild-type plants declines at the growth-promoting temperature of 29°C, whereas crystallinity fails to adapt and remains high in mor1-1, the temperature-sensitive mutant whose microtubule arrays become disorganized at its restrictive temperature (29°C). This finding suggests that organized microtubules are involved in reducing cellulose crystallinity that normally accompanies increased cell expansion. Live-cell imaging of CSCs by tracking a yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)-tagged CesA6 subunit in hypocotyl cells demonstrated that dynamic and well-organized microtubules affect the velocity, the direction of movement, and the density of CSCs, suggesting that there is a close relationship between microtubules and CSCs. Together with the finding that microtubules also control the distribution of COBRA, a GPI-anchored wall protein that is essential for growth anisotropy, I discuss the variety of roles microtubules play in anisotropic growth.

Growth anisotropy, in which cells grow predominantly in one direction, is common in plant cells, and an essential event for plant form and function. The direction and degree of growth anisotropy are governed by the mechanical properties of the primary cell wall. When aligned in a parallel manner, cellulose microfibrils accommodate great resistance in the direction of their alignment to expansion driven by isotropic turgor pressure. Using the Arabidopsis thaliana inflorescence stem as a model system, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis demonstrated that the establishment of parallel arrangement of microfibrils is closely correlated with anisotropic cell expansion. In the novel anisotropy 1 (any1) mutant allele of the primary cellulose synthase CesA1, growth defects were correlated with random cellulose microfibril patterns in some inflorescence stem tissues. Microtubules have been considered to be the most likely candidates for controlling the orientation of cellulose microfibrils. Recent studies have indeed demonstrated a close association of the plasma membrane-localized cellulose-synthase-complexes (CSCs) that produce cellulose and cortical microtubules. Despite this close association, microtubule disruption did not cause cellulose microfibrils to lose parallel alignment in the radial and inner periclinal walls of cells in the inflorescence stem, suggesting that microtubules influence mechanical properties of cellulose microfibrils other than orientation. X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrated that cellulose crystallinity in wild-type plants declines at the growth-promoting temperature of 29°C, whereas crystallinity fails to adapt and remains high in mor1-1, the temperature-sensitive mutant whose microtubule arrays become disorganized at its restrictive temperature (29°C). This finding suggests that organized microtubules are involved in reducing cellulose crystallinity that normally accompanies increased cell expansion. Live-cell imaging of CSCs by tracking a yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)-tagged CesA6 subunit in hypocotyl cells demonstrated that dynamic and well-organized microtubules affect the velocity, the direction of movement, and the density of CSCs, suggesting that there is a close relationship between microtubules and CSCs. Together with the finding that microtubules also control the distribution of COBRA, a GPI-anchored wall protein that is essential for growth anisotropy, I discuss the variety of roles microtubules play in anisotropic growth. / Science, Faculty of / Botany, Department of / Graduate

L’utilisation et la valorisation de ressources renouvelables dans le domaine de la chimie connait un intérêt grandissant pour remplacer les ressources fossiles. Le travail présenté dans ce manuscrit de thèse est axé sur deux ressources bio-sourcées utilisées pour la préparation de thermodurcissables bio-sourcés : huile végétale et biomasse lignocellulosique. La première partie concerne les polybenzoxazines. A partir d’un monomère à base de phénol, le caractère bio-sourcé est progressivement augmenté par substitution du phenol par du cardanol. Le cardanol est un dérivé phénolique bio-sourcé extrait de l’huile de coque de noix de cajou. Une première étude se concentre sur les effets apportés par cette chaine alkyle sur la réactivité et les propriétés finales du matériau. Par la suite, la réaction de polymérisation du composé de référence est évaluée par des études cinétiques, corrélées aux analyses thermo-mécaniques pour une meilleure compréhension de la réaction de polymérisation. La seconde partie de cette thèse se concentre sur la préparation de composites totalement bio-sourcés, avec des microfibrilles de cellulose (MFC) modifiées pour obtenir des dialdehyde cellulose (DAC). Le poly(alcool furfruylique) (PFA) est une matrice bio-sourcée polymérisée à partir d’alcool furfurylique (FA) et d’anhydride maléique, tous deux obtenus à partir du HMF. Les propriétés du PFA peuvent être modifiées en y incorporant un renfort, tel que la cellulose. La modification de MFC par oxydation génère des fonctions aldéhydes réactives qui améliorent la compatibilité avec la matrice. Cette étude compare différents composites préparés à partir de MFC oxydée à différents DO pour déterminer quel DO entraine une meilleure compatibilité. Pour finir, des matériaux préparés à partir d’une unique source de cellulose, les « all cellulose composites », ont fait l’objet de la dernière étude. Deux différents renforts furaniques ont été utilisés pour contrer les problèmes de sensibilité à l’humidité de la cellulose, et donc augmenter l’hydrophobicité. / To reduce the use of finite petroleum-based resources, interest has grown regarding the valorization of renewable resources in chemistry. The work presented in this thesis focused on two bio-based resources: plant oil and lignocellulosic biomass, for the preparation of greener thermoset materials. The first part discussed about polybenzoxazine thermosets. The bio-based content was gradually increased through substitution of petro-based phenol by bio-based cardanol. Cardanol is a natural phenolic derivative extracted from the cashew nutshell liquid. A first study focused on the effect of this aliphatic side chain and how it can tune the reactivity and the final thermo-mechanical properties of the materials. In the following study the reactivity of polymerization of di-phenol monomer was investigated using advanced isoconversional analyses and thermo-mechanical analyses for a better understanding of the polymerization reaction. The second part discussed about the preparation of fully bio-based composites using modified cellulose microfibrils (MFC). Poly(furfuryl alcohol) (PFA) is a bio-based matrix obtained after polymerization of furfruyl alcohol (FA) with maleic anhydride, both obtained from HMF. The PFA properties can be modified by the introduction of cellulose as a filler. MFC was modified by oxidation to lead to reactive dialdehyde functions. By varying the degree of oxidation (DO), the properties of different composites were studied to determine the most adequate DO for the better PFA/MFC compatibility and the most adequate PFA/MFC ratio. Finally, the last study of this thesis focused on the concept of “all cellulose composites” (ACC), and particularly how to reduce the moisture sensitivity of these materials. Two different furanic compounds were used as cross-linkers to increase the hydrophobicity: a first compound with one furan ring and a second with two furan rings.