Submitted by Marco Antônio de Ramos Chagas (mchagas@ufv.br) on 2016-04-29T16:31:02Z No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 3735449 bytes, checksum: aa20d55ef3b80cac2cc56637e94639c9 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T16:31:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 3735449 bytes, checksum: aa20d55ef3b80cac2cc56637e94639c9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-10-14 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Brachypodium distachyon (L.) P. Beauv. (Poaceae: Poideae) tem se destacado como planta modelo para gramíneas de clima temperado e espécies usadas para a produção de biocombustíveis. A linhagem Bd21 de Brachypodium distachyon tem um genoma completamente seqüenciado e montado, além de protocolos de genômica e de transformação bem estabelecidos com base em calos embriogênicos. No entanto, as informações sobre a origem e as alterações celulares que ocorrem durante a diferenciação de embriões somáticos nos estágios iniciais não foi documentada para B. distachyon. Também não há relatos sobre o uso de abordagens moleculares para investigar o processo de embriogênese somática nesta espécie. Portanto, os objetivos deste trabalho foram: (1) caracterizar as alterações morfológicas, anatômicas e histoquímicas que ocorrem durante a indução de embriogênese somática a partir de embriões zigóticos imaturos (EZI) da B. distachyon linhagem de referência Bd21 usando microscopia de luz e de varredura em associação com testes histoquímicos e, (2), realizar a clonagem e caracterização de genes SERK (SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE) e analisar sua expressão na indução de embriogênese somática utilizando hibridização in situ para monitorar os processos morfogenéticos in vitro. Culturas embriogênicas de B. distachyon (BD21) foram estabelecidas usando EZI 15 dias após a antese, em meio Murashige e Skoog (1962) contendo ácido 2,4- diclorofenoxiacético. A regeneração in vitro de plântulas derivadas de embriões somáticos ocorreu pela embriogênese somática através da via indireta. Os embriões somáticos tiveram uma origem multicelular e originaram-se de calo embriogênico formado a partir de células da epiderme na região do nó escutelar que se estenderam para a periferia do EZI. A ordem de acumulação de reservas nos embriões somáticos foi semelhante a dos embriões zigóticos. Nas culturas embriogênicas, proteínas e lipídios foram utilizados nos primeiros 2 dias em meio de indução. O teor de amido aumentou nos primeiros 2 dias em meio de indução e diminuiu em seguida em número de grânulos que se tornaram maiores e apareceram principalmente nas células vacuoladas adjacentes às massas pró-embriogênicas. Pequenos grânulos de amido começaram a acumular nos pró-embrioides após 4 dias em meio de indução e tornaram- se maior e mais abundantes em células do escutelo aos 12 dias em meio de indução. A diferenciação do embrião somático seguiu a mesma sequência de desenvolvimento verificado em outros membros da família Poaceae, ou seja, a passagem pelos estádios globular, escutelar e coleoptilar. O gene SERK tem sido usado como um marcador para as células competentes na embriogênese somática de várias espécies. Neste estudo, utilizando iniciadores degenerados, uma sequência específica homóloga de um fragmento do gene SERK foi amplificada de B. distachyon Bd21. A análise da sequência do fragmento de SERK (766 bp) revelou altos níveis de similaridade com genes SERK relatados em outras espécies. A análise de hibridização in situ mostrou que o gene SERK estava presente nos tecidos embriogênicos de B. distachyon antes do desenvolvimento de embriões somáticos e continuou sendo expresso nos estágios globular e escutelar. Estes resultados sugerem que a expressão do gene SERK de B. distachyon pode estar associada com a indução da embriogênese somática. Este estudo faz a primeira descrição de mudanças morfoanatômicas e histoquímicas durante o processo de embriogênese somática em B. distachyon linhagem Bd21. Este é também o primeiro relato sobre a clonagem e expressão de um gene SERK para a espécie e sugere que este gene pode servir como um marcador molecular para monitorar a transição de células somáticas em células competentes e embriogênicas também em B. distachyon. / Brachypodium distachyon (L.) P. Beauv. (Poaceae: Poideae) has been proposed as a new model for temperate and biofuel grasses. Brachypodium distachyon inbred line Bd21 has a fully sequenced and assembled genome, a series of genomics resources, and well-established somatic embryogenesis-based transformation protocols. However, information about origin and cellular changes occurring during the early differentiation of somatic embryos has not been documented for B. distachyon. There are also no reports on the use of molecular approaches to investigate somatic embryogenesis in B. distachyon. Therefore, the objectives of this study were (1) to characterize the morphological, anatomical and histochemical changes occurring during the induction of somatic embryogenesis from immature zygotic embryos (IZE) of B. distachyon community standard line Bd21 using light and scanning electron microscopy in association with histochemical tests and, (2), to carry out the cloning and characterization of SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE (SERK) genes and analysis of its expression in somatic embryogenesis induction using in situ hybridization for monitoring the morphogenetic processes in vitro. Somatic embryogenic cultures of B. distachyon (Bd21) were established following culture of IZE, 15 days post anthesis, on Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium containing 2,4- dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. In vitro regeneration of plantlets derived from somatic embryos occurred by the indirect somatic embryogenesis pathway. Somatic embryos had a multicellular origin and originated from embryogenic callus formed from cells of the epidermis in the region of the scutellar node and extended to the periphery of IZE. The order in accumulation of storage reserves in somatic embryos was similar to that of zygotic embryos. In the embryogenic cultures, storage proteins and lipids were used up in the first 2 days after culture (DAC). The levels of starch increased in the first 2 DAC and then decreased in number of granules that became larger and appeared mainly in the vacuolated cells subtending the proembryonic masses. Small starch granules started accumulating in proembryoids after 4 DAC and became larger and abundant in scutellar cells 12 DAC. Somatic embryo differentiation in B. distachyon proceeded through globular, scutellar and coleoptilar stages, following the morphological pattern of development of that reported in other members of the Poaceae. The SERK gene has been used successfully as a marker for competent cells in somatic embryogenesis of several species. In this study, using degenerate primers, it was possible to amplify a specific homologous sequence of a SERK gene fragment from B. distachyon Bd21. Sequence analysis of the SERK fragment (766 bp) revealed high levels of similarity to other reported SERKs. In situ hybridization analysis showed that the SERK gene was present in embryogenic tissues of B. distachyon before somatic embryo development and continued expressing through globular and scutellar stages. These results suggest that the expression of the B. distachyon SERK gene was associated with induction of somatic embryogenesis. This study provides the first description of morphoanatomical and histochemical changes underlying the embryogenic process in B. distachyon reference line Bd21. It is also the first report on the cloning and expression of a SERK gene for the species, suggesting that it could serve as a molecular marker to monitor the transition of IZE cells into competent and embryogenic cells also in B. distachyon line Bd21.

La fusariose des épis est l’une des principales maladies des céréales, majoritairement causée par le champignon pathogène et toxinogène, Fusarium graminearum (Fg). Lors son développement in planta, le champignon produit des mycotoxines dommageables pour la santé humaine et animale, dont le déoxynivalénol (DON). De nombreux loci à effet quantitatif sur la résistance à Fg ont été identifiés chez le blé tendre. Certains d’entre eux ont été corrélés à la capacité à détoxifier le DON, en particulier par glucosylation sous l’action d’UDP-glucosyltransférases (UGT). Une UGT d’orge impliquée dans la conjugaison du DON a été identifiée en système hétérologue. Brachypodium distachyon (Bd) a récemment émergé comme modèle d’étude pour les céréales. Ce travail à l’aide d’approches transcriptomique et métabolomique a mis en évidence que lors de l’interaction avec Fg, Bd met en place des réponses macroscopiques, moléculaires et métaboliques similaires à celles connues chez le blé et l’orge. La recherche d’UGTs candidates capables de conjuguer le DON en DON-3-O-glucoside (D3G) chez Bd a permis l’identification d’un candidat. L’analyse fonctionnelle du gène correspondant a été conduite par des approches de mutagenèse et de surexpression. Ceci a montré une sensibilité accrue des lignées mutantes à la toxine et à l’agent pathogène. A l’inverse les lignées surexpresseurs ont montré une tolérance et résistance quantitative à la toxine et l’agent pathogène. Ces résultats ont été corrélés par la détection in planta de DON et D3G, dans des proportions variables selon les lignées. Ces résultats démontrent le rôle majeur que joue la glucosylation du DON dans l’établissement de la résistance observée chez Bd en réponse à Fg. / Fusarium head blight is a major cereal disease, mostly caused by the pathogenic and toxin-producing fungus, Fusarium graminearum (Fg). During its development in planta, the fungus produces mycotoxins harmful to human and animal health, including deoxynivalenol (DON). Many quantitative trait loci exhibiting an effect on resistance to Fg have been identified in wheat. Some of them were correlated with the ability to detoxify DON, particularly by glucosylation by UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGT). A barley UGT involved in the conjugation of DON was identified in a heterologous system. Brachypodium distachyon (Bd) has recently emerged as a model species for cereals. Using transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches, we show that when interacting with Fg, Bd implements macroscopic, molecular and metabolic responses similar to those known in wheat and barley. The search for UGT candidates able to conjugate DON into DON-3-O-glucoside (D3G) in Bd resulted in the identification of the Bradi5g03300 gene. Functional analyses of this gene showed increased sensitivity of the mutant lines to the toxin and to the pathogen. Conversely the overexpressor lines showed a tolerance to the toxin and quantitative resistance to Fg. These results were correlated with the detection of differential amounts of DON and D3G in the different lines. These results demonstrate the important role of DON glucosylation in the resistance establishment of Bd observed in response to Fg.

Les lignines sont des hétéropolymères phénoliques de la paroi cellulaire, principalement à base de p-coumaryl, coniférylique et sinapylique alcools. Ces monolignols sont synthétisées dans le cytoplasme de la voie des phénylpropanoïdes, peut ensuite transportées vers les parois des cellules où ils sont polymérisés par oxydation en p-hydroxyphényl (H), guaiacyle (G) et syringyle (S) des unités de lignine. Cette étape de polymérisation par oxydation est conduite par les peroxydases dépendantes H₂O₂ et / ou laccases dépendantes O₂. Dans cette étude, nous avons signalé pour la première fois que les laccases sont également impliqués dans la lignification du les herbes. Un gène de laccase spécifique (BdLAC5) a été identifié parmi les 29 gènes de laccase non redondants dans Brachypodium génome, qui est responsable de la lignification dans les tiges de Brachypodium distachyon, une plante modèle pour les graminées. BdLAC5 gène a été retrouvé fortement exprimé dans les organes lignifiées (internodal, nœud et le pédoncule) et mal exprimé dans les organes avec faible niveau de lignine (jeunes feuilles et épillet), ni dans les tissus non-lignifiée (endosperme). Deux autres laccases BdLAC6 et BdLAC8 sont également trouvés coexprimés avec BdLAC5 et curieusement ils appartiennent à la même clade phylogénétique. BdLAC6 et BdLAC8 sont orthologues de Arabidopsis LAC4 et LAC2 respectivement. Dans les expériences d'hybridation in situ ont démontré le signal le plus intense dans les fibres interfasciculaires de l'entre-nœud a été détectée avec des sondes BdLAC5. En outre, des essais ont révélé que les protéines immunomarquages BdLAC5 pourraient être sécrétés dans la matrice de la paroi cellulaire, car nous avons détecté des particules fluorescentes dans ou à proximité de la paroi cellulaire. Le double mutant laccase touchée BdLAC5 et BdLAC8 a clairement montré que la lignification dans les fibres interfasciculaires impliqué différents gènes / protéines que la lignification dans les cellules métaxylème de Brachypodium. Métaxylème cellules ont été que faiblement affectés dans le double mutant lorsque les fibres interfasciculaires montré diminution dramatique de Wiesner coloration. Les différents mécanismes de lignification entre xylème et fibres est discutée. L'interaction physique et la synergie entre réglementation spécifique R2R3-MYB, bHLH et WDR protéines est bien étudiée dans la biosynthèse des flavonoïdes, racine des cheveux, trichomes et le développement en mucilage de graines de différentes espèces de plantes. Dans cette étude, nous avons essayé de comprendre les rôles de MYB-bHLH-WDR pour la régulation de la biosynthèse de la lignine. / Lignins are cell wall phenolic heteropolymers, mainly made from p-coumaryl, coniferyl, and sinapyl alcohols. These monolignols are synthesized in the cytoplasm from the phenylpropanoid pathway, then may transported to the cell walls where they are oxidatively-polymerized into p_hydroxyphenyl (H), guaiacyl (G) and syringyl (S) lignin units. This oxidative polymerization step is driven by H₂O₂-dependent peroxidases and/or O₂-dependent laccases. In this study we reported for the first time that laccases are also involved in lignification in grasses. A specific laccase gene (BdLAC5) was identified among 29 non-redundant laccase genes in Brachypodium genome, which is responsible for the lignification in stems of Brachypodium distachyon, a model plant for grasses. BdLAC5 gene was found highly expressed in lignified organs (internode, node and peduncle) and poorly expressed in organs with low lignin level (young leaf and spikelet) nor in non-lignified tissue (endosperm). Two other laccases BdLAC6 and BdLAC8 are also found coexpressed with BdLAC5 and interestingly enough they belong to the same phylogenetic clade. BdLAC6 and BdLAC8 are close orthologues of Arabidopsis LAC4 and LAC2 respectively. In situ hybridization experiments demonstrated the most intense signal in the interfascicular fibers of the internode was detected with BdLAC5 probes and then for BdLAC8 and BdLAC6 probes. Furthermore, immunolabelling assays revealed that BdLAC5 proteins might be secreted into the cell wall matrix because we detected some fluorescent particles close to or in the cell wall. The double laccase mutant affected in BdLAC5 and BdLAC8 (5ho8ho) clearly showed that the lignification in interfascicular fibers involved different genes/proteins than the lignification in metaxylem cells of Brachypodium. Metaxylem cells were only poorly affected in the double mutant when interfascicular fibers showed dramatic decrease of Wiesner staining. The different mechanisms of lignification between xylem and fibers is discussed. The physical interaction and regulatory synergy between specific R2R3-MYB, bHLH and WD repeat protein is well studied in the biosynthesis of flavonoids, root hair, trichome and seed mucilage development in different plant species. In this study, we were trying to figure out the roles of MYB- bHLH-WDR for the regulation of lignin biosynthesis.

La fusariose des épis est l’une de maladies les plus dommageables des céréales tempérées et est principalement causée par le champignon toxinogène Fusarium graminearum (Fg). Ces dix dernières années, de nombreuses études ont rapporté l’induction transcriptionnelle de gènes de la plante codant pour des cytochromes P450 (P450) en réponse l’infection par Fg. Les P450s constituent une famille enzymatique impliquée dans de nombreuses voies métaboliques, certaines avec des intérêts potentiels dans la résistance face aux maladies. Nous avons utilisé la petite graminée modèle Brachypodium distachyon (Bd) pour caractériser fonctionnellement le premier gène codant pour un P450 induit chez la plante au cours de la fusariose des épis par l’utilisation de lignées altérées dans la séquence ou l’expression du gène Bradi1g75310 codant le P450 BdCYP711A29. Nous avons montré qu’en plus d’être un facteur de sensibilité à la maladie, le gène Bradi1g75310 est impliqué dans une voie de biosynthèse hormonale chez Bd, celle des strigolactones (SLs). En effet, en plus de complémenter génétiquement les phénotypes aériens de la lignée mutante max1-1 d’Arabidopsis thaliana altérée dans le gène homologue MAX1 (AtCYP711A1), une lignée de Bd surexprimant Bradi1g75310 (lignée OE) exsude davantage d’orobanchol, une SL spécifique, que la lignée sauvage ou mutante. Une analyse préliminaire de l’impact direct de l’orobanchol sur la croissance de Fg semble indiquer une activation des étapes précoces du développement du champignon (germination) qui pourrait être à l’origine de l’induction plus rapide de gènes de défenses observée chez une lignée OE de Bradi1g75310. Nous avons également montré que les 4 paralogues de Bradi1g75310 chez Bd, qui codent également pour des CYP711A, sont tous capable de complémenter la lignée max1-1 et avons généré du matériel végétal fondamental pour la poursuite de l’étude de la diversification des SLs chez la plante monocotylédone modèle Bd. Au global, ce projet constitue une première étape dans la caractérisation de l’implication des P450 dans la réponse de la plante face à l’infection par Fg en plus de donner de nouveaux indices concernant le rôle des SLs dans les interactions plante-pathogène. Les résultats obtenus au cours de ce travail de thèse pourront permettre l’amélioration de caractères tant développementaux que de résistance à la fusariose chez les céréales cultivées. / Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) is one of the most important diseases of temperate cereals and is mostly caused by the toxin producing-fungus Fusarium graminearum (Fg). This last decade, several studies reported the transcriptional activation of cereal cytochrome P450-encoding genes (P450s) in response to Fg infection. P450s constitute an enzymatic family participating in very diverse metabolic pathways with potential interest for disease resistance. We used the model temperate cereal Brachypodium distachyon (Bd) to functionally characterize the first FHB-induced P450- encoding gene using Bd lines altered in the locus or gene expression of the Bradi1g75310 gene encoding the BdCYP711A29 P450. We showed that in addition to be a plant susceptibility factor towards the disease, the Bradi1g75310 gene is involved in the hormonal biosynthetic pathway of strigolactones (SLs) in Bd. Indeed, in addition to genetically complement the shoot phenotypes of the Arabidopsis thaliana mutant line for the homologous gene MAX1 (AtCYP711A1, max1-1 line), a Bd linewhich overexpresses the Bradi1g75310 gene (OE) exudes more orobanchol, a specific SL, compared to wild-type or mutant lines. Preliminary analysis of the direct impact of orobanchol on Fg growth suggests an activation of early fungal development (germination) likely to induce faster induction of defense-related genes during FHB, observed in Bradi1g75310 OE line. We showed that the four paralogs of Bradi1g75310 encoding BdCYP711A P450s are all able to genetically complement max1-1 line and provide important plant material for studying SLs diversification in the model monocot B. distachyon. Overall, this project constitutes a first step in the characterization of P450s involvement in plant response towards Fg infection in addition to give new evidences about the role of SLs in plant-pathogen interactions. Results obtained during this Ph.D. project will allow the improvement of both developmental and FHB-related traits in cereal crops.

Brachypodium distachyon è stato recentemente proposto come pianta modello per le Triticeae che includono frumento e orzo. L’obbiettivo del presente studio è stato quello di identificare regioni genomiche associate con la resistenza quantitativa alla ruggine fogliare in Brachypodium. Le malattie causate dalle ruggini fogliari causano ingenti perdite in termini di produzione delle specie cerealicole. Una popolazione di 110 individui F2 è stata sviluppata incrociando due linee inbred di Brachypodium e una mappa di linkage di marcatori AFLP è stata create. La mappa di linkage consiste di 192 loci AFLP in dieci gruppi di linkage, e copre una lunghezza pari a 1,231 Kosambi cM. Allo scopo di identificare loci coinvolti nella resistenza quantitativa sulla mappa, i 110 individui F2 sono stati valutati per la loro reazione alla ruggine fogliare allo stadio di plantula e a quello adulto. Per confermare i risultati delle piante F2, le rispettive famiglie F3 sono state studiate per la loro resistenza alla ruggine fogliare in due esperimenti indipendenti. Due loci genomici sembrano essere maggiormente coinvolti nella resistenza. / Brachypodium distachyon has been proposed as a model species for the tribe of the Triticeae, which includes wheat and barley. The objective of our study was to identify the genomic regions associated with quantitative resistance to leaf rust in Brachypodium. Leaf rust diseases cause significant reductions annually in yield of cereal crops worldwide. An F2 mapping population of 110 individuals was generated between two Brachypodium inbred lines and a AFLP-based linkage map was developed. The linkage map consists of 192 AFLP loci in ten linkage groups, and spans a total genetic length of 1,231 Kosambi cM. To locate quantitative resistance loci on the map, the 110 F2 plants were evaluated for their reaction to the leaf rust at both seedling and adult plant stages. To improve QTL identification, F2-derived F3 families were studied for resistance to leaf rust in two independent experiments. Two major genomic regions involved in resistance to leaf rust were detected.

Submitted by Marco Antônio de Ramos Chagas (mchagas@ufv.br) on 2017-03-29T11:29:28Z No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 890046 bytes, checksum: c64c252fc31992d05ef9ec060e3b832d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-29T11:29:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 890046 bytes, checksum: c64c252fc31992d05ef9ec060e3b832d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-07-17 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Fontes de energia alternativas e sustentáveis têm recebido enorme atenção devido ao aumento dos preços, da esgotabilidade e dos problemas ambientais associados ao petró- leo, tornando a produção de biocombustíveis de segunda geração um objeto de grande interesse internacional. As gramíneas são as principais fontes destes biocombustíveis, e Brachypodium distachyon foi eleita um modelo para o estudo das gramíneas. Plantas em estágio juvenil foram avaliadas após o tratamento por duas semanas com metil jas- monato (MJ) ou ácido salicílico (AS) (ambos 100 μM). Os dois tratamentos reduziram o alongamento foliar, provavelmente resultante do efeito da inibição da elongação celu- lar e divisão celular associadas com o aumento do ácido ferúlico (FA), ácido p- cumárico (p-CA) e ABA, e com a redução no teor de AIA. A aplicação de MJ e AS também produziu vários efeitos na parede celular das folhas, como o aumento da celu- lose (MJ), xilose, arabinose e galactose (ambos tratamentos), aumento das razões arabi- nose/celulose (AS) e parede celular/massa seca total (MJ), e redução do teor de lignina (AS). Em paralelo a estas mudanças, houve aumento de fenóis solúveis totais, ácido cafeico e naringerina (para ambos tratamentos), e ácido sinápico (AS). Estas alterações não foram explicadas por mudanças na expressão de 12 genes da rota de biossíntese da parede estudados. A aplicação de AS reduziu em 15% a eficiência da sacarificação en- zimática. Este efeito foi fortemente correlacionado negativamente com o aumento de FA, p-CA, e arabinose, mas não se correlacionou com o teor de lignina. Embora o tra- tamento com MJ tenha aumentado os teores de FA e p-CA, este efeito foi contraposto pelo simultâneo aumento da celulose. Os resultados obtidos demonstram a importância do AS e do MJ para a regulação dos componentes e da digestibilidade da parede celu- lar, e a influência dos metabólitos secundários na recalcitrância da parede à sacarificação. / Renewable and sustainable sources of energy have received a lot of attention, due to the price fluctuations and environmental issues associated with the depletion of oil re- serves, prompting worldwide interest in the production of second generation biofuels. Grass species are the main biomass resources used in biofuel production, and Brachy- podium distachyon was described as a model species for grasses and cereals. Juvenile plants were analyzed after two weeks treatment with methyl jasmonate (MJ) or salicylic acid (SA) (both at 100 μM). Both treatments reduced leaf growth rate, probably be- cause of an inhibitory effect on cellular elongation and division, caused by an increase in ferulic acid (FA), p-coumaric acid (p-CA) and ABA, and lower levels of IAA. Modi- fications in cell wall compounds were observed mainly in leaf tissues, such as an in- crease of cellulose (MJ), xylose, arabinose and galactose (both treatments), arabi- nose/cellulose ratio (SA), and cell wall/biomass ratio (MJ), and reduction of lignin con- tent (SA). There was an increase in total phenolic content, cafeic acid and narigenin (for both treatments), and in sinapic acid (SA). Alterations of these compounds could not be related to the expression of 12 genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis. The ap- plication of SA reduced in 15% the saccharification yield. This effect was strongly neg- ative correlated with higher levels of FA, p-CA and arabinose, but was not associated with lignin content. MJ treatment also increased the levels of FA and p-CA, but chang- es in saccharification yield were not observed, possibly caused by an increase in cellu- lose content. These results show the importance of SA and MJ in the regulation of cell wall compounds and digestibility, and the influence of secondary metabolites in cell wall saccharification recalcitrance. / Dissertação enviada pela secretaria do curso por e-mail, em 28-03-17

Ultraviolet –B (UV-B) radiation is an abiotic stress that has significant effects on plant growth, development, and gene regulation. Due to the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer over the past several decades, the amount of UV-B light that is reaching the earth’s surface has significantly increased. As a result, research over the past few decades on the effects of UV-B light on plant growth, development, and the mechanisms that regulate a plant’s protection and survival against UV-B light has grown greatly. Brachypodium distachyon is a relatively new model system and one that has not been extensively studied. The aim of this study was to determine the UV-B dose time required to elicit a significant increase in phenolic content, while subsequently assessing protein production to qualitatively implicate whether or not the experimental dosage of UV-B administered was initiating a UV-B specific or non-specific response. In addition, this research annotated the genes that encode the protein sequences for UVR8 and CHS proteins to see if B. distachyon possessed the necessary proteins to undergo a UV-B specific response similar to that of Arabidopsis. The results of the study show that in response to artificial UV-B light, the dose time of UV-B required to elicit a significant increase in total phenolic content is 2 hours. The data also shows an increase in total protein content after 4 hours of UV-B exposure. In addition to the metabolic data, computational analysis of chalcone synthase (CHS) and UV-RESISTANCE LOCUS 8 (UVR8) revealed that there are seven genes in B. distachyon that encode the protein transcripts for CHS and CHS-like proteins, and two genes that code for UVR8 proteins. The results of this study suggest that the UV-B dose regimen used in this study may be initiating the non-specific UV-B signaling pathway. In addition, the presence of UVR8 and CHS protein sequences suggest that B. distachyon has the capacity to work through the UV-B specific signaling pathway.

Lignocellulosic biomass is one of the most abundant raw materials on earth that can be utilized to created carbon-neutral biofuels as a replacement for conventional fossil fuels. In order to create ideal energy crops, the regulation and deposition of cell wall polysaccharides must first be fully understood. Improved understanding of cell wall regulation will enable selection of traits that can optimize biofuel feedstocks. Herein, I utilize the grass model system Brachypodium distachyon in order to understand the transcriptional regulation of secondary cell wall deposition. Gene expression profiling was used to elucidate transcription factors that regulate secondary cell wall biosynthesis. Through this method, WALL REGULATOR INTERACTING bHLH (WRIB) was identified and its role as a secondary cell wall regulator was tested. Yeast-one- and yeast-two-hybrid assays showed that WRIB is capable of binding to promoters of secondary cell wall biosynthesis genes, as well as interacting with known secondary cell wall transcription factor proteins and also Phytochrome B. These results suggest that WRIB plays an important role in the secondary cell wall regulatory network and could perhaps be modulated by Phytochrome B. Discovery of this novel and interesting gene furthers the overall understanding of secondary cell wall development with the goal of improving our ability to engineer biofuel feedstocks.

La récente définition de Brachypodium distachyon comme modèle des graminées en fait un organisme de choix pour l’étude de leur paroi cellulaire, en particulier dans le cadre de leur utilisation comme matière première renouvelable pour le bioéthanol de seconde génération. Les lignines, dont les trois unités (H, G et S) proviennent de la polymérisation des monolignols, sont associées aux acides hydroxycinnamiques dans la paroi des céréales et représentent l’obstacle majeur à l’exploitation industrielle de la biomasse lignocellulosique. L’acquisition de connaissances sur les mécanismes dirigeant leur mise en place et leur organisation permettrait d’identifier des facteurs modulant les rendements de production qui y sont associés. Quatre familles de gènes ont été étudiées et l’implication dans la voie de biosynthèse des monolignols de trois gènes a été montrée : BdF5H2 possède une activité férulate-5-hydroxylase permettant la synthèse des précurseurs des unités S des lignines, BdCOMT3 est l’isoforme principale des acide cafféique O-Méthyltransférases et sa perte partielle de fonction cause une diminution de la quantité de lignine, la modification du rapport S/G et une baisse de quantité d’acide p-coumarique dans deux lignées mutantes indépendantes. Enfin, BdCAD1 est l’isoforme principale des alcools cinnamylique déshydrogénases : sa perte de fonction dans deux lignées indépendantes cause la diminution de la quantité globale de lignine et d’acide p-coumarique, une baisse du rapport S/G ainsi que l’accumulation de sinapaldéhyde. Par ailleurs ces deux lignées présentent des rendements de saccharification augmentés de plus d’un quart par rapport au sauvage. / Brachypodium distachyon was recently adopted as an experimental model for grass species. As such, it is used to study grass cell wall, in particular in the context of their use as renewable feedstock for the production of second generation bioethanol. Lignins are polymers of three main units (H, G and S) originating from the polymerization of monolignols, and are linked to hydroxycinnamic acids in grasses. They constitute the main bottleneck to industrial processes targeting lignocellulosic biomass and improving the understanding of the mechanisms directing their structure and deposition could lead to the identification of the factors modulating associated production yields. Four gene families were studied and the involvement of three genes in the monolignols biosynthetic pathway was shown: BdF5H2 displays a ferulate-5-hydroxylase activity enabling the synthesis of the S lignin units, BdCOMT3 is the main caffeic acid O-methyltransferase and its partial loss of function in two independent mutant lines leads to the reduction of lignin content, the modification of the S/G units ratio and a decrease in p-coumaric acid accumulation. BdCAD1 is the main cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase isoform: its loss of function in two independent mutant lines results in a decrease in lignin content and of the S/G ratio and the accumulation of sinapaldehyde. Moreover, these two lines display significatively increased saccharification yields.

Grass family is most important family in plant kingdom due to intensive usage of crops in agriculture. To date, molecular biology researches on grass family have had limitations because of inappropriate characteristics of barley and wheat to conduct experiments on them. Brachypodium distachyon that belongs to grass family has recently emerged as a model organism for crops. It shares common characteristics for a model plant due to its small genome, small physical plant size, a short lifecycle, and less demanding growth requirements / as other model organisms / Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, and Zea mays (Draper et al. 2001). Especially after appreciating, the genetic distance of O. sativa to grasses (Garvin et al. 2008), it become a key organism to understand complicated genomic organization of agriculturally valuable grasses. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is one of the revolutionary methods allowing a rapid and effective loss of a gene function through RNA interference (Holzberg et al. 2002 / Liu et al. 2008). Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) is still the most effective vector used in monocot gene silencing. It has a tripartite RNA genome having a wide range of infection ability for monocots including barley, oat, wheat, and maize as host (Holzberg et al. 2002 / Scofield 2005). In this thesis, Phytoene desaturase (PDS) gene of Brachypodium distachyon was silenced via BSMV mediated VIGS. Additionally, with Green fluorescence protein (GFP) bearing BSMV transcripts, GFP expression was observed under fluorescent microscope. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating a VIGS via BSMV in Brachypodium distachyon. The success of virus induced gene silencing method in Brachypodium distachyon, will be a new convenient tool for evaluating functions of crop genes in this model organism.