abstract: Scientists have used X-rays to study biological molecules for nearly a century. Now with the X-ray free electron laser (XFEL), new methods have been developed to advance structural biology. These new methods include serial femtosecond crystallography, single particle imaging, solution scattering, and time resolved techniques. The XFEL is characterized by high intensity pulses, which are only about 50 femtoseconds in duration. The intensity allows for scattering from microscopic particles, while the short pulses offer a way to outrun radiation damage. XFELs are powerful enough to obliterate most samples in a single pulse. While this allows for a “diffract and destroy” methodology, it also requires instrumentation that can position microscopic particles into the X-ray beam (which may also be microscopic), continuously renew the sample after each pulse, and maintain sample viability during data collection. Typically these experiments have used liquid microjets to continuously renew sample. The high flow rate associated with liquid microjets requires large amounts of sample, most of which runs to waste between pulses. An injector designed to stream a viscous gel-like material called lipidic cubic phase (LCP) was developed to address this problem. LCP, commonly used as a growth medium for membrane protein crystals, lends itself to low flow rate jetting and so reduces the amount of sample wasted significantly. This work discusses sample delivery and injection for XFEL experiments. It reviews the liquid microjet method extensively, and presents the LCP injector as a novel device for serial crystallography, including detailed protocols for the LCP injector and anti-settler operation. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Physics 2015

No Brasil o arroz tem um consumo alto e regular, o que exige sistemas de armazenamento que ofereçam produto de qualidade durante todo o ano. Sabe-se que a presença de fungos durante a estocagem de cereais reduz a qualidade desses produtos, além de uma possível produção de micotoxinas. Assim, torna-se clara a importância da elucidação do papel de algumas das variáveis que têm influência sobre a contaminação fúngica e por micotoxinas na estocagem, permitindo que essas possam ser posteriormente controladas. Nesse contexto está o objetivo desse estudo que compara três manejos de secagem e armazenamento de arroz, buscando o mais eficiente na redução da contaminação fúngica e por micotoxinas e elucida o comportamento das variáveis de influência no processo. Para isso foram utilizados três silos pilotos, onde o Silo 1 possuía aquecimento do ar de entrada pela queima de GLP, o Silo 2 um sistema de acionamento vinculado às condições do ar ambiente e o Silo 3 era operado manualmente. Durante o experimento foram feitas medidas diárias de temperatura, umidade e umidade relativa (UR) da massa de grãos no silo. As análises de micotoxinas, acidez e enumeração fúngica foram realizadas quinzenalmente nos primeiros 75 dias (secagem) e mensalmente após esse período até que se completasse 255 dias. Foram ainda isolados e identificados fungos dos gêneros Aspergillus e Penicillium para verificar o seu potencial toxigênico. As análises estatísticas dos resultados demonstraram que durante a operação de secagem integrada ao armazenamento os melhores resultados para a enumeração fúngica foram obtidos para os Silos 1 e 3, independentemente da altura. Já para a operação de exclusivo armazenamento, o Silo 3 apresentou o melhor resultado para a Altura 1 e o Silo 1 para a Altura 2. Quanto à presença de micotoxinas foi detectada zearalenona em níveis de até 5.850μg/Kg e 1.840μ.g/Kg nos Silos 1 e 2, respectivamente. As espécies fúngicas de maior freqüência foram Penicíllum crustosum, P. canescens e P. implicatum. Dentre as espécies testadas foram identificados dois isolados de Aspergillus flavus produtores de aflatoxina B1 e B2. As variáveis que influenciaram a contaminação fúngica foram umidade, tempo, temperatura e UR, em ordem decrescente de influência. A avaliação da acidez lipídica nos silos demonstrou que cada sistema foi influenciado por um grupo particular de variáveis. As variáveis que influenciaram a freqüência das espécies fúngicas isoladas foram a UR e a umidade, de modo regular. / In Brazil, rice is widely and regularly consumed, what requires storage systems that maintain products with quality, including between harvest period. Besides producing mycotoxins, molds are known to decrease cereais' nutritional and comercial value during storage period. Thus, it becomes clear that knowing the role of some influent variables in this process is very important. This way, it will permit a future control of these variables, maintaining rice quality during storage. Inside this context is the aim of this work, that compares three rice drying and storage handling, elucidating influence variables behaviour in each handling technique. For this purpose, three pilot silos were used. One of the silos had a heating system which ran on petroleum liquid gas (Silo 1), the second one had an activating system linked to the room air conditions (Silo 2) and the last was manually handled (Silo 3). During ali the observation period, dayly measures of temperature, moisture and relative humidity (RH) were taken from the silo's grain mass. Micotoxin, acidity and fungi total count analysis were performed every fifteen days during the first 75 drying days and monthly afterwards, until it reached the 255th day. At the same time were isolated and identificated Aspergillus and Penicillium fungi genera to evaluate their toxigenic potenctial. Result statistics analysis showed in a drying step (0-75 days), that the most efficient silos, concerning fungi count, were Silo 1 and 3, regardless of silo height sampling. For the second process stage, Silo 3 was the one that showed the best results for the highest sampling and Silo 1 for the lowest sampling. In Silo 1 and 2 the highest mycotoxin leveis detected were 5.8504/Kg and 1.840μg/Kg, respectively. The most frequently isoleted molds were Penicillum crustosum, Penicillium canescens and Penicillium implicatum. Among the tested potentially toxigenic species, two isolated producing aflatoxins B1 and B2 were identified as Aspergillus flavus. During the experiment, the variables that influenced on the fungi contamination were moisture, time, temperature, and RH, in a decreasing order of influence. The evaluation lipidic acidity in each of the silos showed that each system influenced by a specific group of variables, among the evalueted ones. The analisys allowed verifying the interaction among the variables is relevant for the evaluation of the system as a whole. The evaluation of abiotic factors influence over isolated species frequency showed that there is a regular correlation between species and RH and moisture.

A pasteurelose é uma das doenças mais comuns do trato respiratório do coelho em criações comerciais e/ou em biotérios de animais destinados à pesquisa biomédica. A bactéria Pasteurella multocida é o patógeno responsável por uma série de manifestações clínicas em coelhos, incluindo rinite crônica, otite média, pneumonia, infecções no trato genital, formação de abscessos pulmonares e cutâneos, conjuntivite e septicemia hemorrágica. Porém, entre 50 e 70 % dos animais podem incubar o organismo de forma assintomática. Os fatores predisponentes para o desencadeamento dos sinais clínicos incluem acúmulo de amônia no ar (má ventilação), prenhez, aparecimento de doenças concomitantes, distúrbios no ambiente de criação ou na manipulação experimental. A doença está presente no Brasil, ocorrendo surtos com relativa freqüência, no entanto, o diagnóstico é feito com base nos sinais clínicos e necropsia. Dessa forma é difícil precisar a extensão dos prejuízos causados pela pasteurelose à cunicultura. Vacinas comerciais específicas contra a pasteurelose em coelhos não estão disponíveis no mercado. A prevenção, ainda que apresente resultados duvidosos, é realizada utilizando-se antibióticos dissolvidos na água, porém este tipo de tratamento normalmente não protege definitivamente os animais. Uma vez que não existem vacinas disponíveis e o tratamento com antibióticos não estabelece proteção contra a pasteurelose, foram desenvolvidos neste trabalho sistemas carreadores das proteínas antigênicas da membrana da P. multocida. Estes sistemas carreadores são formados por lipossomos, já conhecidos pelo seu potencial como imunoadjuvante, e por microesferas lipídicas, responsáveis por apresentar os antígenos às células apresentadoras de antígenos (APC). Inicialmente, foram obtidas colônias puras da bactéria as quais foram cultivadas em meio de crescimento específico (BHI). Os microrganismos foram isolados, rompidos e as proteínas antigênicas foram detectadas por SDS-PAGE e Western Blotting. Estes resultados mostraram que a maioria das bandas protéicas foi reconhecida pelo anticorpo policlonal contra a P. multocida. Visto que tínhamos um pool de proteínas as quais apresentavam antigenicidade, foi realizada uma solubilização incubando frações de membrana da bactéria com SDS 1 %. Este procedimento resultou em um rendimento de solubilização de 85 %. A obtenção dos proteolipossomos foi realizada pelo método da co-solubilização de lipídio, proteína e detergente. Um bom rendimento de incorporação das proteínas em lipossomos parecer estar relacionada com a metodologia utilizada para a remoção do detergente da mistura lipídio:proteína:detergente durante o processo de co-solubilização, e também com a natureza do fosfolipídio utilizado. Os resultados indicaram que a resina Calbiosorb® foi a mais eficiente para a remoção do SDS e, dentre os diversos fosfolipídios testados o que melhor incorporou as proteínas foi o DPPC, com rendimento de incorporação de 93 % e diâmetro médio de 180 nm. Além disso, o SDS-PAGE dos proteolipossomos mostrou que todas as espécies protéicas presentes no extrato bruto solubilizado foram incorporadas nos lipossomos de DPPC. O Western Blotting mostrou que as proteínas incorporadas nos lipossomos continuavam a ser reconhecidas pelo anticorpo policlonal contra a P. multocida. Para os ensaios de imunização foram separados 3 grupos de coelhos: (i) imunizados com lipossomos; (ii) imunizados com extrato bruto solubilizado (EBS); (iii) imunizados com os proteolipossomos. Após 21 dias de imunização com as preparações descritas, os animais foram infectados com 105 ufc de bactéria. Todos os animais vacinados previamente com lipossomos ou EBS foram a óbito enquanto que os animais vacinados com os sistemas de proteolipossomos apresentaram sobrevida de 95 %. Além disso, um grupo controle vacinado com a bactéria atenuada na presença de hidróxido de alumínio como imunoadjuvante apresentou uma sobrevida de apenas 30 %, indicando que a vacina convencional não apresenta uma proteção satisfatória contra a pasteurelose. O soro dos animais vacinados com lipossomo, EBS e proteolipossomos foram coletados semanalmente antes e após a infecção experimental para a detecção da produção de anticorpos IgG, IgM e IgA, utilizando-se a técnica de ELISA. Como esperado, os animais vacinados com lipossomos não apresentaram estimulação de nenhum dos anticorpos específicos para P. multocida analisados. Os animais imunizados com EBS apresentaram um significativo aumento dos níveis de IgG sérico 7 dias após a imunização os quais se mantiveram constantes durante todo o período experimental. Os níveis de IgG no soro de animais imunizados com os proteolipossomos apresentam um aumento 7 dias após a imunização, porém não se mantiveram até o momento da infecção experimental. Após a infecção experimental, os níveis séricos de IgG nos animais imunizados com proteolipossomos apresentam um aumento significativo, enquanto que para os imunizados com EBS houve manutenção dos níveis antes obtidos. A análise de anticorpos IgM específicos para a P. multocida mostram uma produção significativamente maior destes anticorpos para animais imunizados previamente com proteolipossomos que para os animais imunizados com EBS. Além disso, após a infecção experimental, a produção de IgM nos animais imunizados com proteolipossomos continuou sendo estimulada, o que não foi observado para os animais imunizados com EBS. O sistema de proteolipossomos não produz anticorpos IgA sistêmicos específicos para a bactéria, porém após a infecção experimental foi possível observar o aparecimento gradativo deste anticorpo no lavado nasal dos animais, durante as semanas de observação. Os animais previamente imunizados com proteolipossomos sobreviventes da primeira infecção experimental foram observados durante 140 dias e novamente infectados, com nova carga bacteriana. Após a reinfecção a sobrevida destes animais foi de 100 % indicando que o sistema de proteolipossomos foi capaz de gerar uma memória imunológica. A análise conjunta dos resultados obtidos na detecção de anticorpos indica que a proteção proporcionada pelos proteolipossomos contra a pasteurelose é devida a estimulação de anticorpos IgG e, principalmente, de IgM. O outro sistema de delivery de proteínas antigênicas desenvolvido foi o de microesferas lipídicas. Foram experimentados diferentes protocolos, porém o que mais se adequou as nossas condições foi obtido da união e adaptação de duas metodologias descritas na literatura. Estudos de microscopia eletrônica de varredura mostraram que as microesferas lipídicas são formadas quando é utilizado 3 % (p/v) de PVA na formulação. Além disso, marcamos as proteínas com isoticiocianato de fluoresceína e a microscopia revelou a presença de estruturas esféricas fluorescentes, indicando a encapsulação das proteínas na região lipofílica das microesferas. Estudos sistemáticos variando a concentração de óleo, fosfolipídio, proteínas e PVA na formação das microcapsulas permitiram um rendimento de encapsulação de cerca de 99 %. Portanto, no presente trabalho, estabelecemos metodologias de incorporação das proteínas antigênicas em lipossomos constituídos de DPPC e em microesferas lipídicas. Além disso, os sistemas de proteolipossomos apresentaram uma satisfatória propriedade de proteção dos coelhos contra a pasteurelose (frente à infecção experimental com P. multocida) indicando que o sistema aqui proposto pode ser utilizado como vacina, prevenindo a pasteurelose em criações de coelhos comerciais ou destinados à pesquisa biomédica. / Pasteurellosis is a common disease in the respiratory tract of commercial and/or biomedical rearing of research rabbits. The bacterium Pasteurella multocida is the pathogen responsible for a range of clinical syntomes, including chronic rhinitis (snuffles), otitis media, pneumonia, genital infection, pulmonary and cutaneous abscesses, conjunctivitis and hemorrhagic septicemia. However, between 50 and 70 % of the animals can harbour the microorganism asymptomatically. The factors that cause the clinical syntomes include the ammonium accumulation in the air (foul ventilation), pregnancy, another concomitant disease, disorder in the rabbit production environment and experimental manipulation. Outbreaks of this disease occur in Brazil with relative frequency; however diagnosis is generally based on the clinical signals and necropsy. Therefore, it is difficult to estimate the extent of losses caused by pasteurellosis druing cuniculture. However, specific commercial vaccines against pasteurellosis in rabbits are not available and prevention is through the use of antibiotics in drinking water, even though this type of treatment generally does not protect the animals. Initially, pure bacteria colonies were obtained, which were cultivated in specific growing media (BHI). The microorganisms were isolated, lysed and the antigenic proteins were detected by SDS-PAGE and Western Blotting. These results show that most protein bands were recognized by the policlonal antibody against P. multocida. Since this protein pool presented antigenicity, the protein mixture was solubilized by incubating 0,5 mg/ml of the membrane fraction with SDS 1 % (w/v) under constant agitation for 2 hours. This procedure resulted in a 85 % solubilization yield. The proteoliposomes wew formed using a lipid, protein and detergent co-solubilization method. A good yield of protein incorporation in liposomes seems to be related to the methodology used for the removal of the detergent from the lipid:protein:detergent mixture during the co-solubilization process, as well as the nature of the phospholipid used. The results indicated that the Calbiosorb® resin was the most efficient for SDS removal and, among the various phospholipids tested, DPPC best incorporated the proteins, presenting an incorporation yield of 93% and average proteoliposome diameter of 180 nm. In addition, SDS-PAGE of the proteoliposomes has shown that all the proteic species present in the crude solubilized extract were incorporated in the DPPC liposomes. The Western Blotting has shown that the proteins incorporated in the liposomes continue to be recognized by the policlonal antibody against P. multocida. For the immunization assays, three animal groups were separated: (i) rabbits immunized with liposomes; (ii) rabbits immunized with crude solubilized extract (CSE) and (iii) rabbits immunized with the proteoliposomes. After twenty-one days of immunization with the described preparations, the animals were challenged with 105 ufc of bacteria. All animals previously vaccinated with the liposomes or CSE died while the animals vaccinated with the proteoliposomes systems had 95 % survival after the challenge. Moreover, a control group vaccinated with the attenuated bacteria in the presence of aluminum hydroxide as an immunoadjuvant had only 30% survival, indicating that the conventional vaccine does not protect against pasteurellosis. The serum of animals vaccinated with liposome, CSE and proteoliposomes were collected weekly before and after the experimental infection for the detection of IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies production using ELISA. Animals vaccinated with liposomes did not present stimulation of any of the specific antibodies for the P. multocida analyzed. The animals immunized with CSE presented a significant increase in the IgA serum level seven days after the immunization, but these levels were not maintained until the moment of the experimental infection. After the experimental infection, the serum levels of IgG in rabbits immunized with proteoliposomes showed a significant increase, while for those animals immunized with the CSE the levels were maintained. The analysis of IgM antibodies specific for the P. multocida showed a higher production to animals vaccinated with proteoliposomes than for the animals immunized with CSE. Furthermore, after experimental infection, the production of IgM in animals immunized with proteoliposomes continued to be stimulated, which was not observed for those immunized with EBS. The proteoliposome system does not induce IgA systemic antibodies that were specific for the bacterium. However, after the experimental infections it was possible to observe the gradual appearance of IgA in the nasal lavage of the infected animals on the time course of the experiment. Animals previously immunized with the proteoliposomes which survived the first experimental infection were observed during 140 days and re-infected. After the re-infection, the survival of these animals was 100 %, indicating that the proteoliposome system was able to generate a possible immunological memory. The global analysis of the results obtained in the antibody detection indicates that the protection given by the proteoliposome against pasteurellosis is due to the stimulation of antibodies IgG and mainly of IgM. The other delivery system of antigenic proteins developed during this work is of lipidic microspheres. Different protocols were tried, but the one which was more adequate to our experimental conditions was elaborated from joining and adapting two methodologies described in literature. Scanning electron microscopy studies have shown that the lipidic microspheres are formed when 3 % (w/v) of PVA is used in the formulation. Furthermore, we have marked the proteins with fluorescein isothiocyanate and the microscopy revealed the presence of fluorescent spherical structures which indicated the encapsulation of the proteins in the lipophilic region of the microspheres. Systematic studies varying the concentration of oil, phospholipid, proteins and PVA in the microcapsules formulation has given a yield of encapsulation of 99%. We have established methodologies of incorporation of the antigenic proteins in liposomes constituted of DPPC and lipidic microspheres. Moreover, the proteolipossome systems have shown a satisfying property of protection of rabbits against pasteurellosis in face of the experimental challenge with P. multocida indicating that the system proposed here can be used as a vaccine to prevent the pasteurellosis either in commercial or biomedical research rearing of rabbit.

A Indoleamina 2,3-dioxigenase (IDO) é uma enzima que apresenta um importante papel na prevenção da rejeição fetal. A IDO demonstra efeitos na supressão da ativação de células T por catabolizar o aminoácido essencial Triptofano. Nós estudamos a expressão da IDO em cultura celulares de placenta com a adição individual de Estradiol, Progesterona, Interferon , Triptofano e 1-Metil-Triptofano com o uso de citometria de fluxo, imunocitoquímica e quantificação celular, imunofluorescência, peroxidação lipídica, análise das fases do ciclo celular, imunoblotting e PCR em placentas bovinas nos três trimestres gestacionais. A quantificação celular revelou que em bovinos a atividade da IDO aumenta com o avanço do período gestacional e, sua expressão varia de acordo com os fatores, sendo o mesmo padrão observado pela imunofluorescência. O Imunoblotting mostrou a presença de possíveis isoformas desta proteína na espécie bovina que ainda não foram identificadas. A investigação pela lipoperoxidação revelou que os hormônios modularam diferencialmente a produção de radicais peroxidados nos três terços de gestação e, possivelmente atuam como fatores indutores de proliferação. As células placentárias apresentaram padrões diferenciados de proliferação e apoptose ao longo da gestação, principalmente nos tratamentos com Estradiol e Progesterona, sendo também variantes com outros fatores em todos os grupos. Observou-se que a Progesterona atua na maturação das células placentárias independente da concentração utilizada. Em todos os grupos uma grande proporção de células apresentava-se em estado de quiescência (G1). No terceiro trimestre foi detectado um aumento no número de células em G2/M, indicando a parada da capacidade proliferativa ou de progressão no ciclo celular (\"arrest\"). Maior taxa de apoptose foi observada nos animais de segundo trimestre gestacional. Baseados nisso, podemos concluir que a IDO é suscetível ao controle pelos mecanismos testados, o que nos leva a formular hipóteses de implantação de possíveis mecanismos terapêuticos para a reprodução com a participação da IDO. / Indoleamina 2,3-dioxigenase (IDO) is an enzyme that plays an important role in preventing fetal rejection. IDO is related to the suppression of the T-cells activation due to the catabolism of essential amino acid Triptophan. We studied the expression of IDO in bovine placenta cell culture with individual supplementation of factors as Estrogen, Progesterone, Interferon , Triptophan and 1-Methyl-Triptophan. Evaluations were made by flow cytometry, immunocitochemistry and cellular quantification, lipidic peroxidation, cell cycle phases, imunoblotting, PCR and immunofluorescency in the three trimesters of pregnancy. Cellular quantification demonstrated that in bovines the activity of the IDO increases during pregnancy, and its expression is factor-dependent, which was also observed in immunofluorescency. Imunoblotting demonstrated the presence of possible unknown protein isoforms in bovine. Lipoperoxidation evaluation demonstrated that hormones distinguishingly modulated the production of peroxide radicals in the three trimesters of pregnancy and, possibly acting as inductive factors of proliferation. Placental cells demonstrated differentiated patterns of proliferation and apoptosis during the gestation, mainly in the presence of Estrogen and Progesterone, besides variant rates were also observed under other factors. Independent of the concentration, Progesterone influenced placental cells maturation. All groups presented great ratio of cells in quiescence state (G1). In third trimester, G2/M high rates indicated a pause in proliferative capacity or in cell cycle progression (arrest). High apoptosis rates were observed in animals at second pregnancy trimester. Based on the presented, we concluded that IDO is susceptible to be controlled by the applied-factors, what lead us to think about hypothetical therapeuthic mechnism for reproduction with the participation of IDO.

The biological membrane surrounding the living cell provides a sealed barrier that tightly regulates the interactions with the outside environment. A large number of integral membrane proteins mediate these interactions and are involved in a wide variety of biological processes. An increasing number of studies have led to the conclusion that lipids provide more than a hydrophobic solvent for membrane proteins, and that interactions between lipids and proteins are required to allow protein function. ABC transporters are one of the most important family of membrane proteins. However, the importance of their lipidic environment is largely unknown. Only a few studies showed that their activity was dependent on the lipidic composition of the surrounding bilayer. The bacterial ABC transporter HorA was used as a model to probe the influence of the lipidic environment on that class of membrane proteins.<p><p> HorA is a multidrug transporter expressed in Lactobacillus brevis, a Gram-positive beer spoilage bacterium. It turned out that phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) was indispensable to maintain both the activity and the structural integrity of HorA.<p> Surprisingly, replacement of PE by the chemically related PC (phosphatidylcholine) did not led to the suppression of HorA activity, but to an unexpected phenotype. Whereas the cytoplasmic domains of HorA were still able to hydrolyze ATP, the membrane parts of the transporter were unable to use that energy to mediate substrate transport. Using several biophysical methods particularly adapted to the study of reconstituted systems, we showed that the structure of HorA is strongly altered by this lipid replacement. In particular, the structural organization of the transmembrane domains of the protein is strongly affected.<p> / Doctorat en Sciences agronomiques et ingénierie biologique / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

L'objectif de ce travail de thèse a été d'élaborer et de caractériser des systèmes de nanovecteurs de nature lipidique, encapsulant le dipropionate de beclomethasone (DPB), adaptés à l'administration pulmonaire par nébulisation. Deux types de nanovecteurs lipidiques : des liposomes et des nanoparticules lipidiques incluant les nanoparticules solides (SLN) et les nanoporteurs lipidiques (NLC), ont été développés. Les liposomes ont été préparés par la technique d'injection d'éthanol. La technique appliquée pour la préparation des nanoparticules lipidiques était l'homogénéisation à haute vitesse. La taille, l'efficacité d'encapsulation du DPB ainsi que les profils de libération ont été satisfaisants. De plus la nébulisation de ces systèmes et la modélisation mathématiques de la déposition in vitro ont révélé des résultats prometteurs. Finalement, une technique de production des liposomes utilisant un réacteur membranaire a été étudiée pour une production à grande échelle / The objective of this work was to prepare and to characterize lipidic nanocarriers systems encapsulating the beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) and adapted to the nebulized pulmonary drug delivery. Two types of lipidic carriers: the liposomes and the lipidic nanoparticles including the solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) and the nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) were developed. Liposomes were prepared by the optimised ethanol injection based technology. The lipid nanoparticles were prepared by using the high shear homogenization process. Small sized particles, with high BDP encapsulation efficiency as well as a prolonged release effect in vitro were successfully obtained. Furthermore, the nebulized suspensions characteristics and deposition mathematical simulation in vitro revealed promising results. Finally, a liposomes production technique using a membrane contactor was investigated in order to produce large batches

Dans le cadre des objectifs définis par la Directive Cadre sur l’Eau, ce travail de thèse porte sur la quantification du transfert de micropolluants organiques à la confluence entre la Fensch et la Moselle. Une nouvelle méthodologie a été développée pour déterminer les niveaux d’anthropisation dans les matrices environnementales. Basée sur la quantification exhaustive des marqueurs moléculaires, cette approche permet de comparer les apports naturels et anthropiques et de différencier les apports anthropiques selon leurs origines (combustion, pétrogénétique, eaux usées). Elle est parfaitement appropriée à l’étude de la matière organique des différentes matrices environnementales fournissant des informations beaucoup plus complètes que le dosage de quelques molécules cibles. Appliquée aux sédiments du système Fensch-Moselle, cette approche a permis d’analyser l’évolution des contributions organiques le long de la Fensch ainsi que leur transfert à la confluence avec la Moselle, tout en déterminant les sources principales de contamination. Ce travail souligne l’importance de l’hydrodynamisme sur la sédimentation et la biodégradation des micropolluants organiques. L’étude de ce système a également été l’occasion de développer deux outils utiles pour répondre à des questionnements environnementaux majeurs. Le premier, basé sur la déconvolution de l’unresolved complex mixture, permet de quantifier la masse de produits pétroliers accumulés dans des sédiments. Le second se base sur l’étude de la répartition des micropolluants organiques en phase aqueuse (dissous, colloïdale, particulaire) lors de la mobilisation de sédiments contaminés, permettant d’évaluer leur biodisponibilité / According to the objectives of the Water Framework Directive, this study deals with the quantification of the transfer of organic micropollutants at the confluence between Fensch and Moselle Rivers. A new methodology has been developed in order to quantify the anthropogenic pressure in environmental matrices. Based on the exhaustive quantification of molecular markers, this approach allows the comparison between natural and anthropogenic inputs and the differentiation between anthropogenic sources (pyrogenic, petrogenic, sewage waters). It is fully appropriate in order to study organic matter in different environmental matrices providing much more information than the quantification of few target compounds. In sediments of the system Fensch-Moselle, this approach has been applied in order to study the evolution of the anthropogenic pressure due to organic micropollutants along the Fensch River, their transfer at the confluence with the Moselle River and the major sources of contamination. This work highlights the relationship between hydrodynamism and settling and biodegradation of organic micropollutants. Together with the mutimolecular approach, two methodologies have been developed in order to answer to major environmental questionings. The first one, based on the deconvolution of unresolved complex mixture, allows quantifying the amount of petroleum by-products stored in sediments. The second one is based on the analysis of organic micropollutants in aqueous phases (dissolved, colloidal, particulate) during mobilization of contaminated sediments, which allows the evaluation of their bioavailability

Le Laboratoire de Recherche en Nanosciences EA 4682 s’est récemment équipé de la microscopie à force atomique haute-vitesse (HS-AFM) permettant la visualisation en temps réel des dynamiques d’interactions d’un panel infini d’échantillons biologiques à l’échelle nanométrique. De nombreux champ de recherche nécessite la mise au point de techniques permettant à la fois une imagerie dynamique (vidéomicroscopie) mais également de plus en plus une imagerie haute résolution (microscopie champ proche). Ce couplage a été récemment obtenu grâce au développement de la microscopie à force atomique ultra-rapide. La limitation actuelle de ce microscope ultra-rapide, à savoir l’acquisition d’informations en relation uniquement avec la surface de l’objet biologique étudié, crée un rempart à l’obtention de connaissances nouvelles sur les dynamiques sous-jacentes que renferment certains systèmes biomoléculaires. Pour s’affranchir de cette contrainte, nous nous proposons dans ce projet de faire évoluer notre outil de nanocaractérisation en lui ajoutant des fonctionnalités optiques et des fonctionnalités permettant de faire de la spectroscopie de force. La conduite de ce projet se fera selon un travail de développement instrumental scindé en deux grandes étapes : - l’apport d’outils de microscopie optique conventionnels : FRAP – FRET – FLIM – Fluorescence – TIRFM. Nous couplons ainsi la nanocaractérisation hautement résolue spatialement et temporellement avec des informations intrinsèques de nos échantillons. Cette complémentarité apparaît de plus en plus comme fondamentale dans les demandes des biologistes. - la mise au point de protocoles de fonctionnalisation de leviers AFM afin de réaliser de la spectroscopie de force et ainsi obtenir des informations sur les propriétés mécaniques des échantillons biologiques. Ce projet de recherche sera réalisé au Laboratoire de Recherche en Nanosciences EA 4682, Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne sous la direction du Pr. Michael Molinari et du Dr. Maxime Ewald récemment recruté en tant que maître de conférences (sept. 2013) et qui pu démarrer la thématique de la microscopie AFM haute-vitesse au sein de l’équipe. Il s’effectuera en collaboration avec le Pr. T. Ando du Biophysics Lab’ de l’Université de Kanazawa (Japon) pour la partie instrumentation, et avec le Dr. Gabriel Paës pour l’étude des échantillons biologiques. Les objets étudiés lors de cette thèse seront liés au projet ANR Lignoprog qui vient de démarrer au 1er novembre 2014 porté par Dr. Gabriel Paës (INRA UMR FARE, Reims). Dans ce projet, des échantillons biologiques se doivent d’être caractériser en dynamique. Ils concernent la biomasse lignocellulosique (BL), réseau complexe de polymères constituant les parois végétales (PV). La complexité architecturale et chimique de la BL est un frein à sa conversion industrielle. Pour atteindre ce but, non seulement la fraction cellulosique mais aussi les fractions hémicellulosiques et ligneuses doivent être valorisées, sinon les bio-raffineries ne seront pas compétitives. Le principal challenge à relever est celui du coût élevé et de la relative faible efficacité de l’étape de déconstruction enzymatique de la BL. Avec les fonctionnalités d’imagerie développées dans ce projet, nous espérons apporter des éléments de réponses sur la déconstruction enzymatique. Par ailleurs, même si les objets étudiés seront principalement ceux du projet Lignoprog, une validation du dispositif pourra être réalisée en parallèle sur d’autres échantillons biologiques tels que des cellules vivantes seront envisagées : caractérisation, mise en évidence leur réactivité vis-à-vis des divers paramètres physiologiques du milieu (pH, concentration, composition), corrélation de ces résultats avec leurs propriétés mécaniques. / Our laboratory recently acquired a high-speed atomic force microscope (HS-AFM) which enables us to visualize in real time a wide range of biological samples and their dynamics of interaction at nanoscale. Several research fields require the development of new techniques in order to get high resolution imaging and dynamic imaging at the same time. This is why HS-AFM was developed. Its current limitation is that the only data it provides are about the surface which means we can’t get access to what occurs beneath. This is limiting the knowledge we could get about the underlying dynamics of some biomolecular system. In order to overcome this issue, we propose to upgrade this nanocharacterization tool by combining optical microscopy and force spectroscopy. This project of instrumental development will be in two major steps: - the adding of conventional optical microscopy : fluorescence, TIRFM, FRAP, FRET, FLIM. The aim is to nanocharacterize sample with highly spatiotemporal data combined in combination with integral data (fundamental to respond to biological issues) - the development of tip functionalization protocols in order to achieve force spectroscopy and get mechanical properties of biological samples This project will take place at the Laboratory of Research in Nanosciences, EA 4682, University of Reims Champagne Ardennes, under the supervision of Pr. Michael Molinari and Dr. Maxime Ewald who started HS-AFM among our team. We will collaborate with Pr. T. Ando from the Biophysics Lab of Kanazawa University (Japan) for the instrumental part and with Dr. Gabriel Paës for the biological samples. The samples used during this thesis will be linked to an ANR project called Lignoprog directed by Dr. Gabriel Paës (INRA, UMR FARE, Reims) and started on the first of November, 2014. In the project, the dynamical aspect of the biological samples is essential. Indeed, lignocellulosic biomass is a complex network of polymers composing plant cell wall. Its architectural and chemical complexity prevents its industrial conversion. In order to be cost-effective, bio refineries need to valorize all the fractions: cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignins. The major challenge is the high cost and low efficiency of the enzymatic hydrolysis of the lignocellulosic biomass. Our aim is to bring some answer to understand better and improve enzymatic hydrolysis thanks to the HS-AFM and the combination of new functionalities. By the way, the disposal might be validated on other biological samples in parallel, such as live cells in order to characterize them, enlighten their reactivity in response to physiological parameters of the medium (pH, concentration, composition) and correlate the results with mechanical properties.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-26T12:51:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 marilitafalangolaaccioly_tese.pdf: 2076302 bytes, checksum: 922e6d60d30a7543a522073d3b9c0607 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-10-25 / Statins are used to treat dislipidemias with great tolerance, however, several side effects can occur, specially myopathies. The regular practice of physical exercise (PE) produce beneficial alteration in the lipidic profile, however can generate muscle injuries. OBJECTIVE -To evaluate the effect of PE in the lipidic profile; the efficacy of the assocciation between PE and statins in the control of the lipidic profile and evaluate the effect of the association between PE and statins in the muscular function through histological analysis. MATERIAL/METHOD- It was used 80 male Wistar rats , distributed in 8 groups, including animals submitted to a hypercholesterolemic diet (HD), simvastatin with (G1) and without (G2) PE; HD and fluvastatin with (G3) and without PE (G4); fed with comercial ration (CR) in presence (G5) and absence (G6) of PE; HD submitted (G7) or not to PE (G8). The HD was administered for 90 days, statins and practice of PE in the treadmill for 8 weeks. It was measured in the beginning (T0) and at the end (T2) of the experiment the level of total cholesterol (TC) , the fraction of cholesterol of high density lipoprotein (HDLc), triglycerides (TG), piruvic glutamic transaminase (TGP) and the fraction of the cholesterol non-HDLc (non-HDLc) was calculated. The animals were sacrificed, the soleus muscle removed for histological analysis. The paired t test and multivaried analysis were applied with a significance level of p<0,05. RESULTS â The analysis of the groups, at the T2, showed reduction in the TC level when compared G3 with groups G1 (p=0,0414), G6 (p=0,0021) and G8 (p=0,0099) and G7 with group G8 (p<0,0001). However, G1 presented elevated levels in relation to G5 (p=0,0286), G7 (p=0,0192) and G8 (p=0,0196), as well as the G2 in comparison to G7 (p=0,0115). The PE associated with fluvastatin (G3) or simvastatin (G1) has not induced a significant increase in the levels of HDLc, when compared to G4 and G2 (p>0,05). The CR, even with sedentarism (G6) kept the levels of HDLc elevated when compared to the groups remaining. Fluvastatin, independently of the presence of PE (G3 and G4) reduced the fraction of non-HDLc in comparison to G6 (p=0,0201; p=0,0315) and G1 (p=0,0271; p=0,0390, respectively). For the triglycerides levels G1 showed elevated values compared to G3 (p=0,0278), as well as TGP (p=0,0151). The main histological alteration found were fibers of different diameter, atrophics, in degeneration, splitting, edema, inflammatory infiltrate. These alterations were observed in 90% of the animals of G1, 80% of G2, 70% of G3, 30% of G4, 40% of G5 and 30% of G7. In G6 and G8 muscular fibers with preserved morphology were identified. CONCLUSION â PE influenciates in the reduction of TC levels even with DH, becoming the differential in the reduction of TC, non-HDLc and TG with the use of fluvastatin compared to simvastatin, whilst levels of HDLc resist to increase. Conversely, the increase in TGP levels are associated with HD and the use of statins, preferably simvastatin and PE practice. Moreover, PE seems to potentialize muscle injury induced by statins. / As estatinas são utilizadas no tratamento das dislipidemias, com grande tolerância, no entanto, vários efeitos colaterais podem surgir, destacando-se miopatia. A prática regular do exercício físico (EF) produz modificações favoráveis no perfil lipídico, entretanto, pode gerar lesões musculares. OBJETIVO - Avaliar a influência do EF no perfil lipídico; a eficácia da associação entre EF e estatinas no controle do perfil lipídico e avaliar o efeito da associação entre EF e estatinas na função muscular pela análise histológica. MATERIAL e Mà TODO - Foram utilizados 80 ratos machos Wistar, distribuídos em 8 grupos, incluindo animais submetidos à dieta hipercolesterolêmica (DH), simvastatina com (G1) e sem (G2) EF; DH e fluvastatina, com (G3) e sem EF (G4); alimentados com ração comercial (RC) na presença (G5) e ausência de (G6) EF; DH submetidos (G7) ou não (G8) a EF. A DH foi administrada por 90 dias, as estatinas e prática de EF em esteira rolante por 8 semanas. Foram dosados, no início (T0) e ao final (T2) dos experimentos, os níveis de colesterol total (CT), fração de colesterol da lipoproteína de alta densidade (HDLc), triglicérides (TG), transaminase glutâmico pirúvico (TGP) e calculada a fração de colesterol não-HDLc (não-HDLc). Os animais foram sacrificados, e o músculo sóleo retirado para análise histológica. Aplicaram-se os testes t-teste pareado e análise multivariada, com nível significante para p<0,05. RESULTADOS â A análise entre os grupos, no T2, mostrou redução dos níveis de CT quando comparado G3 aos grupos G1 (p=0,0414), G6 (p=0,0021) e G8 (p=0,0099) e G7 ao grupo G8 (p<0,0001). Entretanto, G1 apresentou níveis aumentados em relação a G5 (p=0,0286), G7 (p=0,0192) e G8 (p=0,0196), assim como, o G2 em comparação ao G7 (p=0,0115). O EF associado à fluvastatina (G3) ou a simvastatina. (G1) não induziu aumento significante nos níveis de HDLc, quando comparado a G4 e G2 (p>0,05). A RC mesmo com o sedentarismo (G6) manteve os níveis de HDLc elevados quando comparados aos demais grupos. A fluvastatina independente da presença de EF (G3 e G4) reduziu a fração não-HDLc em comparação a G6 (p=0,0201; p=0,0315) e a G1 (p=0,0271; p=0,0390, respectivamente). Para os níveis de TG destacou-se G1 com valores elevados em comparação a G3 (p=0,0278), assim como para TGP (p=0,0151). As principais alterações histológicas encontradas foram fibras de diferentes diâmetros, atróficas, em degeneração, splitting, edema, infiltrado inflamatório. Essas alterações foram observadas em 90% dos animais do grupo G1, 80% de G2, 70% de G3, 30% de G4, 40% de G5 e 30% de G7. Nos grupos G6 e G8 identificaram-se fibras musculares com morfologia preservada. CONCLUSà ES â EF influencia na redução dos níveis de CT mesmo com DH, tornando-se o diferencial na diminuição dos níveis de CT, não-HDLc e TG no uso de fluvastatina comparado a simvastatina, enquanto os níveis de HDLc são resistentes a elevação. Por outro lado, o aumento nos níveis de TGP associa-se com DH e uso de estatinas, preferencialmente simvastatina e prática de EF. Além disso, o EF parece potencializar a lesão muscular induzida pelas estatinas.

Les protéines ERMs (Ezrine, radixine et moésine) jouent un rôle central in cellulo, dans de nombreux processus cellulaires tels que les infections, la migration et la division cellulaire. Parmi celles-ci, la moésine est plus particulièrement impliquée dans la formation de la synapse immunologique, l’infection virale et bactérienne, et les métastases cancéreuses. D’un point de vue structural, les ERM peuvent être en conformation inactive (replies sur elles-mêmes) ou actives (ouvertes), ce qui permet leur interaction a la fois avec les constituants du cytosquelette (actine et tubuline) via leur domaine C-terminal et la membrane plasmique via leur domaine FERM. La liaison a la membrane plasmique se fait principalement et spécifiquement via un lipide de la famille des phosphoinositides, le phosphatidyl 4,5 bisphosphate (PIP2). De plus, les protéines peuvent être phosphorylées, ce qui contribue à leur ouverture structurale. Cependant, le rôle de la phosphorylation sur les interactions ERM/membrane et ERM/cytosquelette, bien que beaucoup étudié in cellulo, est peu compris au niveau moléculaire.Le but de cette thèse est précisément d’étudier, au niveau moléculaire et à l’aide de systèmes biomimétiques, les interactions entre des protéines recombinantes et des membranes biomimétiques contenant du PIP2. Pour cela, nous avons mis au point des membranes lipidiques sous forme de vésicules unilamellaires (petites ou larges) et de bicouches lipidiques supportées, qui permettent de caractériser les interactions entre protéines et membranes par des techniques biophysiques complémentaires, notamment la cosédimentation quantitative, la microscopie et spectroscopie de fluorescence, et la microbalance à cristal de quartz. Dans une première partie, nous avons étudié le rôle de la double phosphorylation de la moésine (réalisée par mutation sur site spécifique) sur les interactions moésine/membrane biomimétique, en comparaison de la protéine sauvage, les protéines recombinantes et les mutants ayant été produites et purifiées au laboratoire.Nos résultats mettent en évidence une interaction spécifique et coopérative pour le double mutant phosphomimétique alors que cette interaction est simple dans le cas de la protéine sauvage. Dans une seconde partie, nous avons employé les bicouches lipidiques supportées contenant le PIP2 pour étudier les mécanismes molécules d’adsorption de la protéine virale Gag et de ses mutants. Les méthodologies développées dans ce travail de thèse ouvrent des perspectives en biophysique moléculaires car elles sont facilement transposables à l’étude d’autres protéines sur des membranes lipidiques modèles contenant des phosphoinositides.Mots clés: Ezrine-Radixine-Moésine, phosphoinositides, PIP2, interactions protéine-lipide, membrane lipidique biomimétique, protéine virale Gag, cytosquelette. / ERM (ezrin, radixin, moesin) proteins play a central role in cellulo in a large number of physiological and pathological processes, including cell infection, migration and cell division. Among the ERMs, moesin is particularly involved in the formation of the immunological synapse, viral and bacterial infection, and cancer metastasis. From a structural point of view, ERMs can be in inactive (closed) conformation or active (open), which enable them to interact on one side with the cytoskeleton (actin and tubulin) via their C-terminal domain and on the other side with the plasma membrane via their FERM domain. Binding to the plasma membrane is mediated via a specific lipid of the phosphoinositide family, the phosphatidylinositol(4,5)bisphosphate (PIP2). In addition, ERM can be phosphorylated, which contribute to their structural opening. To date, the role of the phosphorylation in ERM/membrane and ERM/cytoskeleton interactions, although widely studied in cellulo, remains poorly understood at the molecular level.The aim of this PhD thesis is precisely to study, at the molecular level and using biomimetic systems, interactions between recombinant proteins and biomimetic membranes containing PIP2. To this end, we have engineered lipid membranes in the form of large and small unilamellar vesicles and supported lipid bilayers. These biomimetic membranes are used to characterize interactions between proteins and membranes by complementary biophysical techniques, notably quantitative cosedimentation, fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy, and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring. In a first part, we studied the role of double phosphorylation on moesin, achieved via a site-specific mutation on threonine residues, on moesin/biomimetic membrane interactions, in comparison to the wild type protein. The recombinant proteins and mutants were produced in our laboratory.Our results show that there is a specific and cooperative interaction for the double phosphomimetic mutant while interactions is 1:1 in the case of the wild type protein. In a second part, we used supported lipid bilayers containing PIP2 to study the molecular adsorption mechanism of the viral protein Gag and of its mutants. The methodologies that were developed in this work open perspectives in molecular biophysics since they are easily adaptable to other proteins on model lipid membranes containing phosphoinositidesKeywords: Ezrin-Radixin-Moesin, phosphoinositides, PIP2, protein/lipid interactions, biomimetic lipid membrane, Gag viral protein, cytoskeleton.