Graduation date: 1993

Plants sense light intensity, quality and direction through a group of photoreceptors to modulate their growth and development. One family of photoreceptor is called phytochromes (phys) that perceives red and far red light. Phys transduce light signals via a sub-family of the basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) transcription factors called Phytochrome Interacting Factors (PIFs). PIFs function as negative regulators in the phy-mediated light signaling pathways. In darkness, PIFs regulate downstream gene expressions to inhibit photomorphogenesis. Upon light exposure, PIFs are phosphorylated and poly-ubiquitylated prior to their rapid degradation through the 26S proteasome pathway. One of the PIFs, PIF1, has the highest affinity for both phyA and phyB and also displayed the fastest degradation kinetics under both red and far red light. Here we showed that PIF1 directly and indirectly regulates key genes involved in chlorophyll biosynthesis to optimize the greening process in Arabidopsis. PIF1 binds to a G-box (CACGTG) DNA sequence element present in its direct target genes (e.g., protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase C, PORC) in darkness and regulates their expression. Structure-function studies revealed two separate regions called APB and APA necessary for binding to phyB and phyA, respectively, located at the amino-terminus and a novel phosphorylation site at the carboxy-terminus of PIF1. Both amino- and carboxy-terminal regions are necessary for the light-induced degradation of PIF1. However, the DNA binding is not necessary for the light-induced degradation of PIF1. Using a targeted systems biology approach, we identified new factors, HECATE proteins that promote photomorphogenesis by negatively regulating the function of PIF1. Moreover, we employed an unbiased genetic screening using luciferase imaging system to identify new mutants defective in the light-induced degradation of PIF1. The cloning and characterization of these mutants will help identify the factors, such as the kinase and E3 ligase, responsible for the light-induced degradation of PIF1. Taken together, these data revealed detail mechanisms of how PIF1 negatively regulates photomorphogenesis and how light induces rapid degradation of PIF1 to promote photomorphogenesis. / text

Plants are stationary and need to adapt to the environment they live in. Integration of environmental cues, such as changes in light and temperature, can occur either directly or through the action of hormones. Hormone and light signaling leads to rapid changes in gene expression, and eventually changes in protein levels. In this thesis I have studied how the epigenetic regulator TERMINAL FLOWER2 (TFL2) is involved in light and hormonal signaling in the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress). TFL2 is the only Arabidopsis homologue of HETEROCHROMATIN PROTEIN1 (HP1). HP1 proteins have been shown to be involved in repressing gene expression by maintaining the tight structure of heterochromatin or by forming a heterochromatin like structure in euchromatic regions. Unlike metazoan HP1 which can be localized both to eu- and heterochromatin, TFL2 is uniquely localized to euchromatin. tfl2 mutants have reduced levels of free auxin and a reduced rate of auxin biosynthesis. TFL2 binds to and promotes spatial and temporal expression of the genes belonging to the YUCCA gene family, which are believed to regulate a rate limiting step in the auxin biosynthesis pathway. Further, TFL2 binds to a subset of Aux/IAA proteins to repress auxin regulated genes involved in ovule and carpel development. In a similar way, TFL2 is also involved in repressing two jasmonate responsive genes, VEGETATIVE STORAGE PROTEIN1 and 2. This TFL2 regulated repression might occur through the interaction with the jasmonate responsive protein JAZ6. In light signaling TFL2 is involved in repressing both phytochrome A and B signaling as the response to red and far red light is enhanced in tfl2 mutants. The shade avoidance response and chloroplast biogenesis are also regulated by TFL2 as the hypocotyls of tfl2 are not able to elongate as wt in shade conditions and greening is delayed upon de-etiolation of tfl2 seedlings. This work shows that TFL2 has a repressive function in auxin, jasmonate and light signaling and for the first time we show that TFL2 is directly involved in promoting gene expression.

Les états chromatiniens peuvent être étudiés à l’échelle des unités transcriptionnelles par des approches moléculaires ou à l'échelle plus globale de l'hétérochromatine structurée au sein de chromocentres par des approches cytogénétiques. Ces deux niveaux d’organisation de la chromatine sont dynamiques et influencent l'ensemble des processus nucléaires. L’objectif de cette thèse était d'avancer la compréhension des dynamiques chromatiniennes à ces deux échelles chez la plante modèle Arabidopsis thaliana, en se focalisant sur une transition développementale majeure, la photomorphogenèse. Le processus de dé-étiolement implique la reprogrammation de l’expression de centaines de gènes en réponse à la lumière, constituant ainsi un excellent modèle d'étude. La première partie des travaux montre que la reprogrammation de l’expression du génome au cours de la photomorphogenèse est associée à des dynamiques de l’hétérochromatine qui sont régulés de façon différentielles dans les hypocotyles et les cotylédons. Ces dynamiques à grande échelle ont des conséquences localement, car les états décompactés sont associés à la réactivation d'éléments hétérochromatiniens répétés. Dans une deuxième partie, le répresseur transcriptionnel DE-ETIOLATED-1 (DET1) a été utilisé afin de rechercher l'implication de régulateurs de la photomorphogenèse dans les mécanismes chromatiniens. Ce répresseur majeur de la photomorphogenèse peut lier l'histone H2B et influence le niveau global de sa modification par mono-ubiquitination (H2Bub). Dans le cadre de ma thèse, j'ai révélé d'une part l’existence d’interactions génétiques entre DET1 et les gènes contrôlant l’homéostasie de H2Bub et d'autre part un défaut de la régulation chromatinienne des variants des gènes ribosomiques 5S et 45S dans le mutant det1-1. L’ensemble de ces données permet de proposer un modèle impliquant DET1 dans la régulation de H2Bub de façon différentielle dans l’euchromatine et l’hétérochromatine, constituant ainsi le premier lien entre régulateurs de la photomorphogenèse et modifications des histones. La marque H2Bub étant directement liée à l'activité transcriptionnelle chez divers eucaryotes, l'impact de H2Bub sur l'expression des gènes durant la photomorphogenèse a été analysé. La combinaison d’approches épigénomiques et transcriptomiques a permis de montrer que le gain de H2Bub est associé à l’induction des gènes. L’utilisation du mutant hub1 dans lequel le dépôt de H2Bub est aboli a également permis de révéler le rôle de cette marque pour une régulation rapide de l’induction et de la répression de nombreux gènes. De façon générale, ce travail a révélé des dynamiques chromatiniennes impliquant des réorganisations massives au niveau cytologique ainsi que des variations fines des modifications d'histones au niveau des gènes de l'euchromatine, ainsi que le rôle de DET1 dans la régulation de ces processus. Il ouvre donc la voie à l'étude des connections entre ces deux échelles de dynamiques pour la régulation de l'activité transcriptionnelle, liant compartimentation nucléaire et activité des gènes dans le contexte global de la réponse aux signaux lumineux. / Chromatin states can be studied both at the level of individual transcriptional units by molecular approaches or at the larger scale of heterochromatin by cytogenetic approaches. These two levels of chromatin organization are dynamic and influence all nuclear processes. The objective was to enhance the understanding of chromatin dynamics at these two scales in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, focusing on a major developmental transition, photomorphogenesis. The process of de-etiolation involves the reprogramming of the expression of hundreds of genes in response to the perception of light therefore constituting an excellent experimental system. The first part of the work shows that reprogramming of genome expression during photomorphogenesis is associated with heterochromatin dynamics that is differentially regulated in the hypocotyls and the cotyledons. These widespread dynamics have local consequences, as the decompacted states are associated with reactivation of heterochromatic repeat elements. In the second part, the transcriptional repressor DE-ETIOLATED-1 (DET1) was used to investigate the involvement of photomorphogenesis regulators in chromatin mechanisms. This major repressor of photomorphogenesis can bind histone H2B and influences the overall level of mono-ubiquitinated H2B (H2Bub). As part of my thesis, I uncovered the existence of genetic interactions between DET1 and the genes controlling H2Bub homeostasis and also a defect in the regulation of the chromatin around the 45S and 5S ribosomal genes in the mutant det1-1. These data have led me to propose a model involving DET1 in the differential regulation of H2Bub in heterochromatin and euchromatin, thus constituting for the first time a link between photomorphogenesis regulators and histone modifications. Because the H2Bub mark has been directly linked to transcriptional activity in a diverse range of eukaryotes, I analysed the impact of H2Bub on gene expression during photomorphogenesis in the third part of my thesis. The combination of transcriptomic and epigenomic approaches showed that the gain of H2Bub is associated with gene induction. The use of a hub1 mutant in which H2Bub deposition is abolished also revealed the role of this mark for the rapid control of many genes. In general terms, this work has revealed both dynamic chromatin changes that result in major genome reorganizations at the cytological scale and fine variations of histone modifications on euchromatic genes, as well as the role of DET1 in regulating these changes. My study paves the way for further studies on the connections between these two scales of dynamics and their function in the nuclear localization and changes in expression of genes in the overall context of light signaling.

Ao longo dos últimos anos, o radical livre gasoso óxido nítrico (NO) vem ganhando destaque como uma importante molécula sinalizadora em respostas fotomorfogênicas em plantas. Sua produção e dagradação parecem incluir uma diversificada gama de rotas bioquímicas, entretanto, a importância relativa de cada um dos sistemas capazes de regular sua disponibilidade e toxidade nos tecidos vegetais ainda permanece pouco compreendida. Dentre as possíveis rotas de conjugação e degradação do NO em tecidos vegetais, postula-se que a glutationa (GSH) desempenhe um papel de destaque no armazenamento desse radical livre por meio da formação reversível da S-nitrosoglutationa (GSNO), sendo possível sua subsequente degradação através da ação da enzima S-nitrosoglutationa redutase (GSNOR). No presente trabalho investigamos a influência da luz sobre o metabolismo de NO em duas etapas de desenvolvimento vegetal caracterizados pela ocorrência de eventos de diferenciação plastidial: (I) o desestiolamento de plântulas e (II) o amadurecimento de frutos carnosos de tomateiro (Solanum lycopersicum). Além do genótipo selvagem Micro-Tom (MT), também foram utilizados os mutantes fotomorfogênicos aurea (au) e high pigment 1 e 2 (hp1 e hp2). Durante o desestiolamento das plântulas de tomateiro constatou-se um incremento progressivo tanto nos teores endógenos quando nas taxas de degradação de NO, bem como na atividade da enzima GSNOR. Sob condições luminosas similares, mutantes com respostas exageradas à luz apresentaram incrementos ainda mais evidentes nesses parâmetros do que aqueles observados no genótipo selvagem. A aplicação de inibidores de S-nitrosilação de proteínas, bem como a avaliação do conteúdo de espécies reativas de oxigênio (ROS) indicaram que tanto a formação de S-nitrosotiois quanto a interação do NO com ROS contribuíram para a determinação da capacidade de remoção de NO nos tecidos fotossinteticamente ativos de tomateiro. Em frutos, observou-se uma correlação positiva entre a atividade da enzima nitrato redutase (NR) e o padrão temporal de produção de NO, uma vez que ambos os parâmetros apresentaram maiores níveis em frutos imaturos. O amadurecimento desses frutos foi acompanhado por uma diminuição transitória dos conteúdos de NO ao passo que as taxas de degradação de NO mantiveram-se bastante reduzidas durante todo o processo de amadurecimento, sugerindo a existência de um estoque de NO na forma de GSNO ou algum outro S-nitrosotiol. A sinalização luminosa influenciou positivamente tanto a produção quanto a degradação de NO em frutos imaturos de tomateiro. Em conjunto, os resultados obtidos permitem concluir que o metabolismo do NO em tomateiro é fortemente controlado pela luz, a qual é capaz de modular conjuntamente as taxas de produção e degradação desse importante composto sinalizador. / In recent years, the gaseous free radical nitric oxide (NO) has emerged as an important signaling molecule in plant photomorphogenic response. NO production and degradation seems to include a wide range of biochemical routes; however, the relative importance of which one of the systems capable of regulating NO availability and toxicity in plant tissues remains elusive. Among all potential NO degradation and conjugation routes in plant tissues, it has been suggested that gluthathione (GSH) plays a key role in NO storage due to the formation of S-nitrosogluthathione (GSNO), being possible its subsequent degradation by the action of enzyme S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR). In this work, we have investigated the light influence on NO metabolism during two plant developmental events characterized by the occurrence of plastidial differentiation: (I) seedling de-etiolation and (II) fruit ripening of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Besides the wild-type Micro-Tom (MT) genotype, the tomato photomorphogenic mutants aurea (au) and high pigment 1 and 2 (hp1 and hp2) were also employed in this study. During the de-etiolation of tomato seedlings, a progressive increment was observed in the NO endogenous levels and degradation rates as well as in the GSNOR activity. Under similar light conditions, light hypersensitive mutants exhibited more conspicuous increases in these parameters than those detected in the wild-type genotype. Feeding protein S-nitrosylation inhibitors and measurements of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production indicated that both S-nitrosothiols formation and NO interaction with ROS may to contribute for determining the NO removal capacity in photosynthetically active tissues of tomato. In fruits, a positive correlation was observed between nitrate reductase (NR) activity and the temporal pattern of NO production since both parameters exhibited increased levels in immature fruits. The ripening of theses fruits was accompanied by a transitory reduction in endogenous NO levels whereas its degradation rates were maintained reduced all over the ripening process, thereby suggesting the existence of a more stable NO reservoir such as GSNO or some other S-nitrosothiol. In general light signaling positively influenced both NO production and degradation in mature green tomato fruits. Altogether, the data obtained indicated that tomato NO metabolism is significantly influenced by light, which is able to simultaneous modulate both the production and degradation of this important signaling compound.

O desestiolamento vegetal envolve a conversão de etioplastos em cloroplastos maduros e plenamente funcionais, sendo desencadeado pela luz através de um processo multifacetado que se baseia em redes de sinalização endógenas diversificadas e altamente coordenadas. Acredita-se que hormônios vegetais ou outras moléculas sinalizadoras, tais como o radical livre óxido nítrico (NO), desempenham papel importante na regulação desse conjunto de respostas fotomorfogênicas. No presente estudo, buscamos investigar, de forma integrada, a influência do NO, do etileno e das auxinas na indução do acúmulo de pigmentos fotossintéticos e desenvolvimentos dos cloroplastos desencadeados pela luz em plântulas de tomateiro (Solanum lycopersicum). Por meio da determinação do padrão temporal de acúmulo de pigmentos fotossintéticos, diferenciação de etioplastos em cloroplastos, flutuações nos teores endógenos de NO e na atividade e estado de ativação da nitrato redutase (NR) em plântulas do tipo selvagem (cultivar Micro-Tom, MT) e de mutantes fotomorfogênicos (áurea and high pigment 1) mantidas sob escuro contínuo ou expostas às luzes monocromáticas vermelha e azul, pudemos constatar uma clara correlação positiva entre a produção de NO via NR e a indução do acúmulo de pigmentos e desenvolvimento dos cloroplastos em resposta à luz. Dando suporte à importância da NR como fonte biossintética de NO nas plântulas de tomateiro em processo de desestiolamento, constatou-se que as diferentes estratégias empregadas com o intuito de inibir a indução da atividade dessa enzima em resposta à luz resultaram em reduções consideráveis na produção endógena de NO. De modo interessante, tratamentos com NO estimularam o acúmulo de pigmentos e a diferenciação plastidial nas células cotiledonares do mutante áurea sob luz vermelha, indicando, portanto, que essa molécula sinalizadora seria capaz de complementar a deficiência partial na percepção da luz vermelha característica desse mutante deficiente em fitocromos. Em paralelo, um antagonismo mútuo entre o NO e o etileno foi evidenciado por meio de uma série de constatações. (i) O acúmulo de pigmentos e diferenciação de cloroplastos induzidos nas plântulas de tomateiro em resposta às luzes vermelha e azul coincidiram temporalmente com um aumento e diminuição nas emissões de NO e etileno, respectivamente. (ii) Enquanto o NO se mostrou estimulatório ao acúmulo de pigmentos, tratamentos com etileno gasoso ou com o seu precursor (o ácido 1-aminociclopropano-1-carboxílico, ACC) drasticamente inibiram o acúmulo de pigmentos em resposta às luzes vermelha ou azul. (iii) Plântulas em processo de desestiolamento tratadas com etileno ou ACC apresentaram níveis reduzidos de NO, ao passo que plântulas do mutante com baixa sensibilidade ao etileno Never ripe (Nr) exibiram teores de NO endógeno significativamente aumentados. (iv) Plântulas de Nr em processo de desestiolamento apresentaram incrementos consideráveis tanto na atividade total quanto no estado de ativação da NR, uma enzima produtora de NO. (v) NO exógeno reduziu drasticamente a emissão de etileno em plântulas do mutante áurea mantidas sob luz vermelha. Em contrapartida, diversas evidências revelaram um sinergismo mútuo entre auxinas e NO durante o processo de destiolamento em plântulas de tomateiro. (i) O acúmulo de NO em resposta à luz coincidiu com um aumento na ativação do promotor sintético responsivo à auxinas DR5 em plantas de MT expostas às luzes vermelha ou azul. (ii) A suplementação com NO gasoso reestabeleceu a reduzida ativação do promotor DR5 observada em plântulas de áurea sob luz vermelha. (iii) Os teores endógenos de NO foram drasticamente aumentados e diminuídos em plântulas do mutante com baixa sensibilidade à auxinas (diageotropica) e no mutante hipersensível à auxinas (entire), respectivamente. Em conjunto, os dados obtidos parecem indicar que durante a indução do acúmulo de pigmentos fotossintéticos e diferenciação de cloroplastos em plântulas estioladas de tomateiro as interações NO-etileno e NO-auxinas seriam controladas via mecanismos regulatórios de retroalimentação positiva e negativa, respectivamente; e, assim, tais relações hormonais desempenhariam papel importante na coordenação da transição dessas plântulas do estado estiolado para o desenvolvimento fotomorfogênico / The transition from etiolated to green seedlings involves the conversion of etioplasts into mature, functional chloroplasts via a multifaceted light-driven process comprising multiple and tightly coordinated endogenous signaling networks. Plant hormones and other signaling molecules, such as the free radical nitric oxide (NO), are believed to play important roles in controlling the acquisition of these photomorphogenic traits. In the present study, we investigated, in an integrated way, the influence of NO, ethylene and auxins on the light-evoked greening and chloroplast development in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seedlings. By determining the time course of photosynthetic pigments accumulation, etioplast-to-chloroplast differentiation, fluctuations in endogenous NO content and in nitrate reductase (NR) total activity and activation state in wild type (Micro-Tom cultivar, MT) and in photomorphogenic mutants (aurea and high pigment 1) seedlings maintained under continuous darkness or exposed to monochromatic red (RL) or blue light (BL), we evidenced a clearly positive correlation between the NO production via NR and the light-induced cotyledon greening and chloroplast maturation. Supporting a role for NR as an important biosynthetic source of NO in de- etiolating tomato seedlings, different strategies employed to inhibit the light-evoked increment in the activity of this enzyme successfully reduced the endogenous NO production. Interestingly, exogenous NO stimulated greening and chloroplast differentiation in cotyledon cells of áurea seedlings maintained under RL, thereby indicating that this signaling molecule might complement the partial deficiency in RL perception characteristic of this phytochrome-deficient mutant. In parallel, a mutual antagonism between NO and ethylene was evidenced by a number of findings. (i) RL- or BL-induced greening and chloroplast differentiation in tomato seedlings temporally coincided with increases and decreases in NO and ethylene emission, respectively. (ii) Whereas NO stimulated cotyledon greening, treatments with gaseous ethylene or its precursor (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, ACC) severally impaired either RL- or BL-induced greening in MT. (iii) Ethylene- or ACC-treated de-etiolating seedlings presented significantly lower NO levels whereas the ethylene-insensitive Never ripe (Nr) mutant exhibited increased endogenous NO content. (iv) De-etiolating Nr seedlings exhibited increased total activity and activation state of the NO-generating enzyme NR. (v) Exogenous NO drastically reduced ethylene emission in au seedlings maintained under RL. On the other hand, a series of evidence indicated a mutual synergism between auxins and NO in de-etiolating tomato seedlings. (i) The light-induced NO accumulation coincided with an increased activation of the synthetic auxin-responsive promoter DR5 in both RL- and BL-exposed MT seedlings. (ii) Exogenous NO completely rescued the reduced activation of the DR5 promoter observed in au seedlings under RL. (iii) Endogenous NO was drastically decreased and increased in de-etiolating seedlings of auxin-insensitive (diageotropica) and auxin-hypersensitive (entire) tomato mutants, respectively. Taken together, these data reveal that negative and positive feedback regulatory loops orchestrate ethylene-NO and auxin-NO interactions during the light-triggered cotyledon greening and chloroplast differentiation in de-etiolating tomato seedlings, reinforcing the importance of these signaling molecules during the coordination of seedling transition from the etiolated state to photomorphogenic growth

Les plantes sont des organismes sessiles qui présentent plusieurs caractéristiques leur permettant de s'adapter rapidement aux variations de conditions environnementales. En particulier la lumière représente une source d’information essentielle utilisée tout au long du cycle de vie pour ajuster leur développement. Cette thèse avait pour objet l’étude de l’impact des mécanismes chromatiniens dans la régulation de l’expression des gènes pouvant influencer l’adaptabilité des plantes aux variations de signaux lumineux, à travers deux types de réponses caractérisées par des échelles de temps différentes chez la plante modèle Arabidopsis thaliana. La première étude portait sur des processus chromatiniens dynamiques participant à la régulation de l’expression génique, et utilisait comme modèle le dé‐étiolement. La triméthylation de la lysine 4 de l’histone H3 (H3K4me3), une modification posttraductionnelle généralement associée à un état transcriptionnel actif a été plus particulièrement étudiée. Afin de mieux connaître cette voie, le gène SWD2‐Like b (S2Lb) a été caractérisé. Il s’agit d’un nouveau partenaire de complexes COMPASS‐like et un déterminant important du niveau global de H3K4me3. L’analyse de plantes dans lesquelles ce gène est inactivé a montré qu’un défaut d’accumulation de H3K4me3 corrélait avec une induction plus faible de gènes de réponse à la lumière au cours du dé‐étiolement. Ces résultats et les nouveaux outils obtenus constituent une base solide pour étudier l’influence de cette marque et des facteurs associés sur la modulation fine de l’expression génique en relation avec d’autres marques chromatiniennes. La seconde étude cherchait à déterminer l’impact des variations épigénétiques sur la capacité des plantes à induire un syndrome d’évitement de l’ombre, une réponse adaptative à des conditions de lumière défavorables produites par des compétiteurs. Un phénotypage à grande échelle dans deux conditions de lumière induisant des réponses opposées a été réalisé sur une population de lignées recombinantes inbred (epiRIL), dans laquelle les variations épigénétiques (méthylation de l’ADN) sont maximisées mais les variations de séquence nucléotidique sont minimes. Une plus grande variation phénotypique ainsi qu’une plus grande amplitude dans la capacité de réponse à l’ombre ont été observées dans la population epiRIL. De plus, une cartographie QTL a permis d’identifier une région au début du chromosome 3 spécifiquement associée à la réponse d’évitement de l’ombre. Bien qu’une caractérisation plus fine soit nécessaire, le locus impliqué pourrait correspondre à une première description de QTL « épigénétique » influençant la plasticité phénotypique des plantes en réponse à une variation des conditions de l’environnement. / Plants are sessile organisms that successfully face variations of the environment by taking advantage of their ability to adapt their physiology and morphology. In particular, light perception constitutes an essential source of information used throughout their life cycle to fine‐tune development. The work presented was aimed at studying the role of chromatin‐associated mechanisms on adaptive responses to light cues at two different timescales in the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana. In a first part, the role of chromatin dynamics in the regulation of gene expression was assessed during de‐etiolation, a developmental transition of seedlings that is triggered upon the first perception of light. It focused mainly on the trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4me3), a post‐translational modification associated with transcriptionally active states. To gain new insights into this pathway, the SWD2‐Like b (S2Lb) gene was characterized and shown to represent a new partner of plant COMPASS‐like complexes and a major determinant of H3K4me3 in A.thaliana. Loss‐of‐function plant lines for the S2Lb gene revealed that a default in H3K4me3 enrichment correlates with impaired inducibility of several light‐responsive genes during de‐etiolation. The findings described here set the bases to investigating how this mark and the associated factors influence the modulation of gene expression in relation with other chromatin marks. The second part of this thesis was aimed at assessing the impact of epigenetic variation on the capacity of plants to undergo the shade‐avoidance response (SAR), an adaptive developmental response to unfavorable light conditions produced by competitors. A population of epigenetic Recombinant Inbred Lines (epiRILs), in which epigenetic variation (DNA cytosine methylation) is maximized and nucleotidic sequence variation is minimized, was used for a large‐scale phenotyping under two light conditions triggering opposite responses. The epiRIL population exhibited larger amplitude of phenotypic variation than wild‐type parents in each condition as well as a wider range of response to shade. A region at the beginning of chromosome 3 was identified by QTL mapping to specifically associate to the SAR. Though it remains to be characterized, the locus involved may represent a first “epigenetic QTL” influencing phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental changes.

Copies of author's previously published material inserted. Bibliography: leaves 212-227. This thesis describes the research aimed to produce a small flowering pot plant of Acacia less than 35 cm high with more than 50 inflorescenses within twenty four months, a potted foliage plant less than 35 cm high within twelve months or a flowering tub plant less than 1m high with more than 50 inflorescences within thirty six months. This study produces a protocol for production of flowering pot plants of A. acinacea using a comination of pruning and paclobutrazol.

Although cottonseed is an important source of oil and fiber, the development of cotton embryos has not been investigated as well as development of cotton fiber. The development of cotton embryos in late heart-stage and early cotyledonary stage is less well investigated than the first 10-14 days after anthesis, or the late stages of embryo development during seed-fill and desiccation. This analysis focused on cotton embryos in the late heart-stage and early cotyledonary stage of development (1.5-4.0 mm or about 13-18 DPA). In vitro analyses are important tools for studying embryos in isolation from the endosperm and fiber and when it is necessary to monitor the developing embryo continuously. The original goal of this work was to develop an in vitro culture method that would support continued development of excised zygotic embryos from the early cotyledonary stage into complete plants with true shoots, i.e. true leaves or visible buds and then to use this method to study aspects of developmental regulation during cotyledonary stage and the transition to later stages. Not all embryos were competent to develop true shoots (an apical bud or a leaf plus a bud) in culture. A number of cultural variables were tested and eliminated. Embryo maturity at the time embryos were excised and the presence or absence of light during the first 14 days of culture affected the competence of immature embryos to developed true shoots. The effect of light was verified in several large replicated experiments. Morphological changes occurring during in vivo development were examined microscopically. The transition from heart-stage to early cotyledonary stage and the development of the first leaf from initials to a large structure were identified. Embryonic shoot apices continued to grow in cultured 1-3 mm embryos. The size and shape of light-treated and dark-treated embryonic apices was compared. A germination test of mature seeds identified seedlings with a similar phenotype occurring at similar rates in seedlings and light-cultured embryos and possible causes were discussed.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The quality of light can alter morphogenesis of plants through a series of processes mediated by light receptors, the use of nets with different spectral characteristics in the cultivation of certain vegetable crops has become very common in recent years. Against the great influence that the solar radiation on plants, accomplished this research with the objective of evaluating the effect of intensity and spectral quality of light transmitted through the netting photoselectives in the growth and development of curly lettuce plants, as well as in microclimatic elements in a protected environment. The experiment featured four microhabitats: control - without net, net-term Aluminet reflector; Chromatinet netting blue and red, all with 35% shading, fixed at 0.90 m above the bed cultivation. The study was conducted in two stages, the first assessing the effect of net in the development of lettuce seedlings cultivar 'Solaris' floating produced hydroponically in winter season, rated the characteristics: number of leaves, leaf area, and fresh biomass dried roots, stems and leaves, stem length, why shoot / root and specific leaf area, and the second step verifying the influence of nets in growth and development, as well as the anatomy and physiology of lettuce cultivars 'Vera' 'Vanda' and 'Solaris' hydroponically-type solution of laminar flow bench during final production. The growth evaluations were done every seven days in two cropping seasons, autumn and winter, and the parameters were evaluated: number of leaves, leaf area, stem length, fresh weight and dry leaf and root dry weight. At the end of the production cycle were evaluated the anatomical and physiological parameters, which were stomatal density and morphology as well as the pigment content in lettuce leaves. With these results it is evident that the different nets modify microclimatic elements, presenting differences spectral transmittance, absorbance and reflectance. In the seedling stage thermo-reflective and red mesh showed a higher accumulation of biomass in lettuce compared to the environment without net and blue net. At the stage of final production bench observed that the cultivation environment promotes anatomical and physiological changes in lettuce and the environment without shading net showed higher dry biomass. In both steps the experimental blue net showed lower development of lettuce compared to other environments. / A qualidade de luz pode alterar a morfogênese das plantas por meio de uma série de processos mediados por receptores de luz. A utilização de malhas com diferentes características espectrais no cultivo de algumas espécies olerícolas tornou-se muito comum nos últimos anos. Diante da grande influência que a radiação solar exerce sobre os vegetais, realizou-se esta pesquisa com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da intensidade e da qualidade espectral da luz transmitida pelas malhas fotoseletivas no crescimento e desenvolvimento de plantas de alface crespa, assim como nos elementos microclimáticos em ambiente protegido. O experimento contou com quatro microambientes: testemunha sem malha; malha Aluminet termo-refletor; malha Chromatinet azul e malha Chromatinet vermelha, todas com 35% de sombreamento, fixadas a 0,90 m acima dos leitos de cultivo. O estudo foi conduzido em duas etapas distintas, a primeira avaliando o efeito das malhas no desenvolvimento de mudas de alface cultivar Solaris‟ produzidas em sistema hidropônico floating na estação do inverno, avaliado as características: número de folhas, área foliar, fitomassa fresca e seca de raízes, caules e folhas, comprimento do caule, razão parte aérea/raiz e área foliar específica, e a segunda etapa verificando a influência das malhas no crescimento e desenvolvimento, assim como na anatomia e fisiologia de plantas de alface cultivares Vera‟, Vanda‟ e Solaris‟ em sistema hidropônico do tipo fluxo laminar de solução na fase de bancada de produção final. As avaliações de crescimento foram feitas a cada sete dias em duas épocas de cultivo, outono e inverno, e os parâmetros avaliados foram: número de folhas, área foliar, comprimento do caule, fitomassa fresca e seca de folha e fitomassa seca de raiz. Ao final do ciclo de produção avaliou-se os parâmetros anatômicos e fisiológicos, que foram: morfometria e densidade estomática assim como o teor de pigmentos nas folhas de alface. Com os resultados obtidos fica evidente que as diferentes malhas modificam os elementos microclimáticos, apresentando diferenças espectrais de transmitância, absorbância e refletância. Na fase de muda as malhas termo-refletor e malha vermelha apresentaram maior acúmulo de fitomassa em plantas de alface comparado ao ambiente sem malha e malha azul. Na fase de bancada de produção final observou-se que o ambiente de cultivo promove alterações anatômicas e fisiológicas em plantas de alface e o ambiente sem malha de sombreamento apresentou maior acúmulo de fitomassa. Em ambos as etapas experimentais a malha azul apresentou menor desenvolvimento das plantas de alface comparado aos demais ambientes.