L’identification, chez divers organismes, d’enzymes de dégradation des N-acyl homosérineslactones (NAHLs) impliquées dans la signalisation QS pose la question de leurs rôles dans lesinteractions bactéries-eucaryotes. Dans une première partie, une synthèse bibliographique analyse lesconnaissances acquises sur ces enzymes dégradant les NAHLs. Dans une seconde partie, la croissancedes bactéries dégradant les signaux NAHLs a été stimulée par l’application de g-caprolactone (GCL)dans la rhizosphère de plants de pommes de terre à des fins de phytoprotection. L’effet de cetraitement sur la diversité des communautés bactériennes rhizosphériques a été évalué en combinantdifférentes approches d’écologie microbienne moléculaire comme la DGGE, le pyroséquençaged’amplicons rrs, et la métagénomique fonctionnelle. Cette dernière approche appliquée à une banquede 30 000 clones environ a conduit à l’identification d’un gène qsdB codant la dégradation des signauxNAHL. Ce travail révèle ainsi l’existence d’une nouvelle classe d’enzymes de dégradation des NAHLsappartenant à la famille des enzymes possédant une signature amidase (AS) dont des membres sontpar ailleurs impliqués dans la dégradation de composés xénobiotiques. Dans une troisième partie, unsystème expérimental a été développé afin de mesurer le transfert conjugatif du plasmide de virulenceTi (tumor inducing) chez des dérivés du pathogène Agrobacterium tumefaciens, appelés «tricheurs»,incapables de produire des signaux NAHLs mais utilisateurs de ceux produits par les autres bactéries.Ce modèle a permis de montrer l’effet modérateur de lactonases dégradant les NAHLs exprimées chezdes agrobactéries produisant les NAHLs, chez des bactéries réceptrices du plasmide Ti, ou des planteshôtes des agrobactéries sur le transfert conjugatif initié par les tricheurs. L’ensemble de ce travailrévèle à la fois une nouvelle famille d’enzymes impliquées dans la dégradation des NAHLs, ainsiqu’un nouveau rôle de ces enzymes dans la modulation des flux de gènes entre bactériesphytopathogènes en interaction avec une plante hôte. / Identification of bacterial and eukaryotic enzymes that degrade N-acyl homoserine lactones(NAHLs) involved in QS signaling raises the question of their roles in bacteria-eucaryotesinteractions. In a first part of this study, a bibliographic report analyzes the current data on thoseNAHL-degrading enzymes. In a second part, the growth of NAHL-degrading bacteria was stimulatedby g-caprolactone (GCL) amendment in potato rhizosphere to protect this plant against the soft-rotpathogen Pectobacterium. The effect of the GCL treatment on rhizospheric bacterial communities wasevaluated by a combination of different molecular microbial ecology techniques such as DGGE,pyrosequencing and functional metagenomic. This last approach was applied to generate ametagenomic library of ca. 30,000 clones and lead to the identification of the qsdB gene that encodesNAHL degradation, This work revealed the occurrence of a novel class of NAHL-degrading enzymesthat belong to the amidase signature (AS) family, some members of which being involved inxenobiotic compound degradation. In a third part, an experimental system was developed to measurethe conjugative transfer of Ti plasmid in various strains of the pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens,including “cheaters”, i.e. bacteria unable to produce NAHL signals but capable to use signals producedby other bacteria. Using this model; variations of the plasmid transfer of cheaters were measured whenNAHL-degrading lactonases were expressed in agrobacteria that produce NAHL signals, in recipientbacteria of Ti plasmid, or in agrobacterial host plant. Taken together, thesis experiments revealed anovel class of enzymes involved in NAHL-degradation and a new role for thoses enzymes in themodulation of gene transfer between pathogenic bacteria interacting with host plants.

Muitos genes bacterianos são regulados pelo mecanismo de comunicação denominado quorum sensing (QS). Neste sistema, moléculas sinalizadoras ativam um comportamento de grupo, conforme a densidade celular, permitindo o controle da expressão gênica. Estudos sugerem o potencial de compostos extraídos de plantas sobre o QS, a exemplo da quercetina, um flavonol presente em concentrações elevadas em algumas frutas e hortaliças. Este composto é o flavonoide majoritário presente em cebola (Allium cepa), mas não existem estudos que mostrem a atividade anti-QS de extratos orgânicos deste vegetal. Este trabalho avaliou o potencial antimicrobiano e anti-QS de extratos orgânicos de cebola branca e cebola roxa, assim como de alguns de seus componentes majoritários identificados, em fenótipos regulados pelo QS como a produção de violaceína em Chrormobacterium violaceum ATCC 12472, a motilidade tipo swarming e a formação de biofilmes em Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 e Serratia marcescens MG1. Extratos de cebola branca e roxa foram obtidos por extração em fase sólida utilizando coluna de poliamida e seus compostos identificados e quantificados pelas técnicas de Cromatografia líquida- ionização por elétron spray-espectrometria de massas e cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência acoplada a detector de arranjo de diodo. A atividade antimicrobiana foi avaliada pelas curvas de multiplicação de cada micro-organismo. O efeito dos compostos quercetina aglicona (inibidor do QS já relatado na literatura e encontrado no extrato de cebola roxa) e quercetina-3-β-D-glicosideo (um dos compostos majoritários encontrados em ambos extratos) sobre os micro-organismos utilizados neste estudo foi também avaliado. Foram obtidos três extratos: cebola branca em metanol (CB-MeOH), cebola branca em metanol amônia (CBMeOH/ NH4) e cebola roxa em metanol (CR-MeOH). Os compostos quercetina 3,4\'- diglicosídeio, quercetina-4-glicosídeo, quercetina-3-β-D-glicosideo e quercetina aglicona foram os predominantes nos extratos das duas variedades de cebola. Cianidina-3-O-glicosideo também foi identificada no extrato de cebola roxa. A concentração inibitória mínima (MIC) dos extratos foi igual ou superior a 125 µg/ml (p/v) de extrato seco. Não foi observada inibição significativa da produção de violaceína em C. violaceum pelos extratos orgânicos de cebola e nem pela quercetina-3-β-D-glicosideo, nas concentrações sub-inibitórias avaliadas. No entanto, a quercetina aglicona inibiu significativamente a produção de violaceína em todas as concentrações. A glicosilação da quercetina pode ter afetado sua atividade sobre a inibição da produção de violaceina, já que estudos mostram menor atividade biológica deste composto quando glicosilado. Para a motilidade tipo swarming em P. aeruginosa PAO1 houve inibição significativa pelo extrato de cebola roxa, em todas as concentrações estudadas. Os demais extratos não apresentaram inibição contra este micro-organismo. Para S. marcescens MG1, foi observada inibição da motilidade swarming somente na concentração de 125 µg/ml de CBMeOH/ NH4. As análises de comparação entre os dois tipos de quercetina revelaram que, embora para as duas bactérias testadas os dois compostos apresentaram atividade inibitória sobre a motilidade tipo swarming, a quercetina-3-β-D-glicosideo foi menos eficiente que a quercetina aglicona na concentração de 125 µg/ml. A formação de biofilmes não foi influenciada pelos extratos e, inesperadamente, não se detectou inibição da formação de biofilmes por ambos tipos de quercetina avaliados. De forma geral, os extratos orgânicos de cebola mostraram pouco efeito sobre os fenótipos controlados pelo quorum sensing e a glicosilação da quercetina provavelmente explica a baixa atividade antimicrobiana e anti-QS dos extratos. / Many bacterial genes are regulated by a communication mechanism called quorum sensing (QS). In this system, signaling molecules activate a group behavior according to cell density, allowing the control of gene expression. Studies suggest the inhibitory potential of compounds extracted from plants on the QS system, like quercetin, a flavonol present in high concentrations in some fruits and vegetables. This compound is the main flavonoid found in onion (Allium cepa); however, there are no studies showing the anti-QS activity of organic extracts of this plant. The objective of this work was to evaluate the antimicrobial and anti-QS potential of organic extracts of white and red onions, and their major components studied in QS-regulated phenotypes such as violacein production in Chromobacterium violaceum, swarming motility and biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and Serratia marcescens MG1.White and red onion extracts were obtained by solid phase extraction using a polyamide column and its compounds were identified and quantified by Liquid Chromatography - Electron Spray-Mass Spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detector. O The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by growth curves of each microorganism. The effect of non-glycosylated quercetin (a QS inhibitor already reported in the literature and found in red onion extract) and quercetin-3-β-D-glycoside (one of the major compounds found in both extracts) on the microorganisms used in this study was also evaluated. Three extracts were obtained: white onion in methanol (CB-MeOH), white onion in methanol ammonia (CB-MeOH / NH4) and red onion in methanol (CR-MeOH). Our results showed that quercetin 3,4\'- diglycoside, quercetin-4-glycoside, quercetin-3-β-D-glycoside and non-glycosylated quercetin were predominant in the extracts of the two onion varieties. Cyanidin-3-O-glycoside has also been identified in the purple onion extract. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of extracts was equal or greater than 125 µg / ml (w / v) of dry extract. There was no significant inhibition of violacein production in C. violaceum by organic onion extracts or by quercetin-3-β- D-glycoside at the sub-inhibitory concentrations evaluated. However, non-glycosylated quercetin showed a significant inhibition of violacein production in all tested concentrations. The glycosylation of Quercetin could have altered its inhibition activity towards violacein production, and in fact, some studies have shown less biological activity of some phenolic compounds when they have been glycosylated. For swarming motility in P. aeruginosa PAO1 there was significant inhibition by red onion extract, in all studied concentrations. The other extracts did not present inhibition against this microorganism. For S. marcescens MG1, inhibition of swarming motility was observed only at the concentration of 125 µg / ml of CB-MeOH / NH4. Comparative analyses between the two types of quercetin showed that, although for the two bacteria tested the two compounds showed inhibitory activity on swarming motility, quercetin-3-β-D-glycoside was less efficient than non-glycosylated quercetin in the concentration of 125 µg / ml. Biofilm formation was not influenced by the extracts and unexpectedly, both types of quercetin evaluated did not show inhibition towards biofilm formation. In general, organic onion extracts showed little effect on quorum sensing controlled phenotypes and glycosylation of quercetin probably explains the low antimicrobial and anti-QS activity of the extracts.

Notre génome, véritable mode d'emploi de chaque cellule et organisme, est constamment menacé par de multiples agents endogènes ou exogènes qui endommagent la biomolécule d'ADN. Ces lésions résultantes, de nature diverse, sont notamment impliquées dans les processus de vieillissement cellulaire, de cancérogénèse et de mort cellulaire. Afin de contrer ces effets néfastes, les organismes ont développé différents systèmes de réparation de l'ADN capables de prendre en charge spécifiquement chaque type de dommages. Parmi ces voies métaboliques, la réparation par excision de base (BER) répare chaque jour des dizaines de milliers de dommages, incluant les bases alkylées, oxydées ou désaminées, les sites abasiques ou encore certaines cassures de brin. Dans le présent travail, nous exposons la mise au point d'un nouveau biocapteur pour la détection des activités enzymatiques du BER. L'outil se caractérise par un set de sondes nucléiques autocomplémentaires, fluorescentes ou pro-fluorescentes, immobilisées sur microbilles paramagnétiques. Chaque sonde est modifiée par l'introduction sélective d'une lésion, substrat d'une activité enzymatique ciblée (ADN N-glycosylase, AP-endonucléase). L'activité d'excision/incision de la lésion, conduit à la coupure de la sonde et à la déshybridation de la structure. L'analyse et la quantification du clivage spécifique est réalisée en fluorescence, soit à partir du surnageant par spectrofluorimétrie, soit des billes par cytométrie en flux. Ce dispositif permet la détection multiplexée des activités enzymatiques de protéines purifiées ou au sein d'extraits nucléaires. Egalement, des applications dans le criblage d'inhibiteurs de la réparation de l'ADN sont envisageables dans le cadre de recherches pré-cliniques. L'adaptation de ces tests in vitro à la détection de la réparation de l'ADN in cellulo a fait l'objet de développements préliminaires. / Our genome, which may be considered as the program of each cell and organism, is constantly threatened by multiple endogenous and exogenous agents that damage the DNA biomolecule. These lesions, that show a wide array of structures, are particularly involved in cell aging, carcinogenesis and cell death. To thwart these negative effects, organisms have developed various DNA repair pathways that take in charge the alterations in a specific manner. Among them, the base excision repair (BER) removes every day dozens of thousands of damages, including alkylated, oxidized or deaminated bases, abasic sites or single strand breaks. In this study, we present the development of a new biosensor for the detection of BER enzymatic activities. The tool is characterized by a set of (pro)fluorescent hairpin-shaped DNA probes, immobilized on paramagnetic beads. Each probe is modified by the selective insertion of a lesion, substrate for the targeted repair enzyme (DNA glycosylase, AP-endonuclease). The excision/incision activity of the lesion leads to the cleavage of the probe together with the dehybridization of the structure. The analysis and quantification of the repair process is carried out by direct fluorescence measurements from the supernatant, or by analysis of the functionalized beads by flow cytometry. This device allows the multiplexed enzymatic activities detection of purified proteins or within nuclear extracts. Applications to the screening of DNA repair inhibitors have been successfully initiated. Finally, the adaptation of these in vitro tests to in cellulo detection of DNA repair activities was investigated in preliminary studies.

Les diatomées constituent le principal groupe du phytoplancton dans les océans, contribuant à près de 20% de la production primaire globale. Dans leur environnement très variable, les diatomées sont particulièrement efficaces dans leur capacité à ajuster leur activité photosynthétique en dissipant sous forme de chaleur l’énergie lumineuse absorbée en excès, par un processus appelé le « Non-Photochemical Quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence », (NPQ). Chez la diatomée modèle, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, il a été montré que LHCX1, une protéine proche des antennes photosynthétiques, est impliquée dans le NPQ. Par des approches intrégrées de génétique, biologie moléculaire, biochimie, imagerie des cinétiques de fluorescence et spectroscopie ultrarapide, j’ai étudié le rôle de la famille des LHCX chez P. tricornutum. J’ai tout d’abord pu corréler une expression différentielle des 4 gènes LHCX de P. tricornutum avec différentes dynamiques de NPQ et activités photosynthétiques, dans différentes conditions de lumiére et nutriments. En localisant les LHCX dans les differents complexes photosynthétiques et les différents sites de dissipation d’énergie, j’ai pu proposer un modèle de régulation dynamique du NPQ impliquant à court terme principalement LHCX1 au niveau des centres réactionnels, et une autre isoforme, possiblement LHCX3, au niveau des antennes lors d’un stress lumineux prolongé. Enfin, par le criblage d’une série de mutants potentiellement dérégulés dans leur contenu en LHCXs, j’ai pu identifier des lignées avec un NPQ altéré qui pourront constituer des nouveaux outils de recherche. Dans l’ensemble ce travail de thèse a permis de mettre en évidence la diversification fonctionnelle et l’importance de la famille des LHCX dans la fine modulation des capacités de collecte de lumière et de photoprotection, expliquant sans doute en partie le succès des diatomées dans leur environnement très fluctuant. / Diatoms dominate phytoplanktonic communities in contemporary oceans, contributing to 20% of global primary productivity. In their extremely variable environment, diatoms are especially efficient in adjusting their photosynthetic activity by dissipating as heat the light energy absorbed in excess, through a process called “Non-Photochemical Quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence”, (NPQ). In the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, it has been shown that LHCX1, a photosynthetic antenna-related gene, is involved in the NPQ process. Through integrated approaches of genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, study of the kinetics of chlorophyll fluorescence yields and ultrafast spectroscopy, I studied the role of the LHCX family in the photoprotection activity of P. tricornutum. I first correlated a differential regulation of the 4 P. tricornutum LHCX genes with different dynamics of NPQ and photosynthetic activity, in different light and nutrient conditions. By localizing the LHCXs in fractioned photosynthetic complexes and the different sites of energy dissipation, I was able to propose a model of dynamic regulation of NPQ capacity involving mainly the LHCX1 in the reaction centers, during short-term high light responses. During prolonged high light stress, the quenching occurs mainly in the antennas, potentially mediated by the LHCX3 isoform. Finally, using photosynthetic parameters, I screened a series of transgenic lines putatively deregulated in their LHCX amount, and I identified lines with altered NPQ, which could represent novel investigation tools. Altogether, this work highlighted the functional diversification and the importance of the LHCX protein family in the fine-tuning of light harvesting and photoprotection capacity, possibly contributing to explain diatoms success in their highly fluctuating environment.

Muitos genes bacterianos são regulados pelo mecanismo de comunicação denominado quorum sensing (QS). Neste sistema, moléculas sinalizadoras ativam um comportamento de grupo, conforme a densidade celular, permitindo o controle da expressão gênica. Estudos sugerem o potencial de compostos extraídos de plantas sobre o QS, a exemplo da quercetina, um flavonol presente em concentrações elevadas em algumas frutas e hortaliças. Este composto é o flavonoide majoritário presente em cebola (Allium cepa), mas não existem estudos que mostrem a atividade anti-QS de extratos orgânicos deste vegetal. Este trabalho avaliou o potencial antimicrobiano e anti-QS de extratos orgânicos de cebola branca e cebola roxa, assim como de alguns de seus componentes majoritários identificados, em fenótipos regulados pelo QS como a produção de violaceína em Chrormobacterium violaceum ATCC 12472, a motilidade tipo swarming e a formação de biofilmes em Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 e Serratia marcescens MG1. Extratos de cebola branca e roxa foram obtidos por extração em fase sólida utilizando coluna de poliamida e seus compostos identificados e quantificados pelas técnicas de Cromatografia líquida- ionização por elétron spray-espectrometria de massas e cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência acoplada a detector de arranjo de diodo. A atividade antimicrobiana foi avaliada pelas curvas de multiplicação de cada micro-organismo. O efeito dos compostos quercetina aglicona (inibidor do QS já relatado na literatura e encontrado no extrato de cebola roxa) e quercetina-3-β-D-glicosideo (um dos compostos majoritários encontrados em ambos extratos) sobre os micro-organismos utilizados neste estudo foi também avaliado. Foram obtidos três extratos: cebola branca em metanol (CB-MeOH), cebola branca em metanol amônia (CBMeOH/ NH4) e cebola roxa em metanol (CR-MeOH). Os compostos quercetina 3,4\'- diglicosídeio, quercetina-4-glicosídeo, quercetina-3-β-D-glicosideo e quercetina aglicona foram os predominantes nos extratos das duas variedades de cebola. Cianidina-3-O-glicosideo também foi identificada no extrato de cebola roxa. A concentração inibitória mínima (MIC) dos extratos foi igual ou superior a 125 µg/ml (p/v) de extrato seco. Não foi observada inibição significativa da produção de violaceína em C. violaceum pelos extratos orgânicos de cebola e nem pela quercetina-3-β-D-glicosideo, nas concentrações sub-inibitórias avaliadas. No entanto, a quercetina aglicona inibiu significativamente a produção de violaceína em todas as concentrações. A glicosilação da quercetina pode ter afetado sua atividade sobre a inibição da produção de violaceina, já que estudos mostram menor atividade biológica deste composto quando glicosilado. Para a motilidade tipo swarming em P. aeruginosa PAO1 houve inibição significativa pelo extrato de cebola roxa, em todas as concentrações estudadas. Os demais extratos não apresentaram inibição contra este micro-organismo. Para S. marcescens MG1, foi observada inibição da motilidade swarming somente na concentração de 125 µg/ml de CBMeOH/ NH4. As análises de comparação entre os dois tipos de quercetina revelaram que, embora para as duas bactérias testadas os dois compostos apresentaram atividade inibitória sobre a motilidade tipo swarming, a quercetina-3-β-D-glicosideo foi menos eficiente que a quercetina aglicona na concentração de 125 µg/ml. A formação de biofilmes não foi influenciada pelos extratos e, inesperadamente, não se detectou inibição da formação de biofilmes por ambos tipos de quercetina avaliados. De forma geral, os extratos orgânicos de cebola mostraram pouco efeito sobre os fenótipos controlados pelo quorum sensing e a glicosilação da quercetina provavelmente explica a baixa atividade antimicrobiana e anti-QS dos extratos. / Many bacterial genes are regulated by a communication mechanism called quorum sensing (QS). In this system, signaling molecules activate a group behavior according to cell density, allowing the control of gene expression. Studies suggest the inhibitory potential of compounds extracted from plants on the QS system, like quercetin, a flavonol present in high concentrations in some fruits and vegetables. This compound is the main flavonoid found in onion (Allium cepa); however, there are no studies showing the anti-QS activity of organic extracts of this plant. The objective of this work was to evaluate the antimicrobial and anti-QS potential of organic extracts of white and red onions, and their major components studied in QS-regulated phenotypes such as violacein production in Chromobacterium violaceum, swarming motility and biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and Serratia marcescens MG1.White and red onion extracts were obtained by solid phase extraction using a polyamide column and its compounds were identified and quantified by Liquid Chromatography - Electron Spray-Mass Spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detector. O The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by growth curves of each microorganism. The effect of non-glycosylated quercetin (a QS inhibitor already reported in the literature and found in red onion extract) and quercetin-3-β-D-glycoside (one of the major compounds found in both extracts) on the microorganisms used in this study was also evaluated. Three extracts were obtained: white onion in methanol (CB-MeOH), white onion in methanol ammonia (CB-MeOH / NH4) and red onion in methanol (CR-MeOH). Our results showed that quercetin 3,4\'- diglycoside, quercetin-4-glycoside, quercetin-3-β-D-glycoside and non-glycosylated quercetin were predominant in the extracts of the two onion varieties. Cyanidin-3-O-glycoside has also been identified in the purple onion extract. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of extracts was equal or greater than 125 µg / ml (w / v) of dry extract. There was no significant inhibition of violacein production in C. violaceum by organic onion extracts or by quercetin-3-β- D-glycoside at the sub-inhibitory concentrations evaluated. However, non-glycosylated quercetin showed a significant inhibition of violacein production in all tested concentrations. The glycosylation of Quercetin could have altered its inhibition activity towards violacein production, and in fact, some studies have shown less biological activity of some phenolic compounds when they have been glycosylated. For swarming motility in P. aeruginosa PAO1 there was significant inhibition by red onion extract, in all studied concentrations. The other extracts did not present inhibition against this microorganism. For S. marcescens MG1, inhibition of swarming motility was observed only at the concentration of 125 µg / ml of CB-MeOH / NH4. Comparative analyses between the two types of quercetin showed that, although for the two bacteria tested the two compounds showed inhibitory activity on swarming motility, quercetin-3-β-D-glycoside was less efficient than non-glycosylated quercetin in the concentration of 125 µg / ml. Biofilm formation was not influenced by the extracts and unexpectedly, both types of quercetin evaluated did not show inhibition towards biofilm formation. In general, organic onion extracts showed little effect on quorum sensing controlled phenotypes and glycosylation of quercetin probably explains the low antimicrobial and anti-QS activity of the extracts.

Wear and friction are among the major problems faced in several industries such as mining industry. This creates challenges to select better materials with good wear behavior in order to improve the service life of the components. In the present project, three steel wire grades OH 70, OH 75 and OH 101 have been heat treated by quenching and partitioning heat treatment and tested using three wear testing methods. The wear tests performed were a pin-on-disc test, dry-pot test and slurry pot-test, and the results were compared with the conventional quenched and tempered steel. Tensile tests, hardness, impact Charpy tests, scanning electron microscope, optical microscope, X-ray diffraction and magnetic measurements were applied to characterize mechanical properties and microstructure of the steels before wear tests. The results showed that the quenched and partitioned steels with considerable amount of retained austenite had higher ductility and good impact toughness than the quenched and tempered steels. After the pin on disc tests, OH 75 grade showed the highest wear resistance, while the lowest wear resistance was obtained by OH 70 grade. The damage mechanisms identified after pin-on-disc were abrasion and oxidative wear. During erosive wear, almost no measurable wear was recorded under the dry pot conditions, while the slurry pot test owned significant wear mass loss. The main modes of the worn surfaces after erosive tests were ploughing and cutting. In addition, cracks were also observed.

L’allègement dans le secteur de l’automobile revête un enjeu important du fait de normes d’émission de CO2 de plus en plus drastiques, de la nécessité de réduire la consommation en carburant des véhicules et d’une aspiration sociétale à une économie « plus verte ». Pour répondre à ces défis et dans un souci de sécurité et de contrôle des coûts, l’industrie automobile étudie actuellement la possibilité de développer et de produire une 3ème génération d'aciers à très haute résistance. Ils résultent de traitements thermomécaniques généralement innovants, possèdent des microstructures complexes et des propriétés mécaniques améliorées. Le procédé de Quenching and Partitioning (Q&P) est le traitement le plus prometteur, il consiste en une trempe sous la température de début de transformation martensitique Ms, puis, d'un réchauffage et d'un maintien au-dessus de la température initiale de trempe (QT). L'étape de maintien est appelée "étape de partition", car un enrichissement en carbone de l'austénite est attendu. Les propriétés mécaniques exceptionnelles des aciers Q&P sont dues à leur microstructure duplexe complexe : de très fins îlots d'austénite résiduelle imbriqués dans une matrice martensitique revenue et/ou fraîche. Bien que les mécanismes d'enrichissement en carbone de l'austénite résiduelle lors de l'étape de partition soient encore débattus dans la littérature, il existe des preuves tangibles qui attestent d’un phénomène de partition du carbone de la martensite vers l’austénite. Cependant, la formation de bainite et de carbures dans la martensite soulève la question de l’influence de ces réactions et de leurs interactions sur les mécanismes et les cinétiques d’enrichissement en carbone de l'austénite. Il s'agit clairement d'un sujet d'intérêt puisque les propriétés mécaniques de ces aciers reposent principalement sur la teneur en carbone des îlots d’austénite.Cette thèse qui repose sur une approche expérimentale multi-échelle couplée à une approche théorique en champ moyen, a pour ambition d’apporter des éléments de réponse aux mécanismes d’enrichissement en carbone de l’austénite dans un aciers duplex Q&P à très haute résistance de composition Fe-0,3 C-2,5Mn-1,5Si... / The need to reduce the fuel consumption of vehicles while increasing safety led the automotive industry to develop a 3rd generation of Advanced High Strength Steels. Such steels combine innovative processing routes, complex microstructures, improved mechanical properties and are a possible response in vehicle lightweighting. The Quenching and Partitioning (Q&P) process is the most promising route and involves quenching below the martensite start temperature followed by a reheatingand ageing above the initial quench temperature (QT). The ageing step is termed “partitioning step” since carbon enrichment in austenite is expected to occur during this stage. The exceptional mechanical properties of Q&P steels come from their complex duplex microstructure: very fine austenite island retained at room temperature embedded in both recovered and fresh martensite. Although the mechanisms of carbon enrichment in retained austenite during the partitioning step are still debated,strong evidences of carbon partitioning from martensite to austenite exist. However, both the formation of bainite and carbides into martensite raise the question of the effects of competitive reactions on the carbon enrichment in austenite. It is clearly a topic of interest since the benefits of such a treatment in terms of improved mechanical properties depends strongly on the austenite stability and thus on the level of carbon enrichment in austenite during the partitioning step.This thesis aims at combining an innovative multiscale experimental methodology with an original theoretical approach providing a unique opportunity to give some clarifications regarding the microstructure evolution and the mechanisms of carbon enrichment into austenite. After having determined the optimum Q&P parameters using dilatometric and XRD measurements, a Q&P treatment at three different QT (260, 230 and 200°C) and at a partitioning temperature of 400°C was applied to a model Fe-0.3 C-2.5Mn-1.5Si steel. The dilatometric data combined with an SEM image analysis study showed that bainite forms during the partitioning step. The presence of bainite was also confirmed by in-situ High Energy X-Ray Diffraction. While bainite was shown to appear as carbide free laths, tempered martensite showed an advanced state of intra-lath precipitation. The combination of atom probe tomography (APT) and TEM technics showed that theses carbides are transitional andboth η and ε carbides were observed. Their carbon content ranged from 20.0 to 27.7 at.%. APT measurements also highlighted carbon segregation on martensite defects during the initial quench and calculation of the evolution of the carbon excess concentration on laths boundaries suggest that desegregation occurs along the Q&P treatment. In-situ HEXRD permitted to follow the austenite lattice parameter evolution and it was shown that austenite is subjected to a sequence of tensile andcompression state induced by the formation of martensite. A model for the coefficient of thermal expansion of austenite taking into account its stress state was successfully developed. The evolutions of carbon content into austenite for the three QT were determined. Surprisingly the carbon enrichment into austenite was shown not to depend on QT. It was also shown that the increase of carbon content in austenite results from both carbon partitioning and bainite contributions. Lastly, an originaltheoretical approach was developed. It was evidenced that bainite continues to form while partitioning process is rapidly completed, thus bainite transformation controls the maximum austenite carbon enrichment at 400°C, independently of QT. The contribution of partitioning from martensite was shown to be larger with decreasing QT. The developed model successfully described the experimentally observed phase transformations and austenite carbon enrichment by taking into account theinteractions between carbon partitioning, bainite transformation and carbide precipitation.

Heat treatment is a way to significantly change materials properties. When presented with materials that lack certain mechanical properties, it is possible to change its chemical properties and microstructures by applying heat. This can help achieve better yield strength, ductility and toughness. This project discusses the effects of multiple distinct heat treatment methods for several materials in order to improve ductility and elongation without diminishing strength. The materials in question are High Aluminum Steel and Strenx 700MC steel, the first being under development and the second being a commercially available steel. These steels show promise to be used as high ductility, high strength, and 3rd generation steels. The heat treatments can change the mechanical proprieties of the base materials in order to optimize these steels for applications in vertical access solutions. The heat treatments in this project were Quenching and Partitioning (QP), Quenching and Tempering (QT), Austempering (AUST), Intercritical Heat Treatment (IHT) and other usual heat treatments such as Double normalizing (D-Norm). First, the most beneficial type of the above mentioned heat treatments was selected for each steel and series of heat treatments were performed in order to identify and optimize the best method for each steel. Then, heat treated samples underwent a series of tests to numerically quantify their properties and compare them to the existing steels in Alimak’s applications. The results show that Quenching and Partitioning is the most promising heat treatment for optimizing strength and ductility in High Aluminum Steel, with elongation values up to 19% together with yield strengths of 700 MPa. For Strenx 700MC a combination of temperature and time was found that gave an elongation of above 25% with a yield strength of 450 MPa. The explanation for the good properties was partly grain refinement and phase transformations during heat treatments.

SUR2A-mediated regulation of KATP channels is affected by residues belonging to the C terminus of the first nucleotide binding domain (NBD1). We studied the C-terminal region of NBD1 by comparing experiments using NBD1 S615-D914 and NBD1 S615-K972 constructs to studies of NBD1 S615-L933 also performed in our laboratory. Our NMR data suggests that the C-terminal region of NBD1 from residues Q915 to L933 is disordered and transiently contacts the NBD1 core, which may affect NBD1 phosphorylation. Tryptophan quenching fluorescence experiments corroborate that the Q915-L933 C-terminal tail contacts the NBD1 core. Fluorescence thermal denaturation experiments suggest that NBD1 S615-D914 has a higher affinity for MgATP compared with NBD1 S615-L933, implying that the C-terminal tail varies MgATP binding. Additional experiments were performed to identify soluble constructs of hSUR1 NBD1 and rSUR2A NBD2 that would allow detailed biophysical studies of these domains. Some of the constructs studied showed improved solubility and stability.

SUR2A-mediated regulation of KATP channels is affected by residues belonging to the C terminus of the first nucleotide binding domain (NBD1). We studied the C-terminal region of NBD1 by comparing experiments using NBD1 S615-D914 and NBD1 S615-K972 constructs to studies of NBD1 S615-L933 also performed in our laboratory. Our NMR data suggests that the C-terminal region of NBD1 from residues Q915 to L933 is disordered and transiently contacts the NBD1 core, which may affect NBD1 phosphorylation. Tryptophan quenching fluorescence experiments corroborate that the Q915-L933 C-terminal tail contacts the NBD1 core. Fluorescence thermal denaturation experiments suggest that NBD1 S615-D914 has a higher affinity for MgATP compared with NBD1 S615-L933, implying that the C-terminal tail varies MgATP binding. Additional experiments were performed to identify soluble constructs of hSUR1 NBD1 and rSUR2A NBD2 that would allow detailed biophysical studies of these domains. Some of the constructs studied showed improved solubility and stability.