Les peroxyrédoxines (Prx) sont des peroxydases à thiol, ubiquitaires, qui jouent un rôle central dans la physiologie du peroxyde d’hydrogène. Une famille de Prx dite "2-Cys-Prx typique" possède une propriété unique de suroxydation de la Cys catalytique sous forme acide sulfinique, qui constitue un mécanisme de régulation des fonctions des 2-Cys-Prx typiques en tant que peroxydase, capteur de peroxyde ou protéine chaperon. La réduction des 2-Cys-Prx typiques suroxydées est catalysée par la Sulfirédoxine (Srx), une sulfinyl réductase ATP-dépendante dont la constante catalytique est de l’ordre de 1-2 min-1, une valeur faible qui doit être corrélée au rôle de Srx dans la régulation redox. L’objectif de ce travail était d’analyser l’enzymologie de la régulation du système Prx/Srx au niveau, du processus de suroxydation des 2-Cys-Prx typiques, de l’étape limitante de la Srx, et de son recyclage par les systèmes redox cellulaires. Dans un premier temps, nous avons caractérisé les deux étapes du cycle catalytique de la 2-Cys-Prx typique majeure de S. cerevisiae Tsa1, dont la compétition contrôle la sensibilité à la suroxydation, par une stratégie combinant cinétiques rapides, système enzymatique couplé et modélisation cinétique. Ces travaux suggèrent que cette compétition est contrôlée par une réorganisation conformationnelle au cours du cycle catalytique de la Tsa1. Dans un second temps, l’étude de la première étape du mécanisme catalytique de Srx, qui consiste en l’activation ATP-dépendante du groupement acide sulfinique de la 2 Cys-Prx a permis, i) de montrer que l’étape limitante de la réaction catalysée par Srx était associée au processus chimique de transfert de phosphate, et ii) de proposer un modèle d’assemblage du complexe Michaelien Prx/Srx/ATP formé lors de ce processus. Enfin, par une approche combinant cinétiques enzymatiques in vitro et génétique de la levure in vivo, nous avons établi que le mécanisme de recyclage des Srx à 1 Cys existant chez les plantes ou les mammifères implique le rôle du glutathion comme réducteur cellulaire, contrairement à la Srx de S. cerevisiae qui est recyclée par le système thiorédoxine. De façon inattendue, la spécificité du glutathion dans ce mécanisme est assurée par un événement de reconnaissance au sein du complexe Prx/Srx / The peroxiredoxins (Prx) are ubiquitous thiol peroxidases, which play a central role in the physiology of hydrogen peroxide. A subclass of Prx called "typical 2-Cys-Prx" has a unique property to hyperoxidize the catalytic Cys into the sulfinic acid form, which acts as a regulation mechanism of their functions, as peroxidase, peroxide sensor or protein chaperone. The reduction of the overoxidized form is catalyzed by sulfiredoxin (Srx), an ATP-dependent sulfinyl reductase whose catalytic constant is about 1-2 min-1, a low value that must be correlated to the role of Srx in redox regulation. The aim of this study was to analyze the enzymology of the regulation of the Prx/Srx system at three diffrents points of control: the hyper-oxidation process of typical 2-Cys-Prx, the rate-limiting step of the Srx mechanism and the recycling step of Srx by the cellular thiol redox systems. We have first characterized the competition mechanism between the two steps of the catalytic mechanism of the major typical 2-Cys-Prx of S. cerevisiae, Tsa1, through a strategy combining rapid kinetics, coupled enzyme system and kinetic modelling analysis. This work suggests that the sensitivity to hyper-oxidation is controlled by a conformational reorganization during the catalytic cycle of Tsa1. Next, the study of the first step of Srx catalytic mechanism, which involves the ATP-dependent activation of the sulfinic acid form of typical 2-Cys Prx i) has shown that the rate-limiting step is associated with the chemical phosphate transfer process, and ii) provided an assembly model of the Michaelien complex Prx/Srx/ATP, formed during this process. Finally, through the combination of in vitro enzyme kinetics and in vivo yeast genetic tools, we established that the recycling mechanism of one Cys Srx, existing in plants or mammals, involves the glutathione (GSH) as reducer in cells, contrary to the Srx from S. cerevisiae, which is recycled by the Thioredoxin system. Unexpectedly, our study suggests that GSH binds the thiolsulfinate complex, confirming the role of GSH as the primary reducing system of 1-Cys-Srx

In insects, the cuticle provides protection against physical injury and water loss, rigidness for muscle attachment and mechanical support, and flexibility in inter-segmental and joint areas for mobility. As most insects undergo metamorphosis, they need to shred off old cuticle and synthesize new cuticle to fit the body shape and size throughout their life cycles. The newly formed cuticle, mainly composed of cuticular proteins, chitin, and sclerotizing reagents, needs to be hardened through the crosslinks between cuticular proteins and sclerotizing reagents. This dissertation concerns the biochemical activities of several pyridoxal 5-phosphate (PLP)-dependent decarboxylases with most of them involved in insect cuticle hardening. Herein, we first present a detailed overview of topics in reactions and enzymes involved in insect cuticle hardening. Aspartate 1-decarboxylase (ADC) is at the center of this dissertation. beta-alanine, the product of ADC-catalyzed reaction from aspartate, is the component of an important sclerotizing reagent, N-beta-alanyldopamine; the levels of beta-alanine in insects regulate the concentrations of dopamine, therefore affecting insect sclerotization and tanning (collectively referred as cuticle hardening in this dissertation). Biochemical characterization of insect ADC has revealed that this enzyme has typical mammalian cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase (CSADC) activity, able to generate hypotaurine and taurine. The result throws lights on research in the physiological roles of insect ADC and the pathway of insect taurine biosynthesis. Cysteine was found to be  an inactivator of several PLP-dependent decarboxylases, such as ADC, glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) and CSADC. This study helps to understand symptoms associated with the abnormal cysteine concentrations in several neurodegenerative diseases. A mammalian enzyme, glutamate decarboxylase like-1 (GADL1), has been shown to have the same substrate usage as insect ADC does, potentially contributing to the biosynthesis of taurine and/or beta-alanine in mammalian species. Finally, the metabolic engineering work of L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine decarboxylase (DDC) and 3, 4-dihydroxylphenylacetaldehyde (DHPAA) synthase has revealed that the reactions of these enzymes could be determined by a few conserved residues at their active site. As both enzymes have been implicated in the biosynthesis of sclerotizing reagents, it is of great scientific and practical importance to understand the similarity and difference in their reaction mechanisms. The results of this dissertation provide valuable biochemical information of ADC, DDC, DHPAA synthase, and GADL1, all of which are PLP-dependent decarboxylases. ADC, DDC, DHPAA synthase are important enzymes in insect cuticle hardening by contributing to the biosynthesis of sclerotizing reagents. Knowledge towards understanding of these enzymes will promote the comprehension of insect cuticle hardening and help scientists to search for ideal insecticide targets. The characterization of GADL1 lays groundwork for future research of its potential role in taurine and beta-alanine metabolism. / Ph. D.

Palladium complexes have the ability to catalyse cross-coupling of two organic moieties through the formation of transient metal-carbon bonds, thus bringing them closer to each other to facilitate the formation of a new bond. Palladium-catalysed coupling reactions are one of the most important carbon-carbon forming reactions available to organic chemists and many of these reactions rely on the reactivity of aryl-palladium complexes. The investigation of new aryl-palladium precursors is thus of great interest, especially as more sustainable and economic methods can be developed. This thesis describes the use of carboxylic acids and sodium arylsulfinates as such new arylating agents. Protocols for microwave-assisted palladium(II)-catalysed decarboxylative synthesis of electron-rich styrenes and 1,1-diarylethenes were developed. However, these transformations had very limited substrate scopes which prompted the investigation of sodium arylsulfinates as alternative arylating agents. These substrates were employed in the microwave-assisted palladium(II)-catalysed desulfitative addition to nitriles, and the substrate scope was demonstrated by combining a wide array of sodium arylsulfinates and nitriles to yield the corresponding aryl ketones. The application of the desulfitative reaction in a continuous flow setup was demonstrated, and aluminium oxide was identified as safe alternative to borosilicate glass as a reactor material. The mechanisms of the decarboxylative and desulfitative transformations were investigated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The desulfitative reaction was also investigated by direct electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), providing further mechanistic insight. Finally, a protocol for the safe and convenient synthesis of a wide range of sodium arylsulfinates was developed.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the prototypic systemic autoimmune disease, whereas autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS1) is a rare autosomal disorder characterized by combinations of organ-specific autoimmune manifestations including hypoparathyroidism and intestinal dysfunction, and may serve as a model for organ-specific autoimmunity. Autoantibodies directed against proteins expressed in the affected tissues are found in both diseases. From a chondrocyte cDNA expression library, we identified the protein AHNAK as an autoantigen in SLE. Anti-AHNAK antibodies were found in 29.5% (18/61) of patients with SLE, 4.6% (5/109) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and 1.2% (2/172) of blood donors. Using a candidate approach, we analyzed the prevalence in APS1 and other organ-specific autoimmune diseases, of autoantibodies against the pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzymes histidine decarboxylase (HDC) and cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase (CSAD), which are structurally closely related to known autoantigens. Anti-HDC and anti-CSAD reactivity was detected exclusively in APS1 patient sera. Anti-HDC antibodies were detected in 37.1% (36/97) of the APS1 sera, did not cross-react with aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase, and were associated with intestinal dysfunction and loss of histamine-producing gastric enterochromaffin-like cells. In contrast, anti-CSAD reactivity was detected in 3.6% (3/83) of APS1 sera and cross-reacted with recombinant glutamic acid decarboxylase. From a parathyroid cDNA expression library, novel spliced transcripts of the CLLD4 gene on human chromosome 13q14, encoding 26 and 31 kDa isoforms recognized by autoantibodies in 3.4% (3/87) of APS1 patients, were identified and found to be preferentially expressed in lung and ovary. Both isoforms contain an N-terminal BTB/POZ domain, similarly to the TNF-alpha-regulated protein B12, localize both to the cytoplasm and nucleus in transfected COS cells, and form oligomers in vitro. The CLLD4 gene is located in a region frequently deleted in several forms of cancer, including lung and ovarian tumors. In conclusion, we have identified and partially characterized AHNAK and HDC as two common targets of autoantibodies in SLE and APS1, respectively. We have also identified CSAD and CLLD4 as two minor autoantigens in APS1, one of which is a novel protein with unknown function.