Master 2

Université de Bordeaux; Villenave-d'Ornon; Sur place; EUR 10 000 - 13 000; Temps partiel

Résumé du poste

Université de Bordeaux invites applications for an M2 internship focused on lipid droplets in plant-pathogen interactions. The project involves confocal microscopy, RT-qPCR, and metabolic analyses across two labs: LBM in Villenave d'Ornon and IECB in Pessac, with mobility between sites expected.

English is used at IECB, and candidates should be motivated and scientifically curious. Supervision will be shared by Denis Coulon, Claire Bréhélin (LBM) and Elia Stahl (IECB).

Description du poste

Investigating the role of lipid droplets in plant-pathogen interactions.

Contexte / Context.

Lipid droplets (LDs) are ubiquitous organelles dedicated to the storage of neutral lipids in every eukaryote. In plants, they have various functions including roles in plant development and responses to environmental stresses. The hosting research team (Lipid Droplet, Laboratory of Membrane Biogenesis) studies the role of lipid droplets in response to variations in environmental conditions (biotic and abiotic stresses) and has recently revealed a crucial role of lipid droplets in plant-virus interactions. Preliminary data obtained through a collaborative work between the Lipid Droplet research team and the Immunity research team (Laboratory of Membrane Biogenesis/IECB) suggests a potential role of lipid droplets in the interaction of plants with bacterial and fungal pathogens. The student will be co-supervised by Denis Coulon and Claire Bréhélin at LBM, and by Elia Stahl at IECB.

The M2 internship aims on investigating this potential role of lipid droplets in plant-pathogen interactions. This will include confocal microscopy analysis to observe lipid droplet biogenesis, accumulation and mobility during infection with the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae (Psm) and the fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea. Within this analysis we will include plant treatments with highly conserved immunogenic patterns from the described pathogens (flg22, chitin) to test whether the perception of these elicitors of plant immunity is sufficient to trigger lipid droplet biogenesis. To investigate the functional role of lipid droplets in plant immunity, we will assess the susceptibility of mutants impaired in lipid droplet biogenesis to infection by Psm and B. cinerea. Additionally, lipid droplet mutants will be analyzed for well‑described transcriptional and metabolic markers of plant immunity upon infection to determine which immune regulatory pathways are affected by lipid droplet biogenesis.

Methodologies / Methods

Plant cultivation under laboratory conditions (soil and in vitro cultivation) / confocal microscopy / RT-qPCR / quantification of pathogen performance in plants (bioassays) / extraction and quantification of immune regulatory metabolites in plants.

The work of the internship will be carried out in two laboratories at two different locations, the Laboratory of Membrane Biogenesis (Villenave d'Ornon) and the European Institute for Chemistry and Biology (IECB) (Pessac). Mobility between both institutes is requested from the potential candidate. Working language at IECB is English. We are looking for a motivated and dynamic student with scientific curiosity.

References:

Turnip mosaic virus utilizes the lipid droplet biogenesis machinery to facilitate its propagation in plants. Jambou L, Arvy N, Batsale M, Sofer L, Shakir S, Cochet M, Simon V,

The MIK2/SCOOP Signaling System Contributes to Arabidopsis Resistance Against

Herbivory by Modulating Jasmonate and Indole Glucosinolate Biosynthesis. Stahl E*,

Fernandez Martin A, Glauser G, Guillou MC, Aubourg S, Renou JP, Reymond P. Frontiers in Plant

Science 2022 13, 852808. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.852808