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Glacier retreat has increased in the European Alps during the last four decades. This affects proglacial geomorphic processes and the spatial distribution of plants. We assessed how the type and the magnitude of geomorphic disturbance control the spatial distribution of a rare alpine plant species: Trifolium saxatile All., whose main habitats are proglacial forelands and alluvial bars and banks, within the Glacier Blanc et Glacier Noir catchment area (Ecrins National Park, French Alps). Based on field observations during the summers of 2020 and 2021, we produced a map combining geomorphological deposits and presence-absence of T. saxatile to detect which geomorphological units are relevant for our study. We determined the magnitude and frequency of superficial sediment reworking between the 2020 and 2021 summers using Radio Frequency IDentification experimentation on moraines slopes and glacio-fluvial deposits on which populations of T. saxatile were observed. Abundance and functional traits (stem height, length and number of inflorescences) were also measured. To analyze the potential impacts of geomorphic disturbances on T. saxatile presence, abundance and intra-specific trait variability, generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) and factor analyses of mixed data (FAMD) were used. Results showed heterogeneity in the geographical distribution of T. saxatile within the proglacial landscape. Clovers preferentially established over three geomorphological units: (i) nearly stabilized lateral moraines, (ii) active braided floodplains and (iii) the exposed young alluvial bars. It was totally absent in purely gravitational landforms (e.g. scree, talus cones). The largest individuals of T. saxatile with many inflorescences were mostly found within the active torrential channel where geomorphic disturbances are intense and frequent but this was however balanced by a low abundance of individuals. On lateral moraines and alluvial terraces, which are almost stabilized and exhibit a lower level of geomorphic disturbances than the active braided floodplain (in terms of magnitude and frequency of movement of RFID tracked sediment particles), individuals were much more abundant, but they were smaller and with less inflorescences compared to the active torrential channel. This study shows the importance of geomorphic processes as key drivers of the spatial distribution, and potentially traits expression, of alpine species living in glaciated catchment areas.

International audience; NRF2 is a master regulator of anti-oxidative response that was recently proposed as a potential regulator of extracellular matrix (ECM) gene expression. Fibroblasts are major ECM producers in all connective tissues including dermis. A better understanding of NRF2-mediated ECM regulation in skin fibroblasts is thus of great interest for skin homeostasis maintenance and aging protection. Here, we investigate the impact of NRF2 downregulation on matrisome gene expression and ECM deposits in human primary dermal fibroblasts. RNA-seq-based transcriptome analysis of NRF2 silenced dermal fibroblasts shows that ECM genes are the most regulated gene sets, highlighting the relevance of the NRF2-mediated matrisome program in these cells. Using complementary light and electron microscopy methods, we show that NRF2 deprivation in dermal fibroblasts results in reduced collagen I biosynthesis and impacts collagen fibril deposition. Moreover, we identify ZNF469, a putative transcriptional regulator of collagen biosynthesis, as a novel target of NRF2. Both ZNF469 silenced fibroblasts and fibroblasts derived from Brittle Corneal Syndrome patients carrying mutations in ZNF469 show reduced collagen I gene expression. Our study shows that NRF2 orchestrates matrisome expression in human skin fibroblasts through direct or indirect transcriptional mechanisms that could be prioritized to target dermal ECM homeostasis in health and disease.

As sessile organisms, plants are subjected to fluctuating sunlight including potentially detrimental ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B). In Arabidopsis thaliana, experiments under controlled conditions have shown that UV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8 (UVR8) controls photomorphogenic responses for acclimation and tolerance to UV-B; however, its long-term impacts on plant performance remain poorly understood in naturally fluctuating environments. Here we quantified the survival and reproduction of different Arabidopsis mutant genotypes in diverse field and laboratory conditions. We found that uvr8 mutants produced more fruits than wild type in growth chambers with artificial low UV-B conditions but not in natural field conditions. Importantly, independent double mutants of UVR8 and the blue-light photoreceptor gene CRYPTOCHROME 1 (CRY1) in two genetic backgrounds showed a drastic reduction in fitness in the field. UV-B attenuation experiments in field conditions and supplemental UV-B in growth chambers demonstrated that UV-B caused the conditional cry1 uvr8 lethality phenotype. RNA sequencing in different conditions revealed a large number of genes with statistical interaction of UVR8 and CRY1 mutations in the presence of UV-B in the field. Among them, Gene Ontology analysis identified enrichment of categories related to UV-B response, oxidative stress, photoprotection and DNA damage repair. Our study demonstrates the functional importance of the UVR8-mediated response across life stages in natura, which is partially redundant with CRY1, and provides an integral picture of gene expression associated with plant environmental responses under diverse environmental conditions.

Vascularization of reconstructed tissues is one of the remaining hurdles to be considered to improve both the functionality and viability of skin grafts and the relevance of in vitro applications. Our study, therefore, sought to develop a perfusable vascularized full-thickness skin equivalent that comprises a more complex blood vasculature compared to existing models. We combined molding, auto-assembly and microfluidics techniques in order to create a vascularized skin equivalent representing (a) a differentiated epidermis with a physiological organization and correctly expressing K14, K10, Involucrin, TGM1 and Filaggrin, (b) three perfusable vascular channels with angiogenic sprouts stained with VE-Caderin and Collagen IV, (c) an adjacent microvascular network created via vasculogenesis and connected to the sprouting macrovessels. Histological analysis and immunostaining of CD31, Collagen IV, Perlecan and Laminin proved the integrity of vascular constructs. In order to validate the vascularized skin potential of topical and systemic applications, caffeine and minoxidil, two compounds with different chemical properties, were topically applied to measure skin permeability and benzo[a]pyrene pollutant was systemically applied to evaluate systemic delivery. Our results demonstrated that perfusion of skin reconstructs and the presence of a complex vascular plexus resulted in a more predictive and reliable model to assess respectively topical and systemic applications. This model is therefore aimed at furthering drug discovery and improving clinical translation in dermatology.

There is an increasing need in cosmetic research for non-invasive, high content, skin imaging techniques offering the possibility to avoid performing invasive biopsies and to supply a maximum of information on skin state throughout a study, especially before, during and after product application. Multiphoton microscopy is one of these techniques compatible with in vitro and in vivo investigations of human skin, allowing its three-dimensional (3D) structure to be characterized with sub-μm resolution. Various intra-/extra-cellular constituents present specific endogenous two-photon excited fluorescence and second harmonic generation signals enabling a non-invasive visualization of the 3D structure of epidermal and superficial dermal layers. In association with fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) and specific 3D image processing, one can extract several quantitative parameters characterizing skin constituents in terms of morphology, density and function. Multiphoton FLIM applications in cosmetic research range from knowledge to efficacy evaluation studies. Knowledge studies aim at acquiring a better understanding of appearing skin differences, for example, with aging, solar exposure or between the different skin phototypes. Evaluation studies deal with efficacy assessment of cosmetic ingredients in anti-aging or whitening domains. When using other nonlinear optics phenomena such as CARS (Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering), multiphoton imaging opens up the possibility of characterizing the cosmetic ingredients distribution inside the skin and founds application in other cosmetic domains such as hydration or antiperspirants. Developments in user-friendly, ultrasensitive, compact, multimodal imaging systems, on-the-fly data analysis and the synthesis of cosmetic ingredients with non-linear optical properties will certainly allow trespassing the todays frontiers of cosmetic applications.

International audience; Human skin is constantly exposed to environmental stresses such as UV light and pollution. These agents cause oxidative stress associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, that will interfere with the normal cellular redox equilibrium. As ROS are mainly produced within mitochondria, the cellular metabolic activity could be impacted by UV light. We dynamically assessed UVA light (representing the majority of solar UV rays reaching Earth surface) effects on cellular metabolic activity of reconstructed human skin using multiphoton fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). Multiphoton FLIM offers non-invasive, label-free quantitative functional information on cellular metabolic activity based on the endogenous two-photon excited fluorescence (2PEF) of NADH (reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) and FAD (flavine adenine dinucleotide) metabolic coenzymes. The experiments were performed in both stratum granulosum and spinosum layers (T-Skin™ model, Episkin™), before and after (30 min and 2 h) UVA exposure (20 J/cm²; 20 min exposure; 320 – 400 nm). We observed quasi similar effects in both epidermal layers after UVA exposure: • Decrease of RedOx ratio NADH / (NADH + FAD) at 30 min and 2 h; • Increase in the proportion of protein-bound NADH at 2 h, and in the proportion of free FAD as early as 30 min after UVA exposure; This study shows that the effects of UVA light on epidermis, can be non-invasively evidenced and followed overtime using NADH/FAD multiphoton FLIM imaging method. Altogether, these data suggest that epidermal cells respond to UVA light by promoting oxidative phosphorylation, the most efficient metabolic pathway for ATP production.

Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein (TCTP) controls growth by regulating the G1/S transition during cell cycle progression. Our genetic interaction studies show that TCTP fulfills this role by interacting with CSN4, a subunit of the COP9 Signalosome complex, known to influence CULLIN-RING ubiquitin ligases activity by controlling CULLIN (CUL) neddylation status. In agreement with these data, downregulation of CSN4 in Arabidopsis and in tobacco cells leads to delayed G1/S transition comparable to that observed when TCTP is downregulated. Loss-of-function of AtTCTP leads to increased fraction of deneddylated CUL1, suggesting that AtTCTP interferes negatively with COP9 function. Similar defects in cell proliferation and CUL1 neddylation status were observed in Drosophila knockdown for dCSN4 or dTCTP, respectively, demonstrating a conserved mechanism between plants and animals. Together, our data show that CSN4 is the missing factor linking TCTP to the control of cell cycle progression and cell proliferation during organ development and open perspectives towards understanding TCTP’s role in organ development and disorders associated with TCTP miss-expression., Author summary During organism development, the correct implementation of organs with unique shape, size and function, is the result of coordinated cellular processes, such as cell proliferation and expansion. Deregulation of these processes affect human health and can lead to severe diseases. While plants and animals have largely diverged in several aspects, some biological functions, such as cell proliferation, are conserved between these kingdoms. Previously we reported that the Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein (TCTP), a highly-conserved protein among all eukaryotes, positively regulates cell proliferation and this role is conserved between plants and animals. In agreement with these data, animals TCTP was reported to highly accumulate in tumor cells, and thus represents a target for cancer research and therapies. To discover how TCTP regulates cell proliferation, we conducted studies to identify factors acting in the TCTP pathway. Using the model plant Arabidopsis, we identified that TCTP fulfil its role by interacting with CSN4, a subunit of the conserved COP9 complex. TCTP interferes with the role of COP9 to regulate the downstream complex CRL known to control cell proliferation in eukaryotes. We further demonstrate that this role is conserved in the fly Drosophila, thus corroborating the conservation of TCTP pathway between plants and animals. We believe that, the data here will provide exciting perspectives, beyond plant research, that will help understand developmental disorders associated with TCTP misfunction, such as cancer.

International audience; Iron (Fe) homeostasis is crucial for all living organisms. In mammals, an integrated posttranscriptional mechanism couples the regulation of both Fe deficiency and Fe excess responses. Whether in plants an integrated control mechanism involving common players regulates responses both to deficiency and to excess is still to be determined. In this study, molecular, genetic and biochemical approaches were used to investigate transcriptional responses to both Fe deficiency and excess. A transcriptional activator of responses to Fe shortage in Arabidopsis, called bHLH105/ILR3, was found to also negatively regulate the expression of ferritin genes, which are markers of the plant's response to Fe excess. Further investigations revealed that ILR3 repressed the expression of several structural genes that function in the control of Fe homeostasis. ILR3 interacts directly with the promoter of its target genes, and repressive activity was conferred by its dimerisation with bHLH47/PYE. Last, this study highlighted that important facets of plant growth in response to Fe deficiency or excess rely on ILR3 activity. Altogether, the data presented herein support that ILR3 is at the centre of the transcriptional regulatory network that controls Fe homeostasis in Arabidopsis, in which it acts as both transcriptional activator and repressor.

Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) assay has been proven to be a powerful technique to characterize in vivo the interaction between a given transcription factor (TF), or its DNA-binding domain (DBD), and target DNA sequences. Comprehensive characterization of TF/DBD and DNA interactions should allow designing synthetic promoters that would undoubtedly be valuable for biotechnological approaches. Here, we use the ligation-independent cloning system (LIC) in order to enhance the cloning efficiency of DNA motifs into the pHISi Y1H vector. LIC overcomes important limitations of traditional cloning technologies, since any DNA fragment can be cloned into LIC compatible vectors without using restriction endonucleases, ligation, or in vitro recombination.

Iron (Fe) is an essential metal nutrient for plant productivity and plant product quality (Briat et al., 2015). Fe exists under two forms, ferrous (Fe2+) or ferric (Fe3+), and is very reactive with oxygen, explaining why Fe plant nutrition is dependent upon both Fe chelation and Fe reduction. Fe availability in the soil is pH dependent, this metal being particularly insoluble in its ferric form in calcareous soils, representing one-third of the world’s cultivated soils. Consequently, plants grown on these soils, in particular non-graminaceous plants, often suffer from Fe deficiency, which alters their growth.

Focal adhesions (FAs) are important mediators of cell-substrate interactions. One of their key functions is the transmission of forces between the intracellular acto-myosin network and the substrate. However, the relationships between cell traction forces, FA architecture, and molecular forces within FAs are poorly understood. Here, by combining Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based molecular force biosensors with micropillar-based traction force sensors and high-resolution fluorescence microscopy, we simultaneously map molecular tension across vinculin, a key protein in FAs, and traction forces at FAs. Our results reveal strong spatiotemporal correlations between vinculin tension and cell traction forces at FAs throughout a wide range of substrate stiffnesses. Furthermore, we find that molecular tension within individual FAs follows a biphasic distribution from the proximal (towards the cell nucleus) to distal end (towards the cell edge). Using super-resolution imaging, we show that such a distribution relates to that of FA proteins. On the basis of our experimental data, we propose a model in which FA dynamics results from tension changes along the FAs.

Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) assay has been proven to be a powerful technique to characterize in vivo the interaction between a given transcription factor (TF), or its DNA-binding domain (DBD), and target DNA sequences. Comprehensive characterization of TF/DBD and DNA interactions should allow designing synthetic promoters that would undoubtedly be valuable for biotechnological approaches. Here, we use the ligation-independent cloning system (LIC) in order to enhance the cloning efficiency of DNA motifs into the pHISi Y1H vector. LIC overcomes important limitations of traditional cloning technologies, since any DNA fragment can be cloned into LIC compatible vectors without using restriction endonucleases, ligation, or in vitro recombination.

Phosphate and sulfate are essential macro-elements for plant growth and development, and deficiencies in these mineral elements alter many metabolic functions. Nutritional constraints are not restricted to macro-elements. Essential metals such as zinc and iron have their homeostasis strictly genetically controlled, and deficiency or excess of these micro-elements can generate major physiological disorders, also impacting plant growth and development. Phosphate and sulfate on one hand, and zinc and iron on the other hand, are known to interact. These interactions have been partly described at the molecular and physiological levels, and are reviewed here. Furthermore the two macro-elements phosphate and sulfate not only interact between themselves but also influence zinc and iron nutrition. These intricated nutritional cross-talks are presented. The responses of plants to phosphorus, sulfur, zinc or iron deficiencies have been widely studied considering each element separately, and some molecular actors of these regulations have been characterized in detail. Although some scarce reports have started to examine the interaction of these mineral elements two by two, a more complex analysis of the interactions and cross-talks between the signaling pathways integrating the homeostasis of these various elements is still lacking. However, a MYB-like transcription factor, PHOSPHATE STARVATION RESPONSE 1 (PHR1), emerges as a common regulator of phosphate, sulfate, zinc and iron homeostasis, and its role as a potential general integrator for the control of mineral nutrition is discussed.

The microtubule cytoskeleton is a plastic network of polarized cables. These polymers of tubulin provide orientated routes for the dynamic transport of cytoplasmic molecules and organelles, through which cell polarity is established and maintained. The role of microtubule-mediated transport in the asymmetric localization of axis polarity determinants, in the Drosophila oocyte, has been the subject of extensive studies in the past years. However, imaging the distribution of microtubule fibers in a large cell, where vitellogenesis ensures the uptake of a thick and hazy yolk, presents a series of technical challenges. This chapter briefly reviews some of these aspects and describes two methods designed to circumvent these difficulties. We provide a detailed protocol for the visualization by immunohistochemistry of the three-dimensional organization of tubulin cables in the oocyte. Additionally, we detail the stepwise procedure for the live imaging of microtubule dynamics and network remodeling, using fluorescently labeled microtubule-associated proteins.

International audience; The microtubule cytoskeleton is a plastic network of polarized cables. These polymers of tubulin provide orientated routes for the dynamic transport of cytoplasmic molecules and organelles, through which cell polarity is established and maintained. The role of microtubule-mediated transport in the asymmetric localization of axis polarity determinants, in the Drosophila oocyte, has been the subject of extensive studies in the past years. However, imaging the distribution of microtubule fibers in a large cell, where vitellogenesis ensures the uptake of a thick and hazy yolk, presents a series of technical challenges. This chapter briefly reviews some of these aspects and describes two methods designed to circumvent these difficulties. We provide a detailed protocol for the visualization by immunohistochemistry of the three-dimensional organization of tubulin cables in the oocyte. Additionally, we detail the stepwise procedure for the live imaging of microtubule dynamics and network remodeling, using fluorescently labeled microtubule-associated proteins.