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International audience; Post-germinative mobilization of neutral lipids stored in seed lipid droplets (LDs) is preceded by the degradation of oleosins, the major structural LD proteins that stabilize LDs in dry seeds. We previously showed that Arabidopsis thaliana oleosins are marked for degradation by ubiquitination, and extracted from LDs before proteolysis. However, the mechanisms underlying the dislocation of these LD-anchored proteins from the LD monolayer are yet unknown. Here, we report that PUX10, a member of the plant UBX-domain containing (PUX) protein family, is an integral LD protein that associates with a subpopulation of LDs during seed germination. In pux10 mutant seedlings, PUX10 deficiency impaired the degradation of ubiquitinated oleosins, and prevented the extraction of ubiquitinated oleosins from LDs. We also showed that PUX10 interacts with ubiquitin and CDC48A, the AAA ATPase Cell Division Cycle 48, through its UBA and UBX domains, respectively. Collectively, these results strongly suggest that PUX10 is an adaptor recruiting CDC48A to ubiquitinated oleosins, thus facilitating the dislocation of oleosins from LDs by the segregase activity of CDC48A. We propose that PUX10 and CDC48A are core components of a LD-associated degradation machinery, which we named the LD-associated degradation (LDAD) system. Importantly, PUX10 is also the first determinant of a LD subpopulation described in plants, suggesting functional differentiation of LDs in Arabidopsis seedlings.

Autophagy is a universal mechanism in eukaryotic cells that facilitates the degradation of unwanted cell constituents and is essential for cell homeostasis and nutrient recycling. The salicylic acid-independent effects of autophagy defects on leaf metabolism were determined through large-scale proteomic and lipidomic analyses of atg5 and atg5/sid2 mutants under different nitrogen and sulfur growth conditions. Results revealed that irrespective of the growth conditions, plants carrying the atg5 mutation presented all the characteristics of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Increases in peroxisome and ER proteins involved in very long chain fatty acid synthesis and β-oxidation indicated strong modifications of lipid metabolism. Lipidomic analyses revealed changes in the concentrations of sphingolipids, phospholipids and galactolipids. Significant accumulations of phospholipids and ceramides and changes in GIPCs (glycosyl-inositol-phosphoryl-ceramides) in atg5 mutants indicated large modifications in endomembrane-lipid and especially plasma membrane-lipid composition. Decreases in chloroplast proteins and galactolipids in atg5 under low nutrient conditions, indicated that chloroplasts were used as lipid reservoirs for β-oxidation in atg5 mutants. In conclusion, this report demonstrates the strong impact of autophagy defect on ER stress and reveals the role of autophagy in the control of plant lipid metabolism and catabolism, influencing both lipid homeostasis and endomembrane composition.

The phytohormone jasmonic acid (JA) and its derivatives, collectively referred to as jasmonates, regulate many developmental processes, but are also involved in the response to numerous abiotic/biotic stresses. Thus far, powerful reverse genetic strategies employing perception, signalling or biosynthesis mutants have broadly contributed to our understanding of the role of JA in the plant stress response and development, as has the chemical gain-of-function approach based on exogenous application of the hormone. However, there is currently no method that allows for tightly controlled JA production in planta. By investigating the control of the JA synthesis pathway in bacteria-infected cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plants, we identified a transcription factor (TF), named GhERF-IIb3, which acts as a positive regulator of the JA pathway. Expression of this well-conserved TF in cotton leaves was sufficient to produce in situ JA accumulation at physiological concentrations associated with an enhanced cotton defence response to bacterial infection.

International audience; The lipid composition of plasma membrane (PM) and the corresponding detergent-insoluble membrane (DIM) fraction were analyzed with a specific focus on highly polar sphingolipids, so-called glycosyl inositol phosphorylceramides (GIPCs). Using tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) 'Bright Yellow 2' cell suspension and leaves, evidence is provided that GIPCs represent up to 40 mol % of the PM lipids. Comparative analysis of DIMs with the PM showed an enrichment of 2-hydroxylated very-long-chain fatty acid-containing GIPCs and polyglycosylated GIPCs in the DIMs. Purified antibodies raised against these GIPCs were further used for immunogold-electron microscopy strategy, revealing the distribution of polyglycosylated GIPCs in domains of 35 +/- 7 nm in the plane of the PM. Biophysical studies also showed strong interactions between GIPCs and sterols and suggested a role for very-long-chain fatty acids in the interdigitation between the two PM-composing monolayers. The ins and outs of lipid asymmetry, raft formation, and interdigitation in plant membrane biology are finally discussed.

International audience; The phytohormone jasmonic acid (JA) and its derivatives, collectively referred to as jasmonates, regulate many developmental processes, but are also involved in response to numerous abiotic/biotic stresses. Thus far, powerful reverse genetic strategies employing perception, signaling or biosynthesis mutants have broadly contributed to our understanding of JA implication in plant stress response and development; so did the chemical gain-of-function approach based on exogenous application of the hormone. However, there is currently no method that allows for in planta tightly controlled JA production. Investigating the control of the JA synthesis pathway in bacteria-infected cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plants, we identified a transcription factor (TF), namely GhERF-IIb3, that could act as positive regulator of the JA pathway. Expression of this well-conserved TF in cotton leaves was sufficient to bring about in situ JA accumulation at physiological concentrations associated with enhanced cotton defense response to bacterial infection.

International audience; Although encountered in minor amounts in plant cells, very-long-chain fatty acids exert crucial functions in developmental processes. When their levels are perturbed by means of genetic approaches, marked phenotypic consequences that range from severe growth retardation to embryo lethality was indeed reported. More recently, a growing body of findings has also accumulated that points to a potential role for these lipids as signals in governing both biotic and abiotic stress outcomes. In the present work, we discuss the latter theory and explore the ins and outs of very-long-chain fatty acid-based signaling in response to stress, with an attempt to reconcile two supposedly antagonistic parameters: the insoluble nature of fatty acids and their signaling function. To explain this apparent dilemma, we provide new interpretations of pre-existing data based on the fact that sphingolipids are the main reservoir of very-long-chain fatty acids in leaves. Thus, three non-exclusive, molecular scenarii that involve these lipids as membrane-embedded and free entities are proposed.

SPE IPM UB INRA SUPDAT; International audience; Cryptogein is a 10 kDa-protein secreted by the oomycete Phytophthora cryptogea that activates defence mechanisms in tobacco plants. Among early signalling events triggered by this microbial-associated molecular pattern is a transient apoplastic oxidative burst which is dependent on the NADPH oxidase activity of the RESPIRATORY BURST OXIDASE HOMOLOG (RBOH) isoform D. Using radioactive [33P]-orthophosphate labelling of tobacco Bright Yellow-2 suspension cells, we here provide in vivo evidence for a rapid accumulation of phosphatidic acid (PA) in response to cryptogein due to the coordinated onset of phosphoinositide-dependent phospholipase C and diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) activities. Both enzyme specific inhibitors and silencing of the phylogenetic cluster III of the tobacco DGK family were found to reduce PA production upon elicitation and to strongly decrease the RBOHD-mediated oxidative burst. Therefore, it appears that PA originating from DGK controls NADPH-oxidase activity. Amongst cluster III DGKs, the expression of DGK5-like was up-regulated in response to cryptogein. Besides DGK5-like is likely to be the main cluster III DGK isoform silenced in one of our mutant line, making it a strong candidate for the observed response to cryptogein. The relevance of these results is discussed with regard to early signalling lipid-mediated events in plant immunity.

Lipids tend to organize in mono or bilayer phases in a hydrophilic environment. While they have long been thought to be incapable of coherent lateral segregation, it is now clear that spontaneous assembly of these compounds can confer microdomain organization beyond spontaneous fluidity. Membrane raft microdomains have the ability to influence spatiotemporal organization of protein complexes, thereby allowing regulation of cellular processes. In this review, we aim at summarizing briefly: (i) the history of raft discovery in animals and plants, (ii) the main findings about structural and signalling plant lipids involved in raft segregation, (iii) imaging of plant membrane domains, and their biochemical purification through detergent-insoluble membranes, as well as the existing debate on the topic. We also discuss the potential involvement of rafts in the regulation of plant physiological processes, and further discuss the prospects of future research into plant membrane rafts.

The structural characterization of Glycosyl-Inositol-Phospho-Ceramides (GIPCs), which are the main sphingolipids of plant tissues, is a critical step towards the understanding of their physiological function. After optimization of their extraction, numerous plant GIPCs have been characterized by mass spectrometry. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) full scan analysis of negative ions provides a quick overview of GIPC distribution. Clear differences were observed for the two plant models studied: six GIPC series bearing from two to seven saccharide units were detected in tobacco BY-2 cell extracts, whereas GIPCs extracted from A. thaliana cell cultures and leaves were less diverse, with a dominance of species containing only two saccharide units. The number of GIPC species was around 50 in A. thaliana and 120 in tobacco BY-2 cells. MALDI-MS/MS spectra gave access to detailed structural information relative to the ceramide moiety, the polar head, as well as the number and types of saccharide units. Once released from GIPCs, fatty acid chains and long-chain bases were analyzed by GC/MS to verify that all GIPC series were taken into account by the MALDI-MS/MS approach. ESI-MS/MS provided complementary information for the identification of isobaric species and fatty acid chains. Such a methodology, mostly relying on MALDI-MS/MS, should open new avenues to determine structure-function relationships between glycosphingolipids and membrane organization.

In cotton plant, Xanthomonas-induced hypersensitive response (HR) is accompanied by a lipid peroxidation process involving a 9-lipoxygenase (LOX), GhLox1. Initiation of this oxidative metabolism implies the release of the LOX substrates, or polyunsaturated fatty acids. Since patatin-like proteins (PLPs) are likely candidates for mediating the latter step, we searched for genes encoding such enzymes, identified and cloned one of them that we named GhPat1. Biochemical and molecular studies showed that GhPat1 expression was up-regulated during the incompatible interaction, prior to the onset of the corresponding galactolipase activity and cell death symptoms in tissues. Protein sequence analysis and modelling also revealed that GhPat1 catalytic amino acids and fold were conserved across plant PLPs. Based on these results and our previous work (Jalloul et al. in Plant J 32:1–12, 2002), a role for GhPat1, in synergy with GhLox1, during HR-specific lipid peroxidation is discussed.

This chapter provides a comprehensive updated analysis on the role of the secretory pathway in the orchestration of cell’s demise, an emerging and promising research topic in the field of plant programmed cell death (PCD). Since my first review on this topic, a plethora of data has been published supporting the concept that endomembrane system-forming subcellular compartments cooperate to coordinate cellular responses to developmental and environmental cues and thereby can dictate a cell’s ultimate fate. Thus, the early secretory pathway, encompassing the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, can be involved in the perception of extrinsic and intrinsic stimuli. It can also be an active player in cell death regulations and can invoke other organelles (such as the mitochondrion and autophagosomal compartment) under specific conditions. Furthermore, the vacuole and autophagosomal compartment, together or independently, can then act as cell death executioners and can dismantle cellular structures.

Various physiological imbalances lead to reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction and/or increases in lipoxygenase (LOX) activities, both events ending in lipid peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Besides the quantification of such a process, the development of tools is necessary in order to allow the identification of the primary cause of its development and localization. A biochemical method assessing 9 LOX, 13 LOX and ROS-mediated peroxidation of membrane-bound and free PUFAs has been improved. The assay is based on the analysis of hydroxy fatty acids derived from PUFA hydroperoxides by both the straight and chiral phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Besides the upstream products of peroxidation of the 18:2 and 18:3 PUFAs, products coming from the 16:3 were characterized and their steady-state level quantified. Moreover, the observation that the relative amounts of the ROS-mediated peroxidation isomers of 18:3 were constant in leaves allowed us to circumvent the chiral analyses for the discrimination and quantification of 9 LOX, 13 LOX and ROS-mediated processes in routine experiments. The methodology has been successfully applied to decipher lipid peroxidation in Arabidopsis leaves submitted to biotic and abiotic stresses. We provide evidence of the relative timing of enzymatic and non-enzymatic lipid peroxidation processes. The 13 LOX pathway is activated early whatever the nature of the stress, leading to the peroxidation of chloroplast lipids. Under cadmium stress, the 9 LOX pathway added to the 13 LOX one. ROS-mediated peroxidation was mainly driven by light and always appeared as a late process.

SPE IPM; International audience

Background Membrane microdomains are defined as highly dynamic, sterol- and sphingolipid-enriched domains that resist to solubilization by non-ionic detergents. In plants, these so-called Detergent Insoluble Membrane (DIM) fractions have been isolated from plasma membrane by using conventional ultracentrifugation on density gradient (G). In animals, a rapid (R) protocol, based on sedimentation at low speed, which avoids the time-consuming sucrose gradient, has also been developed to recover DIMs from microsomes as starting material. In the current study, we sought to compare the ability of the Rapid protocol versus the Gradient one for isolating DIMs directly from microsomes of M. truncatula roots. For that purpose, Triton X-100 detergent-insoluble fractions recovered with the two methods were analyzed and compared for their sterol/sphingolipid content and proteome profiles. Results Inferred from sterol enrichment, presence of typical sphingolipid long-chain bases from plants and canonical DIM protein markers, the possibility to prepare DIMs from M. truncatula root microsomes was confirmed both for the Rapid and Gradient protocols. Contrary to sphingolipids, the sterol and protein profiles of DIMs were found to depend on the method used. Namely, DIM fractions were differentially enriched in spinasterol and only shared 39% of common proteins as assessed by GeLC-MS/MS profiling. Quantitative analysis of protein indicated that each purification procedure generated a specific subset of DIM-enriched proteins from Medicago root microsomes. Remarkably, these two proteomes were found to display specific cellular localizations and biological functions. In silico analysis of membrane-associative features within R- and G-enriched proteins, relative to microsomes, showed that the most noticeable difference between the two proteomes corresponded to an increase in the proportion of predicted signal peptide-containing proteins after sedimentation (R) compared to its decrease after floatation (G), suggesting that secreted proteins likely contribute to the specificity of the R-DIM proteome. Conclusions Even though microsomes were used as initial material, we showed that the protein composition of the G-DIM fraction still mostly mirrored that of plasmalemma-originating DIMs conventionally retrieved by floatation. In parallel, the possibility to isolate by low speed sedimentation DIM fractions that seem to target the late secretory pathway supports the existence of plant microdomains in other organelles. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12870-014-0255-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

SPE IPM; Although glycosyl inositol phosphoryl ceramides (GIPCs) represent the most abundant class of sphingolipids in plants, they still remain poorly characterized in terms of structure and biodiversity. More than 50 years after their discovery, little is known about their subcellular distribution and their exact roles in membrane structure and biological functions. This review is focused on extraction and characterization methods of GIPCs occurring in plants and fungi. Global methods for characterizing ceramide moieties of GIPCs revealed the structures of long-chain bases (LCBs) and fatty acids (FAs): LCBs are dominated by tri-hydroxylated molecules such as monounsaturated and saturated phytosphingosine (t18:1 and t18:0, respectively) in plants and mainly phytosphingosine (t18:0 and t20:0) in fungi; FA are generally 14-26 carbon atoms long in plants and 16-26 carbon atoms long in fungi, these chains being often hydroxylated in position 2. Mass spectrometry plays a pivotal role in the assessment of GIPC diversity and the characterization of their structures. Indeed, it allowed to determine that the core structure of GIPC polar heads in plants is Hex(R1)-HexA-IPC, with R1 being a hydroxyl, an amine, or a N-acetylamine group, whereas the core structure in fungi is Man-IPC. Notably, information gained from tandem mass spectrometry spectra was most useful to describe the huge variety of structures encountered in plants and fungi and reveal GIPCs with yet uncharacterized polar head structures, such as hexose-inositol phosphoceramide in Chondracanthus acicularis and (hexuronic acid)(4)-inositol phosphoceramide and hexose-(hexuronic acid)(3)-inositol phosphoceramide in Ulva lactuca.

What are the most abundant sphingolipids on earth? The answer is Glycosyl Inositol Phosphoryl Ceramides (GIPCs) present in fungi and the green lineage. In this review, we discuss the putative role of plant GIPCs in the lipid bilayer asymmetry, in the lateral organization of membrane rafts and in the very long chain fatty acid inter-leaflet coupling of lipids in the plant plasma membrane (PM). A special focus on the structural similarities -and putative functions- of GIPCs is discussed by comparison with animal gangliosides, structural homologs of plant GIPCs.

International audience; Although Glycosyl-Inositol-Phospho-Ceramides (GIPCs) are the main sphingolipids of plant tissues, they remain poorly characterized in term of structures. This lack of information, notably with regard to polar heads, currently hampers the understanding of GIPC functions in biological systems. This situation prompted us to undertake a large scale-analysis of plant GIPCs: 23 plant species chosen in various phylogenetic groups were surveyed for their total GIPC content. GIPCs were extracted and their polar heads were characterized by negative ion MALDI and ESI mass spectrometry. Our data shed light on an unexpected broad diversity of GIPC distributions within Plantae, and the occurrence of yet-unreported GIPC structures in green and red algae. In monocots, GIPCs with three saccharides were apparently found to be major, whereas a series with two saccharides was dominant in Eudicots within a few notable exceptions. In plant cell cultures, GIPC polar heads appeared to bear a higher number of glycan units than in the tissue from which they originate. Perspectives are discussed in term of GIPC metabolism diversity and function of these lipids.

International audience; In eukaryotic organisms, sphingolipids are major structural lipids of biological membranes and perform additional essential functions as signalling molecules. While long-chain bases (LCB), the common precursor to all sphingolipid classes, is represented by only one major molecular species in animals and fungi, up to nine LCB have been found in plants. In the absence of genuine plant sphingolipid references required for proper quantification, we have reinvestigated and optimized a protocol destined to the quantification of total plant LCB that relies on the use of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This rapid three-step protocol sequentially involves (1) the release of LCB from biological samples using barium hydroxide solution, (2) their oxidation into aldehydes by metaperiodate, and (3) the subsequent identification/quantification of these aldehydes by GC-MS. It is simple and reliable and enables separation of aldehydes upon their stero-specificity. It further enables the quantification of total LCB from a wide variety of samples including yeast and animal cell culturesIn eukaryotic organisms, sphingolipids are major structural lipids of biological membranes and perform additional essential functions as signalling molecules. While long-chain bases (LCB), the common precursor to all sphingolipid classes, is represented by only one major molecular species in animals and fungi, up to nine LCB have been found in plants. In the absence of genuine plant sphingolipid references required for proper quantification, we have reinvestigated and optimized a protocol destined to the quantification of total plant LCB that relies on the use of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This rapid three-step protocol sequentially involves (1) the release of LCB from biological samples using barium hydroxide solution, (2) their oxidation into aldehydes by metaperiodate, and (3) the subsequent identification/quantification of these aldehydes by GC-MS. It is simple and reliable and enables separation of aldehydes upon their stero-specificity. It further enables the quantification of total LCB from a wide variety of samples including yeast and animal cell cultures

L'article original est publié par The American Society of Plant Biologists Publication Inra prise en compte dans l'analyse bibliométrique des publications scientifiques mondiales sur les Fruits, les Légumes et la Pomme de terre. Période 2000-2012. http://prodinra.inra.fr/record/256699; International audience; The formation of plasma membrane (PM) microdomains plays a crucial role in the regulation of membrane signaling and trafficking. Remorins are a plant-specific family of proteins organized in six phylogenetic groups, and Remorins of group 1 are among the few plant proteins known to specifically associate with membrane rafts. As such, they are valuable to understand the molecular bases for PM lateral organization in plants. However, little is known about the structural determinants underlying the specific association of group 1 Remorins with membrane rafts. We used a structure-function approach to identify a short C-terminal anchor (RemCA) indispensable and sufficient for tight direct binding of potato (Solanum tuberosum) REMORIN 1.3 (StREM1.3) to the PM. RemCA switches from unordered to alpha-helical structure in a nonpolar environment. Protein structure modeling indicates that RemCA folds into a tight hairpin of amphipathic helices. Consistently, mutations reducing RemCA amphipathy abolished StREM1.3 PM localization. Furthermore, RemCA directly binds to biological membranes in vitro, shows higher affinity for Detergent-Insoluble Membranes lipids, and targets yellow fluorescent protein to Detergent-Insoluble Membranes in vivo. Mutations in RemCA resulting in cytoplasmic StREM1.3 localization abolish StREM1.3 function in restricting potato virus X movement. The mechanisms described here provide new insights on the control and function of lateral segregation of plant PM.

Background Leaf rust, which is caused by the fungus Hemileia vastatrix (Pucciniales), is a devastating disease that affects coffee plants (Coffea arabica L.). Disadvantages that are associated with currently developed phytoprotection approaches have recently led to the search for alternative strategies. These include genetic manipulations that constitutively activate disease resistance signaling pathways. However, molecular actors of such pathways still remain unknown in C. arabica. In this study, we have isolated and characterized the coffee NDR1 gene, whose Arabidopsis ortholog is a well-known master regulator of the hypersensitive response that is dependent on coiled-coil type R-proteins. Results Two highly homologous cDNAs coding for putative NDR1 proteins were identified and cloned from leaves of coffee plants. One of the candidate coding sequences was then expressed in the Arabidopsis knock-out null mutant ndr1-1. Upon a challenge with a specific strain of the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae (DC3000::AvrRpt2), analysis of both macroscopic symptoms and in planta microbial growth showed that the coffee cDNA was able to restore the resistance phenotype in the mutant genetic background. Thus, the cDNA was dubbed CaNDR1a (standing for Coffea arabica Non-race specific Disease Resistance 1a). Finally, biochemical and microscopy data were obtained that strongly suggest the mechanistic conservation of the NDR1-driven function within coffee and Arabidopsis plants. Using a transient expression system, it was indeed shown that the CaNDR1a protein, like its Arabidopsis counterpart, is localized to the plasma membrane, where it is possibly tethered by means of a GPI anchor. Conclusions Our data provide molecular and genetic evidence for the identification of a novel functional NDR1 homolog in plants. As a key regulator initiating hypersensitive signalling pathways, CaNDR1 gene(s) might be target(s) of choice for manipulating the coffee innate immune system and achieving broad spectrum resistance to pathogens. Given the potential conservation of NDR1-dependent defense mechanisms between Arabidopsis and coffee plants, our work also suggests new ways to isolate the as-yet-unidentified R-gene(s) responsible for resistance to H. vastatrix.

Eukaryotic cells have to constantly cope with environmental cues and integrate developmental signals. Cell survival or death is the only possible outcome. In the field of animal biology, tremendous efforts have been put into the understanding of mechanisms underlying cell fate decision. Distinct organelles have been proven to sense a broad range of stimuli and, if necessary, engage cell death signalling pathway(s). Over the years, forward and reverse genetic screens have uncovered numerous regulators of programmed cell death (PCD) in plants. However, to date, molecular networks are far from being deciphered and, apart from the autophagic compartment, no organelles have been assigned a clear role in the regulation of cellular suicide. The endomembrane system (ES) seems, nevertheless, to harbour a significant number of cell death mediators. In this review, the involvement of this system in the control of plant PCD is discussed in-depth, as well as compared and contrasted with what is known in animal and yeast systems.

International audience; Oxylipins, derived from fatty acid hydroperoxides (FAHs), are thought to play different roles during plant pathogen interactions. During hypersensitive response (HR) some of them serve as signals necessary for defence gene activation whereas others could contribute to pathogen killing or could participate in the execution of plant programmed cell death (PCD) associated with this resistance. In order to address the role of these compounds in the latter process, we have closely observed lipid peroxidation, the first step of this metabolic pathway, under different situations which led either to accelerated or inhibited HR cell death. The oxidative process has been studied in cryptogein-elicited tobacco leaves and during Ralstonia solanacearum-induced HR. It was shown that FAH accumulation was preceded by the co-ordinated rise in 9 lipoxygenase (9 LOX) and galactolipase activities in addition to the transcription of a set of four genes encoding 9 LOX and patatin-like proteins, NtPAT1-3. The latter gene expression was at the origin of a metabolic pathway allowing the release of poly-unsaturated fatty acids from plastid galactolipids and their oxidation into free 9 FAHs. This 9 LOX-dependent lipid peroxidation was found to be sufficient to lead to HR cell death. Finally, during the bacterial-induced HR, lipid peroxidation appeared as a composite of metabolites of enzymatic and non-enzymatic origins and suggested the role of H2O2 as an important source of oxidant that might, in synergy with 9 FAHs, contribute to cell death execution.

In a recent issue of Trends in Plant Science, Andrew J. Love et al. [1] provided an interesting point of view regarding regulatory overlap between apoptotic-like and autophagic programmed cell death (PCD). Taking into account that the two forms of cell death share cytological and biochemical features, the authors reasonably hypothesized that they might also possess a common set of molecular regulators. The authors further postulated that the nature of the stimuli would determine the cell death rate and, consequently, whether apoptotic-like (rapid) or autophagic (slow) PCD would be engaged.

International audience; The dynamic segregation of membrane components within microdomains, such as the sterol-enriched and sphingolipid-enriched membrane rafts, emerges as a central regulatory mechanism governing physiological responses in various organisms. Over the past five years, plasma membrane located raft-like domains have been described in several plant species. The protein and lipid compositions of detergent-insoluble membranes, supposed to contain these domains, have been extensively characterised. Imaging methods have shown that lateral segregation of lipids and proteins exists at the nanoscale level at the plant plasma membrane, correlating detergent insolubility and membrane-domain localisation of presumptive raft proteins. Finally, the dynamic association of specific proteins with detergent-insoluble membranes upon environmental stress has been reported, confirming a possible role for plant rafts as signal transduction platforms, particularly during biotic interactions.