4 PhD Thesis recently defended at IPS2 2020

Natalia RODRIGUEZ

Towards the understanding of the epigenetic and transcriptional regulation of sex expression in C. melo

The Curcubitaceae family is widely known for its diversity in sexual systems and sex expression plasticity. Despite the discovery of the sex determination genes (SDGs) in cucurbits, one of the remaining challenges was to understand how SDGs are spatiotemporally controlled, especially in monoecious species where flowers of opposite sex (i.e. male and female) cohabit in the same individual. This PhD project has allowed elucidating the epigenetic regulation of sex determination in melon.

June 19, 2020

Thesis co-supervisors: Dr. Abdelhafid Bendahmane / Dr. Moussa Benhamed

Elhosseyn AIT SALEM

Study of the signaling controlling intracellular accommodation during Medicago/Sinorhizobium symbiosis

This thesis work has led to a better understanding of how symbiotic immunity controls hormonal defense signaling pathways in order to host the nitrogen-fixing bacterial partner in the symbiotic organ. It also allowed describing new tools to better understand defense mechanisms.

May 26, 2020

Thesis supervisor: Dr P. Ratet

Shengbin LIU

Title: Roles of the NOOT-BOP-COCH-LIKE genes in plant development and in the symbiotic organ identity

This thesis work has allowed a better understanding of the roles of the NOOT-BOP-COCH-LIKE genes in plant development in both legume and Poaceae plants using novel TILLING and Tnt1 insertional mutants in two legume species, Medicago, and Pisum and CRISPR knock-out

September 21, 2020

Thesis supervisor: Dr P. Ratet

Carole LAFFONT

Integration of signaling peptide and hormonal signals regulating legume root system architecture

This thesis aimed to characterize systemic regulatory pathways involving signaling peptides perceived by receptor kinases that regulate the development of nitrogen-fixing nodules, which are organs forming on roots of leguminous plants under nitrogen deficiency conditions and in the presence of symbiotic bacteria called rhizobia.

October 2, 2020

Thesis supervisor: Dr F. Frugier