Montpellier Scientific Community



Biochemistry and Plant Molecular Physiology (BPMP)

Director: Jean-François Briat
Research area
Plant molecular physiology and biochemistry (B&PMP) is an Integrative Plant Biology research unit linked to 4 Institutions (Université Montpellier 2, CNRS, INRA and SupAgro). It is focused on the mechanisms of responses and adaptation of plants to a variable environment. B&PMP has gained a strong scientific identity, mainly due to its actions in explaining, in molecular terms, the mechanisms which determine the hydro-mineral status of plants, and its regulation in response to various abiotic stimuli. This was achieved by integrating cellular, molecular, genetic, biochemical, biophysical and physiological approaches, and by mainly using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model plant. A main emphasis was put on the study of transport activities (transporters and channels) and of general aspects of the plant mineral nutrition.
Research highlights
  • Characterization of the YSL1 transporter involved in Fe-chelate delivery to Arabidopsis thaliana seeds
  • Implication of the defensins in Zn tolerance in the plant metal hyperaccumulator Arabidopsis halleri
  • Characterization of the nitrate transporter NRT1-1 as a nitrate sensor involved in the regulation of the major nitrate uptake system and in nitrate dependent root morphogenesis.
  • Characterization of the main transporter for Fe uptake (IRT1) by roots of non-grasses plants
  • Characterization of a transporter (HKT1) which is responsible for Na+ recirculation from shoots to roots
  • Demonstration that the K+ channel GORK is a major effector of stomatal closure in response to environmental or hormonal signals
  • Demonstration that the pH sensitivity of aquaporines is the basis of the response of water conductivity to stresses
  • Characterization of a K+ channel necessary for competitive pollen tube growth
Staff profile
Research Org.ResearchersProfessorsResearch Eng.

Techn. & admin. staff

PhD
UM2, SuAgro, CNRS, INRA 31 2 12

9

 14
Research teams
  • Aquaporins in plants (Group leader: Christophe Maurel)
  • Electrical and calcium signalling (Group Leader: Jean-Baptiste Thibaud)
  • Ion channels (Group leader: Hervé Sentenac)
  • Intracellular dynamic of membrane-bound proteins (Group leader : Nadine Paris)
  • Integration of nutritive functions (Group leader: Alain Gojon)
  • Iron Transport and Signaling (Group Leader: Cathy Curie)
  • Metal Phytotoxicity (Group Leader: Pierre Berthomieu)
  • Mineral Nutrition and Oxidative Stress (Group Leaders: Jean-François Briat and Frédéric Gaymard)
  • Silicon metabolism in plants:national multidisciplinary research network » - Network leader : Pr JC Davidian
Platforms and other tools
  • 15N and 13C mass spectroscopy
  • Microscopy and imaging common service
  • Real Time Quantitative PCR
  • Arabidopsis transformation and mutation mapping facilities
  • Electrophysiology platform including:
    • Animal cells culture facilities (COS, CHO, Sf9...)
    • Two patch clamp / two-electrodes voltage clamp devices for Xenopus oocytes recordings
    • One patch clamp device coupled to microdissection laser
    • One patch clamp device coupled to epifluorescence (GFP, Ca2+ probes...)
    • A post for intra- or extra-cellular recording of ionic activity potential of excised roots
Most important international partnerships
  • Argentina: University of Buenos Aires China: South
  • China Agricultural University, Canton
  • Germany: University of Potsdam; University Hohenheim, Stuttgart; MPI, Golm
  • Italy: University of Milano United Kingdom: University Lancaster, Lancaster
  • USA: University of Colorado at Fort Collins; University of New York, New york
  • United kingdom: University Lancaster
  • Chili: Pntificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago
Facts and figures
Publications in international ranking journals
2009: 33
2008: 28
2007: 30
2006: 21
2005: 26
Reprensentative publications

1. Bruno Saint-Jean, Emilie Seveno-Carpentier, Carine Alcon, Jean-Marc Neuhaus, Nadine Paris (Aug 2010) The cytosolic tail dipeptide Ile-Met of the pea receptor BP80 is required for recycling from the prevacuole and for endocytosis. Plant Cell 22(8):2825-2837
2. Gabriel Krouk, Benoît Lacombe, Agnieszka Bielach, Francine Perrine-Walker, Katerina Malinska, Emmanuelle Mounier, Klara Hoyerova, Pascal Tillard, Sarah Leon, Karin Ljung, Eva Zazimalova, Eva Benkova, Philippe Nacry, Alain Gojon (Jun 2010) Nitrate-regulated auxin transport by NRT1.1 defines a mechanism for nutrient sensing in plants. Dev. Cell 18(6):927-937
3. Zaigham Shahzad, Françoise Gosti, Hélène Frérot, Eric Lacombe, Nancy Roosens, Pierre Saumitou-Laprade, Pierre Berthomieu (Apr 2010) The five AhMTP1 zinc transporters undergo different evolutionary fates towards adaptive evolution to zinc tolerance in Arabidopsis halleri. PLoS Genet. 6(4):e1000911
4. Rémy Cailliatte, Adam Schikora, Jean-François Briat, Stéphane Mari, Catherine Curie (Mar 2010) High-affinity manganese uptake by the Metal Transporter NRAMP1 is essential for Arabidopsis growth in low manganese conditions. Plant Cell 22(3):904-917
5. Hannetz Roschzttardtz, Geneviève Conéjéro, Catherine Curie, Stéphane Mari (Nov 2009) Identification of the endodermal vacuole as the iron storage compartment in the Arabidopsis embryo. Plant Physiol. 151(3):1329-1338
6. Anne Lebaudy, François Pascaud, Anne-Aliénor Véry, Carine Alcon, Ingo Dreyer, Jean-Baptiste Thibaud, Benoît Lacombe (Feb 2010) Preferential KAT1-KAT2 heteromerization determines Inward K+ current properties in Arabidopsis guard cells. J. Biol. Chem. 285(9):6265-627
7. Céline Duc, Françoise Cellier, Stéphane Lobréaux, Jean-François Briat, Frédéric Gaymard (Dec 2009) Regulation of iron homeostasis in Arabidopsis thaliana by the clock regulator time for coffee. J. Biol. Chem. 284(52):36271-36281
8. Sodana Prak, Sonia Hem, Julie Boudet, Gaëlle Viennois, Nicolas Sommerer, Michel Rossignol, Christophe Maurel, Véronique Santoni (Jun 2008) Multiple phosphorylations in the C-terminal tail of plant plasma membrane aquaporins. Role in sub-cellular trafficking of AtPIP2;1 in response to salt stress. Mol. Cell. Proteomics 7(6):1019-1030
9. Anne Lebaudy, Alain Vavasseur, Eric Hosy, Ingo Dreyer, Nathalie Leonhardt, Jean-Baptiste Thibaud, Anne-Aliénor Véry, Thierry Simonneau, Hervé Sentenac (Apr 2008) Plant adaptation to fluctuating environment and biomass production are strongly dependent on guard cell potassium channels. P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105(13):5271-5276
10. Marie-Violaine Tatry, Elie El Kassis, Raphaël Lambilliotte, Claire Corratgé, Ingrid M. van Aarle, Laurie K. Amenc, Rémi Alary, Sabine Zimmermann, Hervé Sentenac, Claude Plassard (Mar 2009) Two differentially regulated phosphate transporters from the symbiotic fungus Hebeloma cylindrosporum and phosphorus acquisition by ectomycorrhizal Pinus pinaster. Plant J. 57(6):1092-1102
11. Cécile Ségonzac, Jean-Christophe Boyer, Emilie Ipotesi, Wojciech Szponarski, Pascal Tillard, Brigitte Touraine, Nicolas Sommerer, Michel Rossignol, Rémy Gibrat (Nov 2007) Nitrate efflux at the root plasma membrane: identification of an Arabidopsis excretion transporter. Plant Cell 19(11):3760-3777
12. Judith Wirth*, Franck Chopin*, Véronique Santoni, Gaëlle Viennois, Pascal Tillard, Anne Krapp, Laurence Lejay, Françoise Daniel-Vedele, Alain Gojon (Aug 2007) Regulation of root nitrate uptake at the NRT2.1 protein level in Arabidopsis thaliana. J. Biol. Chem. 282(32):23541-23552
13. Tony Remans, Philippe Nacry, Marjorie Pervent, Sophie Filleur, Eugene Diatloff, Emmanuelle Mounier, Pascal Tillard, Brian G. Forde, Alain Gojon (Dec 2006) The Arabidopsis NRT1.1 transporter participates in the signalling pathway triggering root colonization of nitrate-rich patches. P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 103(50):19206-19211
14. Nicolas Arnaud, Irene Murgia, Jossia Boucherez, Jean-François Briat, Françoise Cellier, Frédéric Gaymard (Aug 2006) An iron-induced nitric oxide burst precedes ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation for Arabidospsis Atfer1 ferritin gene expression. J. Biol. Chem. 281(33):23579-23588
15. Hatem Rouached, Pierre Berthomieu, Elie El Kassis, Nicole Cathala, Vincent Catherinot, Gilles Labesse, Jean-Claude Davidian, Pierre Fourcroy (May 2005) Structural and functional analysis of the C-terminal STAS domain of the Arabidopsis thaliana sulfate transporter SULTR1.2. J. Biol. Chem. 280(16):15976-15983