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Experimental
training
ET1
Title: Genetic variability of immunity in hens
Abstract: Lines of hens have been selected for 8 generations on
different criteria related to immune response. This unique material
will be characterised by setting up a crossbreeding design. Disease
resistance of these genotypes will be assessed and the polymorphism
of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) system will be studied,
as a typical example of a candidate gene approach. The fellow
will be trained in the planification of an experimental design,
in the measurement of in vivo immune responses, and in the typing
of MHC polymorphisms
Duration: 36 months
Start date: 01/10/04
Key words: Immunogenetics, Genetic variability, MHC, Hens
Supervisor: M-H Pinard-van der Laan
ET2
Title: Functional analyses of pig immunological efficiency:
elaboration of genomic tools and application to some pig populations
Abstract: Genetic variation of immune response to various pathogens
has been detected in pig. The Marie-Curie fellow will use genomic
tools (high-density filters, cDNA microarrays) to describe and
quantify infections, and the results will be related to genetic
variation in immune response efficiency. These new tools will
be built in connection with an infection model (circovirus) and
will be used to quantify the effects of selection over the last
twenty years on several immune response parameters.
Key words: QTL, Defence, Pig, Transcriptome
Duration: 12 months
Start date: 01/09/05
Supervisor: J.P. Bidanel
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ET3
Title: Evolution of MHC genes in mammals
Abstract:.Possibilities of using pigs as organ donors or tissue
grafts for man are currently evaluated. But, considering MHC,
if class II genes show obvious orthological relationships between
distant species, some class I genes of pig do not have equivalent
in man or mouse (SLA6, SLA7, SLA8). The programme aims to gain
insights on the specific function of such genes. They will be
inferred from the comparison of the pig sequences to those available
for different species; the allelic forms of those genes will be
assessed with Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) and will be
eventually linked to their variation of expression in different
tissues. With this original animal model we will provide critical
information on the evolution and the functioning of this genetic
system
Keywords: Immunogenetics, Evolution, Transcriptome, SNP
Duration: 12 months
Start date: 04/04/05
Supervisor: C. Rogel-Gaillard
ET4
Title: Impact of the polymorphism at the as1-casein locus
on the expression pattern and protein profile of mammary epithelial
cells (MEC)
Abstract: The extensive polymorphism recorded at the as1-casein
locus influences the composition of goat milk and its technological
behaviour. The lack of as1-casein is responsible for the accumulation
of the other caseins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of MEC
and disturbs the secretion of both milk proteins and lipids. Our
goal is to unravel the molecular mechanisms governing these secretory
functions, by analysing gene expression and ER protein profiles
in MEC from goat of various genotypes. These comparisons will
provide insights into the transport of the caseins from the ER
and the structuring of casein micelles, and will contribute to
a better understanding of the putative links, at the ER level,
between the protein and lipid secretory processes and of the structure
of the milk fat globules.
Key words: Genetic variability, Transcriptome, Proteome,
Mammary gland
Duration: 18 months
Start date: 01/04/05
Supervisor: P. Martin
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ET5
Title: Optimisation of experimental designs for gene expression
studies in farm animals
Abstract:. Designing microarray experiments in farm animals is
hampered by the genetic heterogeneity of the populations studied,
that results in multifactorial designs. The objective of the proposed
work is to investigate the power of gene-expression studies in
farm animals in various experimental designs where gene polymorphism
is also assessed through computer simulation. This will contribute
to improve the experimental schemes in genome expression studies.
Key words: Genetic variability, gene expression, statistical
genetics
Duration: 12 months
Start date: 01/09/06
Supervisor: J.P. Bidanel
ET6
Title: Analysis of the role of specific cell types in the
replication and/or propagation of TSE infectious agent
Abstract:. PrP expression is instrumental in TSE infectious agent
replication and propagation. Transgenic mice harbouring DNA constructs
allowing an inducible and cell-specific expression of Prnp-gene
(Cre/LoxP recombination system and tetracycline-inducible promoters)
will be inoculated, using several ways, with stable TSE strains.
The results will be analysed with the aim of better understanding
the illness development.
Key words: Prion, Disease resistance, gene expression,
transgenesis
Duration: 36 months
Start date: 01/10/04
Supervisor: J.L. Vilotte
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ET7
Title: Characterisation of the regulatory sequences of
cell cycle control genes in fish and ascidians
Abstract: Improving our knowledge of the control of the cell cycle
is a major goal, which has varied applications in agronomical
and biomedical research. Analysis of the evolution of cis-regulatory
regions, using progress made by whole genome sequencing, should
help to unravel the logic of gene regulation. This will be applied
to understand the development of the pituitary or of a particular
structure of the brain, the optic tectum, which grows from a population
of peripheral stem cells. The model organisms will be ascidians
(Ciona intestinalis) or fish (medaka, Oryzias latipes). Improvements
of our knowledge of the patterns of cell division will first be
obtained by using histological analysis and confocal imagery.The
studied genes will be coding for proliferation modulators: homeodomain
proteins (Pitx), signalling proteins (in particular of the Wnt
pathway), or cell cycle regulators (GADD45, KIP, etc…). Conservation
of the regulatory sequences will be analysed using bioinformatic
algorithms and compared functional tests will be performed by
taking advantage of the easiness of transgenesis in these model
species.
Key words: Pituitary development, brain development, gene
regulation, sequence comparison, cell cycle control
Duration: 18 months
Start date: 01/10/04
Supervisor: J.S. Joly
ET8
Title: Genetic analysis of four chromosomal regions potentially
involved in porcine XX sex-reversal.
Abstract: In pigs, the intersex condition is detected on 0,5 %
of the female and is genetically inherited. By selecting carrier
animals, we have build pig families with a high frequency of intersex
(20 to 50 % of the XX animals). A genome scanning carried on these
families have pointed out four potentially involved regions. The
aim of the research training will be to confirm or to exclude
these regions. This will be done by genotyping and analysing new
isolated genetic markers inside the regions and also studying
new affected available animals. A translocation breakpoint associated
with intersexuality in one of these regions will be also characterised.
Key words: Gonadal differentiation, XX sex-reversal, pig
Duration: 12 months
Start date: 01/11/05
Supervisor: E. Pailhoux
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ET9
Title: Research of the key events in tumoral regression
using immunological and differential expression methods in a swine
melanoma model.
Abstract: We characterised clinically and histologically a swine
melanoma model in which tumours develop prior to three months
of age and regress spontaneously. This model will be used for
the identification of genes involved in the regression pathway
induction. Immunological and differential expression studies will
allow the production of tools usable for in situ experiments to
approach the research of key events involved in tumoral regression.
Key words: melanoma, animal model, swine, tumoral regression
Duration: 36 months
Start date: 01/10/04
Supervisor: S. Vincent Naulleau
ET10
Title: In search for mouse miRNAs
Abstract: Non coding RNAs affect gene expression and in particular
the role of microRNAs in the development has been evidenced in
C. Elegans. Their existence has also been demonstrated in vertebrates.
Our objective is to search for MiRNAs in cells undergoing proliferation,
differentiation and dedifferentiation. We will use mouse mammary
gland tissue at different stages of development to isolate miRNAs
and characterise their functions.
Key words: miRNAs, tissue growth, mammary gland, regulation
of expression
Duration: 12 months
Start date: 01/01/05
Supervisor: F. Le Provost
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ET11
Titre: Nuclear topology and mammary gland development
Abstract: The mammary gland can be used as a model to analyse
the control of gene expression in tissues undergoing different
differentiation stages. In particular, the chromatin structure
varies according to the mammary gland developmental stage. We
propose to study the chromatin and nuclear environment of target
genes coding for milk proteins. The liver will be taken as a control
tissue.
Key words: Genomic localisation, tissue growth and differentiation,
mammary gland
Duration: 12 months
Start date: 01/01/05
Supervisor: E. Devinoy
ET12
Title: Functional architecture of nuclei during preimplantation
development in normal and reconstituted embryos
Abstrcat: The one-cell stage and the earliest cleavage stages
of the preimplantation period of embryo development cover periods
of dramatic changes in gene regulation. Using embryos generated
either by in vitro fertilisation or by somatic nuclear transfer,
we propose to compare the functional architecture of the nucleus
in differentiating and de-differentiating cells. Nuclear location
of specific genes and epigenetic changes of the chromosome region
they belong to will be studied using large DNA fragments, eventually
involved in embryonic development.
Key words: Chromatine structure, embryonic development,
nuclear transfer
Duration: 36 months
Start date: 01/10/04
Supervisor: X. Vignon
ET13
Title: Role of polyunsaturated fatty acids in early embryonic
development
Abstract: The roles of fatty acid in regulation of gene expression
are well documented, but their involvement in the control of embryonic
development needs further insights. This may in addition highlight
their effect on cell proliferation, cell remodelling and apoptosis.
We propose to analyse the specific effect of polyunsaturated fatty
acids on the overall genomic expression (transcriptomics and proteomic
approaches) of in vitro produced bovine embryos, and eventually
test some hypothesis in fish where fatty acid composition of the
yolk can be modified
Key words: Role of polyunsaturated fatty acids in early
embryonic development
Duration: 36 months
Start date: 01/10/04
Supervisor: G. Charpigny
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