France

SUMO conjugation is emerging as an important mechanism to transduce environmental cues into cellular signaling. We present evidence to show that SUMOylation of key transcriptional regulators such as DELLA and BZR1, provides a conduit for environmental influence of root growth and development during salt stress. SUMOylation stabilizes BZR1 in the nucleus by inhibiting its interaction with BIN2 kinase. During salt stress, Arabidopsis plants arrest growth through deSUMOylation of BZR1 in the cytoplasm by promoting the accumulation of the BZR1 targeting SUMO protease, ULP1a. ULP1a mutants are salt tolerant and insensitive to the BR inhibitor, brassinazole with regards to root growth. BR treatment stimulates ULP1a degradation, allowing SUMOylated BZR1 to accumulate and promote growth. This study uncovers a mechanism for integrating environmental cues into BR signaling to shape root growth.
Intriguingly an interacting partner of BZR1, the growth repressing DELLA proteins are also SUMOylated. We demonstrate that a proportion of DELLAs are conjugated to SUMO, the extent of conjugation increases during salt stress. We identify a SUMO interacting motif (SIM) in the GA receptor GID1 and demonstrate that SUMO-conjugated DELLA binds to this motif in a GA-independent manner. The consequent sequestration of GID1 by SUMO-conjugated DELLAs leads to an accumulation of non-SUMOylated DELLAs resulting in repression of root growth in salinity.  We present a model depicting how SUMO decodes environmental cues to shape root growth and development. 

SEB Annual Conference 2022

Deciphering the SUMO code for adaptive responses in roots

SUMO (Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier) modification has recently emerged as a critical class of post translational modification (PTM), playing a major role in diverse cellular pathways in all eukaryotes. A key function of SUMO is to act as a vital counterpoise to Ubiquitination, adding a layer of control above ubiquitination including competition for targets and prevention of ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation. Phosphorylation is also regulated by SUMOylation of kinases and phosphatases. Crucially, unlike ubiquitination and phosphorylation which are controlled by thousands of genes, only 33-50 genes regulate the SUMO modification pathway in eukaryotes making SUMO an ideal experimental system to decipher the language and rules of PTMs.


Discovering how SUMO transduces environmental signals into specific physiological responses will be key to understanding this new set of fundamental ‘rules of life’ that regulate processes ranging from development to disease resistance in an ever-changing environment. This 2- day satellite meeting will highlight the established cellular role of SUMO in a range of eukaryotes in development to disease along with identifying knowledge gaps and horizon scanning. Particular emphasis will be paid to emerging technologies such as single cell techniques that will be crucial to decipher the SUMO code across eukaryotes. The meeting will consist of a series of talks from established to early career researchers who are using a variety of techniques to understand SUMO mediated cellular signalling in a range of systems (including yeast, plants and animals). Each session will end in a panel discussion with the audience hosted by the chair of the session.

Sumo Modification in Cell Signalling

This 2- day satellite meeting will highlight the established cellular role of SUMO in a range of eukaryotes in development to disease along with identifying knowledge gaps and horizon scanning. Particular emphasis will be paid to emerging technologies such as single cell techniques that will be crucial to decipher the SUMO code across eukaryotes.

technical paper

Discover the art of creating extraordinary science at SEB’s Annual Conference at Le Corum Conference Center     in Montpellier, France from 5 to  8 July 2022.

SEB’s Annual Conference is celebrated for creating the perfect composition of research, new discoveries and collaborative connections. Be creative and innovative by exchanging ideas and knowledge with masters of biology from all over the world.

2022 will find over 1500 experimental biologists from across the globe converging on the third-largest French city near the Mediterranean coast and the fastest-growing city in the country over the past 25 years.
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Please register for the conference by clicking on this link:

https://www.sebiology.org/events/seb-annual-conference-2022/registration.html

The site will be open for registered participants closer to the event.

2022 will find over 1500 experimental biologists from across the globe converging on the third-largest French city near the Mediterranean coast and the fastest-growing city in the country over the past 25 years - Montpellier, France

Like most research fields, biomimetic research has changed notably over the past centuries. However, successful biomimetic research has always been limited by available methods. Successful technological transfer of bio-inspired principles in aero- and hydrodynamics, materials sciences and structural and civil engineering involved traditional machining conventional manufacturing techniques. Only with recent developments in 3D printing, these fields have gained additional biomimetic interest. Improved and more affordable computational power have also increased computer based additional biomimetic research fields, such as bio-inspired neuronal networks and machine learning. In the past decades there have also been significant advances in the field of micro- and nanostructuring. Self-organizing surface modifications now allow to mass produce bio-inspired optical structures and other miniature topological features. The most recent advances in manufacturing technology however now start to push this limit even further and allow the full control of molecular assemblies of highly complex structures. The ability to assemble complex molecules might bring biomimetics to a whole new level - nano-biomimetics. This talk will discuss the possible role of nano-biomimetics and highlight how this exciting research field might allow to transfer biological principles from protein structures, molecular motors, cellular membranes and even extracellular matrixes into truly bio-inspired technological applications. 

Nano-biomimetics - the next step in bio-inspired research?!

Owls are a master to achieve silent flight in stealthy hunting or prey detection owing to their featured wing morphologies of leading-edge serrations, trail-edge fringes, and velvet-like surfaces. While the aeroacoustic characteristics of the owl-inspired leading-edge serrations has been a hot topic in terms of aerodynamic performance and noise suppression, their effects of serration-flexibility and passive deformation remain yet poorly studied. We have recently investigated experimentally the aerodynamic and acoustic performance of the propeller blades with both flexible and rigid serration-like appendages attached onto the blade tip. We utilized a high-speed camera system to measure the dynamic deformations of the serration-like structures and examined the aeroacoustic features of the various blades. Using three propeller blade models with the leading-edge (LE) serrations, we found that the flexible LE-serrated blade displays an optimal aeroacoustic performance with the high-frequency broadband noise suppressed remarkedly. Our results indicate that the flexible serrations with appropriate stiffness enable a pronounced sound reduction at high frequencies while sustaining the aerodynamic performance comparable to that of the non-serrated blades.

Effects of flexible owl-inspired serrations on aerodynamic performance and noise reduction

Deaf moths evade bat predation by reducing the amplitude of their echo signature. This has been achieved by evolving repeating structures on their wings which strongly absorb sound. The thickness of the wings are much thinner than the wavelengths they absorb, up to 1%, due to this subwavelength property moth wings can be classified as metamaterials. 
The purpose of this work is to profiteer from the bat-moth arms race and scale-up the metamaterial mechanism from ultrasound to audible frequencies. We design, build and test a moth-inspired acoustic absorbing panel which is tuned to within the human-hearing range that is extremely thin. In doing so, we also show that the biological mechanism can work at audible frequencies. As the target frequencies drop, the wavelengths increase, therefore the dimensions of the proposed metamaterial absorbing panel also increases. However, the proposed biomimetic absorbing panel (containing the moth-like repeating structure) is still extremely thin compared to the target frequency. This biomimetic sound absorber has the advantage of being as efficient as existing acoustic sound absorber panels but is significantly less thick. 








Subwavelength Bioinspired Acoustic Panels

Animal-legged locomotion is the result of tight interaction of biomechanics and neural control. Special focus has been set on multi-articulate coupling mechanisms; muscle-tendon networks that act simultaneously at multiple joints. Multi-articulate mechanisms are associated with joint movement coordination, reduction of forces and metabolic cost of transport, and even power amplification. Yet most multi-articulate configurations remain without sufficient functional explanation. In this presentation I will describe our latest projects in human- and bird-like locomotion, where we develop mechanical models (legged robots) featuring complex multi-articulate mechanisms. Our robots allow us to test the interaction of a complex leg design, with integrated neuromuscular-inspired control, and while locomotion in the physical world. Robots allow collecting rich biomechanical data from within: we measure joint angles, forces and torques, and electrical power consumption of motors. Already with simple control (feedforward) and a high degree of under-actuation (spring-tendon based function), we observe the emergence of natural-looking gaits. Specifically, our bird-inspired robot demonstrates a self-engaging and disengaging parallel leg elasticity that is switched through foot-ground contact. This is the first available proof where mechanical coupling between joint kinematics and function replaces neural coupling, to a large amount. We show that complex leg trajectories and leg function (stance leg, swing leg, and transitions) are established almost entirely through multi-articulate mechanical coupling, and with base-line control that mimics muscles isometric mode. We also show that our leg mechanism is theoretically scalable to dynamic loads and sizes of the largest animals ever roaming this world.

Mechanical joint coupling in an avian inspired legged robot

We all assume that physiological plasticity is advantageous because it allows organisms to respond to diverse or changing conditions. However, can being too plastic actually be detrimental? Malagasy common tenrecs, Tenrec ecaudatus, have many plesiomorphic traits and may represent an ancestral placental mammal. The physiology of these tenrecs is extraordinary. Tenrec body temperature (Tb) may approximate ambient temperature to as low as 12°C even when tenrecs are fully active. Conversely, tenrecs can hibernate with Tb of 28°C. During the active season, resting oxygen consumption may vary 25-fold with little or no change in Tb. We found that tenrecs essentially place homeostatic processes like kidney function on hold when metabolism is low much like a hibernator. In contrast to Boreoeutherian hibernators like ground squirrels, tenrecs are surprisingly intolerant of extremes in ambient temperature (&lt;8 or &gt;34°C). While plasticity may confer numerous energetic advantages in consistently moderate environments, environmental extremes may have limited the success and distribution of plastic basal mammals.

Physiological plasticity and the evolution of environmental tolerance in the common tenrec.

Thermal acclimation of some temperate fish species can stimulate changes in the physiological capacity of the heart. This is due to modifications to the active and passive properties of the myocardium. These modifications include changes in the Ca2+ sensitivity of the contractile element and to the amount and composition of myocardial collagen. Interestingly, this response is sex specific. Using cultured cardiac fibroblasts, from male and female trout, we have been working to determine how a change in physiological temperature leads to a change in deposited collagen. This work has integrated experiments examining the effect of biomechanical stretch, TGF-B, testosterone, angiotensin II, and microRNAs on the cell signalling pathways that regulate collagen deposition and turnover. We propose that increased biomechanical stimulation of the heart, caused by an increase in vascular resistance and blood viscosity, triggered by a decrease in physiological temperature, activates mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling pathways through stimulation of mechanosensitive membrane proteins and the release of TGF-B. The end result is changes in the expression of gene transcripts and cellular proteins that support an increase in collagen deposition including matrix metalloproteinases, and collagen monomers. It was also found that cellular pathways associated with the deposition of collagen are stimulated by physiologically relevant levels of testosterone, and that these can be reversed through the expression of microRNA-29b. These studies suggest that the phenotypic response of the heart to a change in environmental temperature is under complex regulatory control that is sex specific.  

Mechanotransduction and the regulation of collagen deposition by trout cardiac fibroblasts during thermal acclimation

Climate change is increasing the frequency of heat extremes, and therefore the overheating risk of wildlife. Latitudinal patterns of overheating risk are expected, and many analyses have concluded that tropical organisms are at greater risk because they live in environments closer to their thermal limits (i.e., have lower warming tolerance).  Overheating risk should be dictated by interactions between mean habitat temperature, habitat temperature variation, organismal heat tolerance limits, and tolerance plasticity. How these factors collectively dictate overheating risk and responses to warming requires greater scrutiny, however. To address this issue, we combined data on physiological heat tolerance, heat tolerance plasticity, and temporally fine-scaled operative thermal environments for terrestrial ectotherm populations across a 120° latitudinal range. Consistent with previous research, we find that tropical organisms have lower warming tolerance than temperate organisms based on mean thermal conditions. However, temperate taxa currently have greater overheating risk than tropical taxa and will experience greater increases in overheating risk with warming because of differences in thermal variation between the regions. These results show that characterizing thermal variation and incorporating it into predictions of global change responses is critical, as doing so can alter predictions about global patterns of vulnerability to global change. 

How temperature variation drives latitudinal differences in ectotherm sensitivity to heat extremes

Although there is much controversy regarding the effects of ocean acidification on the behaviour of marine fish, marine invertebrates have been much less studied. Dungeness crabs, Metacarcinus magister, are found on the West coast of North American and their commercial and recreational fishery is one of the most valuable fishery in the Pacific region, with annual revenues of $220 million. Dungeness crabs live in the deep-sea and enter intertidal areas in order to find food. Previous studies have found that they routinely encounter pCO2 concentrations of up to 1300 µatm in their coastal habitat and that these levels of ocean acidification can affect larval development and mechanoreceptors. We exposed adult Dungeness crabs to control (600 µatm) and high pCO2 (1300 µatm) for 10 days and assessed their behaviour and physiology using electrophysiology, gene expression, immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy of their olfactory organs, the antennules. Dungeness crabs exposed to high pCO2 had a 25% lower rate of antennular flicking rate in response to all concentrations of cadaverine, a food cue, than crabs exposed to control pCO2. No differences in antennular flicking were found in response to ammonium chloride, a deterant, however there was a large increase in the expression of Rh proteins that function as ammonia transporters in their antennules indicating a potential compensatory mechanism. We propose that a more holistic approach to the overall question of the effects of ocean acidification needs to be taken at multiple levels of biological organization and using environmentally relevant odorants and concentrations.

The effects of simulated ocean acidification on the behaviour and physiology of the economically important Dungeness crab, Metacarcinus magister

A central prediction of recent climate change models is that there will be an increase in thermal unpredictability and heatwave events. Sessile intertidal organisms experience a high degree of thermal unpredictability due to combined effects of solar radiation and tidal movement. How thermal unpredictability operates in microhabitats with different media, such as tidepool (aquatic) or tidally exposed (aerial) environments is poorly understood, especially when coupled with other important determinants of performance, such as food availability. Understanding how these factors interact to influence performance is essential towards understanding the effects of climate change on intertidal communities. We examined how acclimation to different levels of thermal predictability (no, predictable, unpredictable) with high and low food availability shape performance during a three-day heatwave in Mytilus californianus in two microhabitat treatments: tidepool and tidally exposed. During the heatwave, mussels were warmed to 35C each daytime low tide in their respective medium (water or air). Tissues samples were taken for biochemical analyses the day before, each day during, and the day after the heatwave. We found that microhabitat was the strongest driving factor for shaping physiological performance in Mytilus californianus. Food availability played a larger role in shaping performance in tidally exposed mussels, and the influence of thermal predictability depended on heatwave day. Our results suggest that the predicted increases in heatwave events and thermal unpredictability from climate change will not have a uniform effect in different microhabitats, which could have severe consequences for intertidal community and composition.

Heatwaves in the intertidal: how microhabitat, thermal unpredictability, and food availability shape physiological performance in mussels

Fluid mechanics is an important tool for understanding the biology and ecology of marine life. A major challenge in studying how microscopic aquatic organisms function in their natural habitats is integrating the different scales at which critical physical and biological processes occur. How can we make large-scale field measurements and models that include the behaviors and physical features of real organisms? Conversely, how can we design small-scale experiments to measure those biological factors under hydrodynamic conditions that reflect what the organisms actually experience in the large- scale ocean? I will discuss examples of some of the approaches we have used to span different scales in our studies of how the interaction between the locomotion of microscopic organisms and the turbulent, wave-driven water flow around them determines how they move through the environment. We studied how the microscopic larvae of bottom-dwelling marine animals navigate to suitable habitats on the sea floor by combining field flow measurements in marine environments with flume studies, experiments in fluidic devices, experiments with dynamically-scaled physical models, and agent-based models of different locomotory strategies in measured turbulent flow fields. 

Deciphering the SUMO code for adaptive responses in roots

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