Summer School 2021 - Plant cell walls

Plant cell walls in development, plant-microbe interactions and for the bioeconomy

The study of the cell wall is an important research frontier in plant biology. Over the past decade, the field has seen major technological and conceptual advances. In addition, the study of cell wall structure and metabolism has become an integral part of the research on plant development and the adaptation to abiotic and biotic stresses. A better knowledge of the cell wall is also essential for the optimization of lignocellulosic biomass processing procedures in the framework of the emerging bioeconomy.

This SPS Summer School 2021 is a one-week programme for outstanding and enthusiastic PhD students and young post-docs. It will provide them with an introduction in chemistry, biophysics, molecular and cell biology in relation to the plant cell wall.

This Summer School will bring together 16 to 20 participants from all over the world and offer them the chance to receive scientific training in an international and rather informal atmosphere, facilitating exchanges. This course will involve theoretical lectures delivered by world-class experts and hands on practical courses on state of the art technologies.

Provisional program and speakers

Download the provisional program of the Summer School

This Summer School will include:

         > Theoretical modules (12 hours):

Leading scientists will hold lectures on the topics of the summer school, giving the participants a comprehensive insight into the latest research findings and identifying key open questions in the field.

"Cell wall polysaccharide structures and interactions"
- Marie-Christine Ralet (Biopolymères, Interactions, Assemblages - Nantes, France)
- Aline Voxeur (Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin – Versailles, France)

"Cell wall modifying enzymes"
- Estelle Bonnin (Biopolymères, Interactions, Assemblages - Nantes, France)

"Cell wall polymer physics "
- Bernard Cathala (Biopolymères, Interactions, Assemblages - Nantes, France)

"Cell wall and plant-pathogens interactions"
- Antonio Molina (Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas - Madrid, Spain)

"Using genetics to study cell walls"
- Herman Höfte (Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin – Versailles, France)

"Studying cell wall nanostructure using super resolution microscopy "
- Kalina Haas (Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin – Versailles, France)
- Alexis Peaucelle (Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin – Versailles, France)

"Studying cell expansion using of sensors and live cell imaging "
- Sebastjen Schoenaers (University of Antwerp, Belgium / Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin – Versailles, France)

"Studying cell wall structure using spectroscopic techniques "
- Laurent Heux (Centre de recherches sur les macromolécules végétales - Grenoble, France)

"Studying cell wall polymer structures using X-ray diffraction"
- Yoshiharu Nishiyama (Centre de recherches sur les macromolécules végétales - Grenoble, France)

"Studying cell wall synthesis and assembly using structural biology"
- Julia Santiago Cuellar (University of Lausanne, Switzerland)

"Cell wall micromechanics and plant development"
- Arezki Boudaoud (LadHyX, Ecole polytechnique - Palaiseau, France)

"Lignin structure, engineering and utilization "
- Wout Boerjan (VIB - Gent, Belgium)

"Cell biology of cell wall synthesis and growth"
- Staffan Persson (University of Copenhagen, Denmark)

         > Practical sessions (16 hours)

Participants will choose one of the 4 following topics:

1. Biomass & degradability (coordinated by Matthieu Reymond)
Variation in biomass composition and stem histology – Case study in maize
- Quantitative analysis of sugars and lignin (Grégory Mouille)
- NIRs, data analysis (Yves Griveau, Matthieu Reymond)
- Stem sections, staining and image analysis / quantification (Matthieu Reymond)

2. Cell wall synthesis and control of cell expansion (coordinated by Herman Höfte and Alexis Peaucelle)
Effect of chemical inhibitors on cellulose synthesis, cell wall properties and growth.
- Immuno-histochemistry of cell walls using triple labelling (Alexis Peaucelle)
- Nanoscale measurement of cell wall mechanics (AFM) (Alexis Peaucelle / Kalina Haas)

3. Composition, architecture and specialized functions of cell wall polysaccharides in seeds (coordinated by Helen North)
In situ and biochemical analysis of the composition and structure of cell wall – Case study with Brassicaceae seeds
- Histological analysis of seed mucilage (staining, confocal and polarized microscopy) (Helen North / Adeline Berger)
- Biochemical analysis of polysaccharides (ionic chromatography, colorimetry, FTIR microscopy and data analysis) (Grégory Mouille / Salem Chabout)

4. Plant-fungi interactions (coordinated by Aline Voxeur)
Cell wall modifications induced during the interactions between necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea and Arabidopsis
- Microscopic observation of infection and ROS staining (Cyril Gaertner / Aline Voxeur)
- Oligogalacturonide- (OG) and fungus-induced ROS production in Arabidopsis leaves (Luminol assay) (Martine Gonneau)
- Oligogalacturonomics (UHPLC-HRMSMS) (Aline Voxeur)\

For more information click "LINK TO ORIGINAL" below.