Lab

SEEDEV Lab (@ IJPB, Paris-Saclay University, INRAE, AgroParisTech)


About the lab

The scientific objective of our group is to identify and characterize key functions and to elucidate genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms that control seed development (embryo, endosperm and maternal tissues) and composition.

Ongoing projects focus on oil, flavonoid and storage proteins biosynthesis and accumulation. A specific attention is paid to transcriptional regulatory networks that have been shown to play key roles and provide interesting tools for improving seed qualities.

https://ijpb.versailles.inrae.fr/en/research-teams/seed-development-and-quality/presentation

Featured research (17)

Seeds of Brassicaceae produce a large diversity of beneficial and antinutritional specialized metabolites (SMs) that influence their quality and provide resistance to stresses. While the distribution of these compounds has been described in leaves and roots tissues, limited information is available about their spatio-temporal accumulation in seeds. Camelina sativa (camelina) is an oilseed Brassicaceae cultivated for human and animal nutrition, and for industrial uses. While we previously explored SM diversity and plasticity, no information is available about SM distribution and expression of related proteins and genes in camelina seeds. In this study, we used a multi-omic approach, integrating untargeted metabolomics, data-independent acquisition proteomics, and transcriptomics to investigate the synthesis, modifications and degradations of SMs accumulated in the different seed tissues (i.e. seed coat, endosperm, and embryo) at 6 developmental and 2 germination stages. Our results showed distinct patterns of SMs and their related pathways, highlighting significant contrasts in seed composition and spatial distribution for the defence-related and antinutritional glucosinolate (GSL) compounds among camelina, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Brassica napus, three closely-related Brassicaceae species. Notably, the variation in GSL spatial distributions was primarily driven by differences in their structure and transport mechanisms. Long chain C8-C11 methylsulfinylalkyl GSLs were predominantly accumulated in the seed coat and endosperm, while mid- and short-chain C3-C7 methylsulfinylalkyl GSLs were accumulated in the embryo. Characterizing the spatial dynamics of seed SMs provides valuable insights that can guide the development of crops with optimized distribution of beneficial and toxic metabolites, improving seed nutritional profiles for feed and food.
Diversity, functions and related enzymes of Specialized Metabolite (SM) modifications from plants and seeds of Brassicaceae are summarized in this review. A particular focus is made on SM plasticity and SM modification enzymes in seeds.
Elucidating the mechanisms that control seed development, metabolism, and physiology is a fundamental issue in biology. Michel Caboche had long been a catalyst for seed biology research in France up until his untimely passing away last year. To honour his memory, we have updated a review written under his coordination in 2010 entitled "Arabidopsis seed secrets unravelled after a decade of genetic and omics-driven research". This review encompassed different molecular aspects of seed development, reserve accumulation, dormancy and germination, that are studied in the lab created by M. Caboche. We have extended the scope of this review to highlight original experimental approaches implemented in the field over the past decade such as omics approaches aimed at investigating the control of gene expression, protein modifications, primary and specialized metabolites at the tissue or even cellular level, as well as seed biodiversity and the impact of the environment on seed quality.
Camelina [Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz] is an oilseed crop belonging to the Brassicaceae family that has attracted worldwide attention because of its agronomic and qualitative characteristics. This crop can adapt well to different environments and produce oil suitable for multiple bio-based uses. The most commonly measured and reported components of camelina seeds are fatty acids, proteins, and vitamins. However, they also contain specialized metabolites (SMs, formerly known as “secondary metabolites”) retained in the meal, which have not been fully characterized. This work presents a long-term study conducted from 2015 to 2019 at the experimental farm of the University of Bologna (Italy), aimed at comparing six camelina cultivars (Cypress, Midas, 789-02, Pearl, Omega, and WUR) for their agronomic and oil-compositional parameters and the SM content and composition of their seeds. Cypress was the best genotype in terms of agronomic characteristics, i.e., stable and high seed yields and increased 1000-seed weight (TKW). Pearl and 789-02 were identified as the most suitable for specific bio-based applications because of the increased n-3:n-6 ratio of the oil. Among the SM classes, PAs, and flavonols were influenced by the growing conditions and genotype. Pearl was the cultivar in which specialized metabolites were affected most by variation in meteorological conditions. Therefore, this variety may represent a starting point for future research targeting the increase/decrease of specific SM classes and the desired content of specific fatty acids by selecting the growing environment. The content and composition of camelina SMs confirm its nature as a multi-use crop, corroborating its key role in the circular economy.
Despite the essential role of Specialized Metabolites (SMs) in the interaction of plants with the environment, studying the ability of crop seeds to produce these protective compounds has been neglected. Furthermore, seeds produce a myriad of SMs providing an interesting model to investigate their diversity and plasticity. Camelina sativa gained a lot of interest in the past few years as rustic oilseed crop. A characterization of seed SM landscapes in six camelina genotypes grown in the field and harvested during five growing seasons has been undertaken in this work. This allowed a comprehensive annotation of seed SMs combining analyses that cluster SMs based on their chemical structures and co-accumulation patterns. These data showed broad effects of the environment on the stimulation of the seed-specialized metabolome. Among well annotated compounds, flavonols were identified as the metabolic class characterised by high plasticity, revealing significant variable accumulation according to the year and/or the genotype. Lastly, a deeper characterisation of primary metabolites and lipids in two selected genotypes has been performed. We showed that, in addition to flavonols, alkaloids and glucosinolates displayed a higher phenotypic plasticity with respect to most of the primary metabolites, including some sugars and major storage compounds such as fatty acids, proteins and most lipid classes (e.g. DAG, TAG), but similar plasticity compared to free amino acids and carboxylic acids. This work highlighted major and unexplored effects of the environment on the seed specialized metabolome demonstrating that seeds exhibit a dynamic and plastic metabolism, with an impact on seed quality.

Lab head

Loic Lepiniec
Department
  • Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin
About Loic Lepiniec
  • Research Director, Consulting Prof. AgroParisTech, Head Saclay Plant Sciences, Acad. Agri. https://linktr.ee/loic_lepiniec

Members (10)

Bertrand Dubreucq
  • French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE)
Isabelle Debeaujon
  • French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE)
Hayat El-Maarouf-Bouteau
  • Sorbonne Université
Sébastien Baud
  • French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE)
Massimiliano Corso
  • French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE)
Alexandra To
  • French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE)
Delphine De Vos
  • French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE)
Johanne Thévenin
  • French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE)
Céline Boulard
Céline Boulard
  • Not confirmed yet

Alumni (32)

Michel Caboche
Michel Caboche
Nathalie Nesi
  • French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE)
Christian Dubos
  • French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE)
Corinne Audran
  • French National Institute for Agricultural Research, Toulouse, France