Group « Iron Transport and Signaling »
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Dr Cathy
Curie Research Director CNRS Tel: +33 4 99 61 31 40 Mail: curie@supagro.inra.fr 1997- CNRS scientist, BPMP Montpellier, France 1992-1996 Postdoctoral Fellow, UC Berkeley, USA 1988-1992 PhD University of Toulouse, France |
Research interests: Iron (Fe) is absolutely required for cell life because it is used as
a cofactor in essential metabolic pathways. Iron supply to plants, however,
is often not sufficient due to its low solubility in many soils. Plants
have therefore evolved sophisticated mechanisms to acquire iron. Moreover,
since excess cellular iron is cytotoxic, iron entry in the cell must be
tightly controlled in order to maintain a strict iron homeostasis. Our
objective is to unravel the processes that underlie iron uptake and iron
distribution to organs and organelles in plants, using the model plant
Arabidopsis thaliana.
Manganese homeostasis is also of high importance for plants as it is essential
for photosynthesis and antioxidant defense. Yet, Mn homeostasis is understudied.
We have identified the primary high-affinity Mn transporter NRAMP1 in
Arabidopsis while other members of the NRAMP family have been assigned
a crucial function in Mn transport. We aim to investigate the molecular
responses of Arabidopsis to changes in Mn availability using a combination
of molecular physiology, genetics and omics approaches.
Study of the role of candidate transporters involved
in iron uptake, iron long-distance circulation and iron mobilization in
and out of major organelles. Role of the Fe transporters YSL4 and YSL6
in controling Fe allocation in the chloroplasts. Genetic screen for Arabidopsis
mutants defective in Fe distribution in the embryo. Analysis of candidate
mutants.
Identification of the regulatory mechanisms that control
iron uptake and search for components of the signaling cascade in response
to Fe limitation (genetic screens and genomics).
Iron speciation in plant tissues. Because Fe ions are extremely
reactive, they exist mainly as complexes, but our knowledge of the nature
of the iron ligands is still very scarce. In plants, citrate and nicotianamine
chelate iron and play a key role in its circulation in the saps. To complete
the inventory of the iron chemical species, we are analyzing the Fe complexes
in homogeneous compartments such as the xylem sap of Arabidopsis or the
embryo sac liquid of the pea seed (analytical chemistry and reverse genetics).
Iron imaging in plant tissues. We have developed a highly
sensitive method of histochemical staining of iron suitable to observe
Fe distribution in cells with a subcellular resolution, providing a powerful
tool to characterize Fe movement and transporters function and assist
classical elemental imaging techniques (µPIXE, µXRF). We have
discovered the existence of a massive pool of iron in the nucleus of plant
cells and are now investigating its nature and function using synchrotron
assisted imaging and chemical techniques and genetics
Molecular bases of manganese transport. In addition to
their ability to take up Fe, transporters of Arabidopsis NRAMP and ZIP
families catalyze the uptake of Mn. In particular, IRT1 and NRAMP1 are
high-affinity Mn transporters mediating Mn entry in the root. We are interested
in the dialog between Fe and Mn metabolisms and how it regulates Fe and
Mn transport activities in plants.
A
funded post-doc position to work on manganese uptake and response in Arabidopsis
will be available soon. Contact : curie@supagro.inra.fr
A
funded post-doc position to work on the role of Mn transport by NRAMP
in photosynthesis in Arabidopsis will be available soon. Contact : curie@supagro.inra.fr
Selected publications: 
- Barberon, M., Zelazny E., Robert S., Conéjéro G., Curie
C., Frim J. and Vert G. (2011) Monoubiquitin-dependent Endocytosis of
the IRT1 Transporter Controls Iron Uptake in Plants. Proc. Natl. Acad.
Sci. 108 (32) : 450-458
[ Link
to pdf ]
- Roschzttardtz H., Séguéla-Arnaud M., Briat J.F., Vert
G., and Curie C. (2011) The FRD3 Citrate Effluxer Promotes Iron Nutrition
Between Symplastically Disconnected Tissues Throughout Arabidopsis Development.
Plant Cell 23 (7) 2725-2737
[ Link
to pdf ]
- Roschzttardtz H., Grillet L., Isaure M.P., Ortega R., Curie C., Mari
S. (2011) The Plant Cell Nucleolus as a Hot Spot for Iron. J. Biol. Chem.
286 (32): 27863-27866
[ Link
to pdf ]
- Cailliatte R, Schikora A, Briat JF, Mari S, Curie C. (2010) High-affinity
Mn uptake by AtNRAMP1 is essential for plant growth in low manganese.
Plant Cell, 22(3) : 904-17.
[ Link to pdf
]
- Roschzttardtz H, Conéjéro G, Curie C, Mari S. (2009) Identification
of the endodermal vacuole as the iron storage compartment in the Arabidopsis
embryo. Plant Physiol. 151(3):1329-38.
[ Link to pdf
]
- Curie, C., Cassin, G., Couch, D., Divol, F., Higuchi, K. Le Jean, M.,
Misson, J., Schikora, A., Czernic, P., Mari, S. (2009) Metal movement
within the plant: contribution of nicotianamine and yellow stripe 1-like
transporters. Ann. Bot. 103(1):1-11.
[ Link to pdf ]
- Séguéla, M., Briat, J.F., Vert, G. & Curie, C. 2008
Cytokinins negatively regulate the root iron uptake machinery in Arabidopsis
through a growth-dependent pathway. Plant J., 55, 289-300.
[ Link to pdf ]
- Briat, J.F., Curie, C. & Gaymard, F. (2007) Iron utilization and
metabolism in plants. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 10, 276-282.
[ Link to pdf ]
- Le Jean, M., Schikora, A., Mari, S., Briat, J.F., & Curie, C. (2005)
A loss-of-function mutation in AtYSL1 reveals its role in iron and nicotianamine
seed loading. Plant J. 44 (5), 769.
[ Link to pdf ]
- Curie C. & Briat, J.F. (2003) Iron transport and signaling in plants.
Annu. Rev. Plant Biol. 54, 183-206.
[ Link to pdf
]
- Vert, G., Grotz, N., Dédaldechamp, F., Gaymard, F., Guérinot,
M.L., Briat, J.F., & Curie, C. IRT1, an Arabidopsis transporter essential
for iron uptake from the soil and plant growth. Plant Cell. 14, 1223-1233.
[ Link to pdf ]
- Curie, C., Panaviene, Z., Loulergue, C., Dellaporta, S.L., Briat, J.F.,
& Walker, E.L. (2001) Maize yellow stripe 1 encodes a membrane protein
directly involved in Fe(III) uptake Nature 409, 346-349
[ Link to pdf ]
People | Permanent staff | |||
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| Stéphane
Mari INRA researcher |
Carine
Alcon Engineer |
Stéphanie
Loubet Research technician |
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| Graduate students and postdocs | |||
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| Louis
Grillet Graduate student |
Sandrine
Chay Master student |
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