PhD 1 : Determination of the mechanisms of Cs transport by AM fungi and effect of ABA on Cs transfer
This research will be carried out at the UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN (UCL) established in Belgium (contact person Stéphane Declerck ? declerck@mbla.ucl.ac.be).
The role of AM fungi in Cs transport has only been recently demonstrated thanks to the development of different innovative in vitro culture systems, using excised roots or autotrophic plants. With these systems, uptake, translocation and transfer of Cs from AM fungi to their host root have been observed while its translocation from root cells to shoots cells was shown to be extremely low. This later result suggested that AM fungi could influence root Cs transport by reducing its loading into the xylem and therefore impair root to shoot translocation. The goal of this research will be to identify the mechanisms of Cs transport by AM fungi by determining (1) the mode of uptake of Cs+ by the extraradical hyphae of AM fungi, (2) the mode of translocation of Cs+ along mycorrhizal hyphae and (3) the rate of Cs+ transfer at the fungal-plant interface. In this last step, the influence of ABA in the transfer of Cs to root cells will be investigated. This research activity will be conducted using the Arbuscular Mycorrhiza ? Plant (AM-P) in vitro culture system, the most advanced cultivation system for studies on element transport under strict in vitro conditions since it associates photosynthetic active plants with an AM fungal strain.
PhD 2 : Identification and expression of K/Cs transporters in mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal roots
This research will be carried out at the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) established in Great Britain (contact person Philip J. White ? philip-j.white@warwick.ac.uk).
This task involves identifying the Cs transporters present in root cells and assaying the expression of genes encoding these transporters in mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plants. The SCRI team have experience in identifying Cs transporters in plants and in monitoring the changes in gene expression in response to mineral stresses. Gene expression in plant tissues will be monitored using commercial and/or customised oligonucleotide microarrays, using hardware and software tools developed in collaboration with Nottingham Arabidopsis Stock Centre (NASC, UK). The results will be verified using quantitative PCR, and the function of specific genes will be studied using conventional molecular biological techniques, including RNAi trangenesis.
PhD 3 : Identification of ABA regulatory pathways involved in Cs root transport
This research will be carried out at the Julius-v.-Sachs-Institut für Biowissenschaften Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie und Biophysik of the University of Würzburg established in Germany (contact person Rainer Hedrich - hedrich@botanik.uni-wuerzburg.de).
The influence of AM fungi on ABA root levels and ion uptake will be studied by analysing ABA levels during fungus/plant interaction and investigations of the role of ABA on K/Cs transporter regulation. The physiological and biophysical studies will use advanced biochemical and biophysical techniques: ELISA for ABA concentration determination. Double electrode voltage clamp for characterisation of electrogenic transporters in the Xenopus laevis oocyte expression system (Geiger et al., 2002; Klepek et al., 2005). Patch clamp technique to characterise the electrical properties of single root protoplasts (Ivashikina et al., 2001; Reintanz et al., 2002). Micro-electrode technology applied to single cells give access to the electrical properties of living cells in their natural environment (Roelfsema 2001). ABA action can be studied by injection of the hormone directly into the cell (Levchenko et al., 2005). Isolation of marker labelled protoplasts for cell specific applications. (Ivashikina et al., 2003) Laser micro dissection (LMD) for examination of the interface between fungus and plant (Kerk et al., 2003). Real time PCR to monitor expression patterns. Applicants should have experience in at least one of the above mentioned techniques.
PhD 4 : Radioecological significance of the influence of AM fungi on Cs plant accumulation.
This research will be carried out at the Institute of Botany of the Jagiellonian University established in Poland (contact person Katarzyna Turnau; turnau@eko.uj.edu.pl).
In order to identify the extent of AM fungi influence on Cs acquisition and accumulation by plants, different symbiotic AM associations and scenarios such as various [K+]ext, pHext levels or [Pi]ext levels will be tested. In addition, the distribution of Cs as a function of the AM association development will be measured in order to know if the partition of Cs between root and shoot may evolve during the symbiotic interaction. Finally, the radioecological significance of the influence of AM fungi on Cs plant accumulation will be determined and early assessment of the technological feasibility and advantages that AM fungi can offer to phytoremediation strategies will be performed. The localisation of elements at the cellular and subcellular levels will be determined using micro-analytical methods, such as EDS. This technique gives important data on element distribution, and thus on the role of elements in physiological processes, interactions between elements and reasons for their deficiency or toxicity. It also provides the link between physiological and anatomical studies, particularly important when studying responses of organisms to environmental stress such as the presence of heavy metals and pollutants.
The four PhD students will have the opportunity to spend periods in all the institutions involved in the project to learn techniques and conduct complementary experiments to answer the questions of MYCOREMED.The PhD studentships will be available from July 2006 for a period of three years.
Criteria for recruitment of young fellows will be High grade academic curriculum vitae in most appropriate discipline Interest and motivation in conducting the research activity and accomplishment of PhD Interest in mobility Curiosity Agreeable personality and integration capacity within teams
The young fellows should send their Europass CV, Europass Language Passeport and motivation letter to the contact person of the PhD subject of interest and to Prof. S. Declerck (address below) as coordinator of the proposal. The EUROPASS CV will be used as the backbone for recruitment as it enables skills and qualifications to be clearly visible and identifiable, and to have a same frame for all candidates. To this document, the EUROPASS LANGUAGE PASSEPORT will be required and if applicable, the candidates will be invited to join EUROPASS MOBILITY and DIPLOMA SUPPLEMENT documents. These documents can be found on the EUROPASS web portal : europass.cedefop.eu.int/htm/ or at the candidates? national ENIC/NARIC centres. Applications should be in English. Following early recruitment, the selected candidates will be examined by an interview committee.Interviews will be performed in English.
Concerning equitable balance between men and women, each partner will integrate the gender dimension in FP6 (europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/equ_opp/index_en.htm) to ensure equal employment opportunities for both sexes. All partners of the consortium are equal opportunity employers in terms of gender, race and disability. Therefore, interview committees for job applicants are balanced between males and females.
Deadline : 01/06/2006 Start date :01/08/2005 Duration 36 months Salary : approximately 31 000 ?/year Contact : Prof. S. Declerck. University catholique de Louvain. declerck@mbla.ucl.ac.bewww.mbla.ucl.ac.be/cesamm