Soutenance de thèse : Typhaine BRUAL

Unraveling virulence regulation in pectinolytic bacteria: Insights from ArcZ and RsmC. How do these molecular maestros shape virulence in the Dickeya genus?

Doctorante : Typhaine BRUAL 

Laboratoire INSA : MAP

Ecole doctorale : ED341 : Évolution, Écosystèmes, Microbiologie, Modélisation

Pectinolytic bacteria of the genus Dickeya thrive in diverse ecological niches including water, soil and plants, adapting to complex and ever-changing environments shaped by various biotic and abiotic interactions.
In this thesis, we investigated the mechanisms that regulate the virulence of the genus Dickeya, in particular D. dadantii and D. solani.
Our main findings concern post-transcriptional regulation exerted by the sRNA ArcZ and post-translational regulation modulated by the protein RsmC.
ArcZ is a key player in D. solani adaptation, regulating motility according to environmental conditions and enhancing virulence during plant infection. In addition, ArcZ plays a critical role in acid resistance.
RsmC, in turn, is involved in the regulation of motility and has a complex role in virulence. Our results suggest novel interactions for RsmC and open perspectives for studying other undocumented functions.
In a word, our study reveals how regulators such as ArcZ and RsmC orchestrate bacterial responses to a dynamic environment. These findings highlight the adaptability of Dickeya species and underscore the importance of ecological context in the study of bacterial behavior.