Research topics
In addition to the production of the plants necessary to the research programs of the laboratories of the department (production in phytotrons and traditional greenhouse), the current activity of the group concerns three main topics exploiting the specificities of the platform:
- Enrichment of plants
Enriched plant with stable isotopes such as 13 carbon or 15 nitrogen are usefull tools in different areas such as nutrition research, structural biology or metabolomic. Enrichment can be used either as a tracer or to increase sensitivity of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry analysis.The only possible way to modify the isotopic abundance of carbon 13 of a plant is the photosynthesis by a continuous supply of enriched carbon dioxide during growth. Due to their tightness, the measuring chambers of the GRAP allow this enrichment. Enrichment with other isotopes such as 15 nitrogen is made via the wattering with nutrient solution. In addition, the strict controls of the environmental parameters makes it possible to guarantee identical and reproducible conditions of culture for the various lines of studied plants. The GRAP is currently using these technics in the framework of a program with AFSSE (French Agency of Sanitary and Environmental Security) to study some mycotoxins.
- Studies of Nuclear Toxicology
A couple of measuring chambers of the platform, located in controlled zone, is dedicated to radioisotopes and radionuclides utilization. The GRAP accommodates in these rooms the experiments led within the framework of the project "ground-plant transfer of Cs, Sr, Cd, Pb" of the program "Nuclear Toxicology" of the CEA. The factors governing the biodisponibility, root taking away, transport and accumulation of the radionuclides and heavy metals as well as the mechanisms of detoxication are studied there.
- Studies of the oxidizing stresses on plants
The possibility of modulating in broad ranges the environmental conditions of the plants is exploited to undertake in the measuring chambers the programs of the DEVM on the biological effects of oxidizing stresses and fundamental studies on photosynthesis. Association of low temperature (5°C) and strong light level (1200 µmol photons.m-2.s-1) allows, in particular, to study on GMO the role of proteins induced by these stresses.
In addition, the platform had for vocation to receive experiments in collaboration or contract with external partners at the CEA (Contact Michel Péan - michel.pean@cea.fr). Within this framework, programs concerning isotopic enrichment (in which an european program of the 5th PCRD), pollutants effects and fundamental photosynthesis were recently concluded with industrialists and academics.