PHARE
Physiology of Aquatic species: REgulations from genes to organisms
Team Members
Clothilde BERTHELIN, Assistant Professor, MERSEA, PHAREclothilde.berthelin@-Code to remove to avoid SPAM-unicaen.fr, +33 2 31 56 51 14
Hélène BOURAS, Research contract, MERSEA, PHAREhelene.bouras@-Code to remove to avoid SPAM-unicaen.fr
Natacha CLAIRET, Doctoral student, , MERSEA, PHAREnatacha.clairet@-Code to remove to avoid SPAM-unicaen.fr
Nathan MORANDI, Doctoral Student, , MERSEA, PHAREnathan.morandi@-Code to remove to avoid SPAM-unicaen.fr
General theme
The team brings together researchers and teachers of the unit specialized in the processes of regulation of the molecular physiology of aquatic species, on the levels of observations spanning the gene, cell, tissue, and up the body. These regulations have the same level of intrinsic (control of gene expression in cis and in trans, communication neuroendocrine, cellular signaling, etc.) but also extrinsic (environmental influence, acclimation to external stimuli). The questions revolve around the understanding of the mechanisms of determinism and of the plasticity of cell fates (identity phenotypic, differentiation) that govern the general physiology of the organism and their biological cycles, including the physiology of reproduction (determinism sex, gametogenesis, spawning) and the development (ontogeny) as well as its stability in a context of global environmental change. The team is considering his research in a context of interactions between the different scales, between physiological systems (reproductive/developmental – nutrition – immunity) and between the various intrinsic and extrinsic factors.
The species studied reflect many key positions within a wide range phylogenetics. They also represent species exploited by fisheries and aquaculture. It is, therefore, models of interest in both fundamental and applied among the microalgae (phyla of interest in aquaculture), bivalve molluscs (oysters , Crassostrea gigas, clam Ruditapes philippinarum), gastropods (bulot Buccinum undatum) and cephalopods (cuttlefish Sepia officinalis), the chondrichthyan fishes (small dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula) and teleosts (bar Dicentrarchus labrax and fish Cameroon Heterotis niloticus). The team is interested in understanding the physiology of these models and of their(s) response(s) to environmental stimuli.
Areas of research
Axis 1 : Determinism molecular and cellular systems that control key steps of the biological cycles.
This axis decrypts the cellular and molecular pathways involved in the fate of the cells involved and/or responsible for the physiological processes studied. Emphasis will be placed on the physiology of reproduction and development, and will include the study of factors and mechanisms governing the balance of the strain identity and differentiation of the germline and somatic. At the molecular level, the regulation of the expression of genes, including via epigenetic mechanisms (changes of nucleic acids and chromatin structure) will be particularly scrutinized. On the other hand, the understanding of the pathways and control of the dialogue neuro-hormonal, immune and nutritional status of the key stages of the biological cycle will pass through the characterization of their communication channels (neuro-endocrinology), signaling (characterization of bioactive molecules and déorphanisation receptor), and of the molecular mechanisms of the determinism of sex.
Axis 2: Effects of adaptive and evolutionary plasticity of control systems physiology and biological cycles.
The process of regulation of the physiology of the condition closely the adaptation of organisms to their environment, and if their determinism are genetic, they are also likely to be influenced by the environment. Thus, the second axis of research team focuses on the plasticity of these systems, particularly in response to changes related to environmental changes (global warming, human impact, contamination). The consequences of adaptive and scalable, these adaptations are particularly relevant in the context of fisheries and sustainable aquaculture of the species studied, and are considered not only in relation to contingencies related to their immediate use (terms and conditions of husbandry and nutrition, immunity, spawning, etc.) but also in the future, thanks to the study of the impacts of inter – and transgenerational (heritabilities epigenetic and épitranscriptomique, modeling).
The members of the team have expertise in complementary approaches to address these different issues. Studies chromatiniennes, genetic, and epigenetic (qPCR, sequencing in light of NGS and Nanopore, bioinformatics, immunoprecipitations), transcriptomic, proteomic and peptidomiques (NanoLC-MS/MS, endocrinology reverse), allow you to identify the biomolecules active, actresses pathways regulating physiological. Studies of cellular and histological (cultures and cell sorting, histology and microscopy qualitative and quantitative), characterization of the molecular (immunostains, hybridization) as well as functional tests in vivo and in vitro (exhibitions, injections, organ transplants, editing gene) to determine the function of the identified factors. Finally, the set of experiments in vitro, in a controlled environment, field studies, and modeling (models DEB) allow you to put the results in a broader context and to consider their potential value to the level of adaptation and the evolution of species.
Recent publications
Journal articles
2025
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- Jeanne, F., Pilet, S., Combarnous, Y., Bernay, B., Dufour, S., Favrel, P., & Sourdaine, P. (2025, Jul). Pleiotropic signaling of single-chain thyrostimulin (GPB5-GPA2) on homologous glycoprotein hormone receptors (ScFSHR, ScLHR, ScTSHR) in the elasmobranch Scyliorhinus canicula reproduction. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 604, 112553. <10.1016/j.mce.2025.112553>. <hal-05044952>.
2024
- ref_biblio
- Bouras, H., Quesnelle, Y., Trancart, S., Blin, J.-L., Savary, M., Zatylny-gaudin, C., & Houssin, M. (2024). Influence of strains in development of francisellosis in the blue mussel Mytilus edulis during experimental challenges. Aquaculture Reports, 36, 102135. <10.1016/j.aqrep.2024.102135>. <hal-04578901>.
- ref_biblio
- Etoundi, E., Vastrade, M., Berthelin, C., Kellner, K., Fafin-lefèvre, M., & Van Doninck, K. (2024). Transition from sexuality to androgenesis through a meiotic modification during spermatogenesis in freshwater Corbicula clams. PLoS ONE, 19 (11), e0313753. <10.1371/journal.pone.0313753>. <hal-04964263>.
- ref_biblio
- Jeanne, F., Pilet, S., Klett, D., Combarnous, Y., Bernay, B., Dufour, S., Favrel, P., & Sourdaine, P. (2024, Nov). Characterization of gonadotropins and their receptors in a chondrichthyan, Scyliorhinus canicula, fills a gap in the understanding of their coevolution. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 358, 114614. <10.1016/j.ygcen.2024.114614>. <hal-04720812>.
- ref_biblio
- Larivain, A., Zatylny-gaudin, C., Gonzalez, E., Pierce, G., Power, A., & Robin, J.-P. (2024). Progress in the analysis of English Channel loliginid squid diets using DNA-metabarcoding techniques. Marine Biology, 171 (7), 135. <10.1007/s00227-024-04448-9>. <hal-04601649>.
- ref_biblio
- Sol Dourdin, T., Guyomard, K., Rabiller, M., Houssais, N., Cormier, A., Le Monier, P., Sussarellu, R., & Rivière, G. (2024, Jan). Ancestors’ Gift: Parental Early Exposure to the Environmentally Realistic Pesticide Mixture Drives Offspring Phenotype in a Larger Extent Than Direct Exposure in the Pacific Oyster, Crassostrea gigas. Environmental Science and Technology, 58 (4), 1865-1876. <10.1021/acs.est.3c08201>. <hal-04571012>.
Conference papers
2024
- ref_biblio
- Sol Dourdin, T., Rivière, G., & Sussarellu, R. (2024). Parental early exposure to environmentally realistic pesticide mixture drives offspring phenotype in a larger extent than direct exposure in the Pacific oyster. Paper presented at the PRIMO, Nantes, France. <hal-04807318>.
Other publications
2024
- ref_biblio
- Kellner, K., & Sauger, C. (2024). Lexique des structures histologiques des ovaires et de l'ovogenèse de la plie, Pleuronectes platessa, Linnaeus 1758. <10.13155/61234>. <hal-04732924>.
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- Kellner, K., Berthelin, C., Sauger, C., Dubroca, L., Meleder, A.L., & Martin, V. (2024, Aug). Lexicon of histological structures found in the ovaries and during the oogenesis of the Striped red mullet, Mullus surmuletus, Linnaeus, 1758. <10.13155/75174>. <hal-04732935>.
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- Kellner, K., Sauger, C., & Berthelin, C. (2024). Lexicon of histological structures found in the ovaries and during the oogenesis of the megrim, Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis (Walbaum, 1792). <10.13155/75170>. <hal-04732902>.
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- Kellner, K., Berthelin, C., & Sauger, C. (2024). Lexicon of histological structures found in the ovaries and during the oogenesis of the four-spot megrim, Lepidorhombus boscii (Risso, 1810). <10.13155/74844>. <hal-04732944>.
- ref_biblio
- Sauger, C., Le Meleder, A., Kellner, K., Heude Berthelin, C., Villain-naud, N., Elie, N., & Dubroca, L. (2024). Macroscopic, histological and stereological image dataset of Four-Spot megrim (Lepidorhombus boscii) ovaries from the ICES Celtic Seas and Bay of Biscay Ecoregions. <10.5281/zenodo.13378541>. <hal-04974989>.
