Identification of symbiotic networks and cis-regulatory elements in eukaryotes – SYNERGY

The astonishing diversity of eukaryotes is the result of a continuous evolution and the emergence of functional traits such as their capacity to establish mutualistic interactions with fungi or bacteria. In both plants and insects, such interactions have played a central role in their adaptation to different biomes and diversification. Previously, we have demonstrated that these interactions are also associated with drastic transcriptional changes. In this SYNERGY project, we propose an integrative approach of phylotranscriptomic to identify, for multiple interactions in both plants and insects, the associated regulatory networks. For this, we will deploy a phylotranscriptomic allowing the combination of evolution and multi-species transcriptomic data in order to understand the evolution of the regulation of mutualisitc interactions. Moreover we will compare these different regulatory networks between the different interactions to decipher the shared and specific modules between two of the most diversified eukaryote lineages. Finally, to understand the evolution of these regulatory networks, we will deploy a phylogenomic approach that I developped allowing the identification of cis-regulatory elements associated with a given functional trait. We will compare the cis-regulatory elements between the different mutualistic associations and perform the validation functional for one of them in the model plant Marchantia paleaceae. This integrative approach will idnetify the shared and specific cis-regulatory elements below the regulatory networks associated with mutualistic interactions in eukaryotes. These identified elements could be, in plants, hold the key to improve the symbiotic performance of crops to limit the use of chemical fertilizers.