POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP - Mechanisms of synergistic detoxification of treated wood waste by complex microbial communities

DESCRIPTION

Mechanisms of synergistic detoxification of treated wood waste 

by complex microbial communities

Laboratories 

Laboratoire IAM (Interactions Arbres/Micro-organismes) INRAE-Université de Lorraine, Champenoux

Laboratoire LCP-A2MC (Laboratoire de Chimie et Physique – Approche Multi-échelles des Milieux Complexes), Metz, Université de Lorraine

Principal Investigators : Dr. Aurélie DEVEAU (IAM), Dr. Vincent Carré (LCP-A2MC)
emails : aurelie.deveau@inrae.fr; vincent.carre@univ-lorraine.fr      

Context

The tremendous increase of wood utilization as a biomaterial in construction industry has been possible in the past decades thanks to the use of copper-based preservatives that protect wood from the invasion of decaying microbes. This practice has generated millions of tons of harmful treated wood that cannot be recycled and removal of harmful preservatives from treated wood-waste poses a significant threat to the ecosystem and human health. To overcome this problem, alternative sustainable solutions need to be developed. Although preservatives are designed to suppress microbial growth, number of fungi and bacteria are able to overcome them, giving the opportunity to develop microbial remediation strategies. 

In the frame of the ANR Woodwaste, the IAM and LERMAB teams have created consortia of fungi and bacteria that have the ability to detoxify wood treated with copper/azole commercial formulation in a microcosm through synergistic actions within few days. Our research aims at deciphering the molecular mechanisms involved in the interactions allowing the synergistic development of the complex communities in order to identify biocatalysts that could be further used for controlled decontamination of wood-waste.

Objectives & approaches

The project aims at identifying and characterizing microbial metabolites involved in wood decontamination and the mechanisms by which the microorganisms collaborate to colonize and detoxify wood waste. To do so, Mass Spectrometry Imaging on microbial consortia at different time points of the detoxification process will be used to map the metabolites produced by the different microorganisms during their interactions. Genomic, metatranscriptomic and metaproteomic data (already available) will be used to help the analysis of metabolomic data and the identification of metabolites. This untargeted approach will be coupled with correlative microscopy to identify which microorganisms are physically interacting and how this correlates with copper detoxification. Then, targeted mutagenesis coupled to functional assays will be used to validate the involvement of the identified compounds in the detoxification process and the interactions between the microorganisms.

Research Team & Equipments

The post-doctoral fellow will integrate the Ecogenomic team of Tree microbe Interaction lab (UMR1136 IAM INRAE/Université de Lorraine). His/her research will be based at the INRAE Nancy Grand Est Centre but he will regularly work at the LCP-A2MC (Metz) for running MSI and analysing data. The post-doctoral fellow will be mentored by Dr. A. Deveau (IAM) who specialized in the analysis of fungal-bacterial interactions and Dr. Vincent Carré (LCP-A2MC) who is specialist in developing new bioanalytical and biochemistry approaches by high resolution mass spectrometry technique. The post-doctoral fellow will work in close collaboration with a PhD student (F. Slimani) at LCP-A2MC who develops MSI techniques of analyses at LCP-A2MC. 

The post-doctoral follow will regularly interact with partners of the project at the University of Lorraine (IAM, Nancy, Pr Mélanie Morel-Rouhier, specialist of redox stress) and of LERMAB lab (LERMAB Epinal, Dr Arnaud Besserer, specialist of wood and applied microbiology).

Equipments available on sites: Quantitative PCR & PCR machine, bioanalyser, Qpix robot, Sanger sequencer, Laser scanning microscope, scanning electron microscope, HPLC, ICQ, bioinformatic cluster, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer, LC-MS, FT-ICR.

Location of the labs

INRAE

Ecogenomic team of Tree microbe interactions 

UMR 1136 Interactions Arbres Microorganismes

Route d’Amance 54280 Champenoux

https://mycor.nancy.inra.fr/

Laboratoire de Chimie et de Physique Approche Multi-échelles des Milieux Complexes (LCP-A2MC)
Institut de Chimie Physique et Matériaux (ICPM)
1 Boulevard Arago - BP 95823
57078 METZ cedex 3

http://lcp-a2mc.univ-lorraine.fr/

Expected profile of the candidates

Candidates will have received a PhD in microbial ecology or microbial metabolomics. They will be familiar with the biology of fungi and bacteria, know techniques to cultivate aspetically microorganisms. Applied knowledge in genome mining, metabolome analyses, microscopy and/or targeted mutagenesis is a plus.

The candidate must be able to speak English fluently and write reports and publications in English.

TERMS AND TENURE
This two-year position will be based at the INRAE Nancy Grand EST, Laboratory Tree-Microbe Interactions.  The duration can not exceed 24 months.

The target start date for the position is November 2023, with some flexibility on the exact start date.

HOW TO APPLY 
Applicants are requested to submit the following materials:
• A cover letter applying for the position
• Full CV and list of publications
• Academic transcripts (unofficial versions are fine)

Deadline for application is June 16th 2023 .  Applicants will be interviewed by an Ad Hoc Commission by the end of June 2023.

Applications are only accepted through email. All documents must be sent to aurelie.deveau@inrae.fr

JOB LOCATION

Nancy, Lorraine, France

REQUIREMENTS

DOCUMENTS

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V. including list of publications
• Cover Letter
• Statement of Research