Postdoctoral Position in Mechanosensitive Channels at Institut des Sciences du Végétal, France

A 2-years Postdoctoral Position Mechanosensitive Channels

A 24-month post-doctoral position in the area of ion channel physiology funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR) is available starting April 2010. The host group “Membrane Transporters and Signalling” http://www.isv.cnrs-gif.fr/veranglais/research/hbba/hbba.html belong to the “Institut des Sciences du Végétal” (ISV) located on the CNRS campus of Gif sur Yvette, at 30 km south west of Paris .

Although plants respond to a wide variety of mechanical stimuli, and many mechanosensitive channel activities have been characterized in plant membranes using the patch-clamp method, the molecular nature of mechanoperception in plant systems has remained elusive. We recently showed that the MSL9 and MSL10 proteins relatives of the E. coli MscS (Mechanosensitive channel of Small conductance) might function cooperatively and provide mechanosensitive channel activities at the plasma membrane of Arabidopsis root cells (Curr. Biol., 18: 730-734, 2008; Plant Signaling & Behavior, 3: 726-729, 2008).

The first objective of the project is to characterize the electrophysiological properties of MSL9, MSL10 and other members of the MSL family (homologous system and bilayer). This part will be done in close collaboration with A. Ghazi’s lab (IBBMC, Orsay). The second objective will be to enlighten the functions of the MSL channels as sensor of vibrations in aerial part of the plant. This will be conducted by a multidisciplinary approach involving, electrophysiology, molecular biology and modelling in cooperation with other partners of the project.

Salary ~ 2000€/month

Applicants should hold a PhD and have preferably an experience in electrophysiology and, possibly, in molecular biology. A background in plant biology would be an added value but is not required. English but not French is required.

Candidates should send a CV with a brief summary of research experience, a list of publications and the names and addresses of 3 contact information referees to Jean-Marie Frachisse (frachisse@isv.cnrs-gif.fr).

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