Present position: Researcher at INRAE in the DynPhages team of the Micalis institute. Key words: Bacterial and phage genome dynamic, DNA recombination, double strand breaks repair, prophage induction, genetic and physical interactions. Scientific goals: My scientific project leads to the understanding, at the molecular level, of DNA recombination mechanisms responsible for the genome dynamic in bacteria and their phages, with a focus on pathways able to repair DNA double strand breaks, the most genotoxic DNA lesions that cells can encounter and a prerequisite to DNA recombination events. My research focuses particularly on two DSB repair mechanisms: the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and the single strand annealing (SSA), an alternative end joining pathway. I also have a particular interest for the cross-talk between bacterial and phage DNA repair mechanisms and want to highlight if bacteria (or phages) have hijacked phage- (or bacterial) DNA recombination pathways for their own interest. Recently, I have also been interested in the “symbiotic” relationship between bacteria and their prophages, and have raised the question of how induction of the latter is regulated in stressful environments, inducing the SOS response, and the role of this relationship for the phage and its host. Our general approach consists in characterization of purified proteins of interest and their partners, studying effect of inactivation or overexpression of genes of interest and finally understanding the function of these genetic and physical interactions in vivo. Diploma: 2002 PhD in Microbiology obtained in Paris VI University, France. Scientific carrier: 2015 Researcher at INRA, Jouy en Josas, Micalis Unit in the Dr M.A. Petit team. Study of end joining mechanisms of temperate phages in E. coli. 2007 Researcher at INRA, Jouy en Josas, Micalis Unit in the Dr. P. Noirot team. Dynamic study of multi-protein complexes involved in genome expression in B. subtilis. Characterization of the molecular mechanism of the illegitimate recombination in B. subtilis 2004: Researcher at INRA, Jouy en Josas, Génétique Microbienne Unit in the Dr. P. Polard team. Identification of SSB-interacting proteins in B. subtilis and characterization of the role of these interactions in genome dynamic. 2004 Post-doctoral period: 3 months at Paris XI University, Orsay, Pr. H. van Tilbeurgh team. Structural study of the DNA topoisomerase VI of archae and of the DNA polymerase X of D. radiodurans. 2002 Post-doctoral period: 2 years at Paris XI University, Orsay, Pr. S. Sommer team Study of the radioresistance mechanism in D. radiodurans. 1998 PhD at CNRS, laboratoire d’Enzymologie et Biochimie Structurales, Gif/Yvette, Dr H. Grojean team. Study of tRNA nucleotide modification enzymes and their roles in the cellular metabolism of S. cerevisiae
francois-lecointe
