Some results

Unlike domesticated cereals where starch is the predominant polysaccharide, the grains of the model grass plant, Brachypodium distachyon, have a particularly high content of mixed β-glucans, 45% of the grain weight, contained in thick cell walls, and a low starch content, less than 6%. However, no data were available prior to our study on the function of this polysaccharide during grain germination.

The cell wall of plants is made up of a network that is both extremely strong and flexible, mainly composed of polysaccharides (long chains of sugars), including pectins, which have long been known for their gelling properties. In vivo, the wall must be both plastic, to allow cell growth, and solid, to perform its protective functions.

Growing tomatoes in glasshouses generates a lot of waste, combining plant waste and plastic accessories that cannot be composted. This mixed waste represents millions of tonnes per year in Europe, and incineration is costly both economically and environmentally.

The aim of quantitative histology is to extract descriptors of the morphological and chemical spatial heterogeneity of tissues in order to study their role in quality of use. Collections of large multispectral images are easily acquired. However, exploring the data without a priori remains a critical step.

The interactions between cellulose, pectins and water in plant cell walls are responsible for the mechanical properties of apples.

Mass spectrometry imaging: a new approach to the accessibility and efficiency of action of cellulolytic enzymes on lignocellulosic material.

The aim of the European MANAN project was to elucidate the structure, biosynthesis and biological function of wheat mannans.

The IONS project focused on the role of variability in the content of metal ions and phenolic compounds on oxidative degradation of cell walls.