Master 2 internship – Functional characterization of an oomycete DIX domain-containing protein

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INRAE presentation

The French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE) is a major player in research and innovation. It is a community of 12,000 people with 272 research, experimental research, and support units located in 18 regional centres throughout France. Internationally, INRAE is among the top research organisations in the agricultural and food sciences, plant and animal sciences, as well as in ecology and environmental science. It is the world’s leading research organisation specialising in agriculture, food and the environment. INRAE’s goal is to be a key player in the transitions necessary to address major global challenges. Faced with a growing world population, climate change, resource scarcity, and declining biodiversity, the Institute has a major role to play in building solutions and supporting the necessary acceleration of agricultural, food and environmental transitions.

Work environment, missions and activities

You will join the UMR INRAE PACA, Institut Sophia Agrobiotech (Sophia Antipolis, France), a research unit dedicated to understanding plant-microbe interactions in both pathogenic and symbiotic contexts, bringing together expertise in genomics, ecology, and agronomy.

Your project will focus on Phytophthora (from the Greek “plant destroyer”), a group of filamentous microorganisms within the oomycetes, close relatives of brown algae and diatoms. Oomycetes include some of the most devastating plant pathogens. The infamous Phytophthorainfestans, for instance, caused the Irish Potato Famine of 1845, and today several Phytophthora species continue to threaten crops such as potato, tomato, and cacao — jeopardizing beloved foods worldwide, from pizza to chocolate.

Recently, we discovered a new family of proteins in oomycetes and related species, named Musketeers. These proteins all contain a DIX domain, which is known from polarity-related proteins in animals and plants. Musketeers localize to the ventral groove of motile zoospores and interact with each other. During this internship, you will initiate the functional characterization of one Musketeer protein. Your work will include:

• Determining the subcellular localization of the protein at different stages of its life cycle and during plant infection by confocal microscopy.
• Identifying and validating interaction partners by combining immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Cambridge.
• Investigating the role of this Musketeer protein by knocking out the corresponding gene using CRISPR/Cas. This will involve designing and assembling plasmids using Gibson assembly and performing Phytophthora transformation.

This internship will provide hands-on training in molecular biology, plant pathology, and host–pathogen interactions, while contributing to research with direct implications for sustainable agriculture and global food security.

Reference :

Kostareli, M.M., Westerink, T., Couillaud, G., Peippo, M., Govers, F., Weijers, D., Evangelisti, E. (2025). Diversification of DIX domain-containing proteins in the SAR supergroup. mBio: e0396624. https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.03966-24

Daily supervision will be provided by the PhD student and the PI, with additional mentoring from colleagues at Wageningen University working on plant pathology and cell biology through bimonthly online meetings, as well as support from other lab members. If successful, and upon mutual agreement, you will be actively supported to apply for the Côte d’Azur University doctoral school competition (website: http://www.unice.fr/ed-svs/gb/site/gb-presentation-ed.php) to secure a PhD scholarship. Priority will thus be given to highly motivated and talented students with clear career goals. In addition, the internship offers:

• Hands-on experience with CRISPR/Cas genome editing;
• Training in molecular and cell biology, oomycete transformation, and live imaging;
• Practical experience in plant pathology and protein–protein interaction studies;
• Integration into a dynamic research group with active international collaborations;
• Opportunities to contribute to cutting-edge research with high scientific impact;
• A project tailored for continuation as part of a competitive PhD program.

Training and skills

• Enrolled in a Master (1^st or 2^nd Year) program in Plant Biology, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Microbiology, or a related field;
• Motivation to study pathogen development, host-pathogen interactions, and protein function;
• Good communication and scientific writing skills in English;
• Previous laboratory experience in molecular biology, microbiology, or biochemistry is a plus.

INRAE's life quality

By joining our teams, you benefit from (depending on the type of contract and its duration):

- up to 30 days of annual leave + 15 days "Reduction of Working Time" (for a full time);
- parenting support: CESU childcare, leisure services;
- skills development systems: training, career advise;
- social support: advice and listening, social assistance and loans;
- holiday and leisure services: holiday vouchers, accommodation at preferential rates;
- sports and cultural activities;
- collective catering.

How to apply

I send my CV and my motivation letter