IPS2 / EPITRANS

The EPITRANS platform, a contraction of EPIgenomics and TRANSlational research, has the mission of enhancing fundamental research by transforming ideas into products and of linking the researcher with the economic sector. It is interested in alleles and epi-alleles that improve plant performance in an increasingly constrained environment, particularly in species of agronomic interest. Its activity consists of developing and making available to the scientific community high-throughput genetic tools, forward and reverse, in plants, particularly when traditional genetic studies cannot be applied (genetic transformation). Five tools are thus proposed: positional cloning by NGS, TILLING (targeted Induced Local Lesion IN Genome) and ECO-TILLING, Epigenomics and CRISPR. The first allows genes of agronomic interest to be cloned and their function(s) to be studied by TILLING, by searching for epigenomic modifications, or by editing the genome using the CRISPR system (depending on the species). TILLING is based on the production of large collections (<5000 lines) of mutated plants or germplasm collections (ECOTILLING) combined with rapid and systematic identification of mutations in the target sequences. These non-genetically modified alleles are offered to breeders to improve their elite lines by providing an alternative to limited germplasm collections. For this reason, the platform has close and lasting links with the industrial sector in various fields of application (Limagrain, Syngenta, Rijk Zwaan, Symrise). EPITRANS is a leader in Europe in the field of translational research due to the richness of its mutant collections (260,000 lines) and the diversity of cultivated species available (13 in total). The platform is also recognised as a Collective Scientific Infrastructure (ISC) by INRA and has the IBISA (Infrastructures en Biologie Santé et Agronomie) label.

• Mr Abdel BENDAHMANE
• Mrs Marion DALMAIS
• Mr Fabien MARCEL