Nicolas Soler Nicolas SOLER, PhDAssociate professor at the Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France DynAMic Unit UMR1128 UL-INRAE

Identifiants chercheurs

IdHAL :

nicolas-soler

ORCID :

0000-0002-4292-4020

IdRef :

122906683

Présentation

BiographyI carried out my PhD in microbiology at the Université Paris-Sud (now Université Paris-Saclay), in professor Patrick Forterre’s laboratory. My work, defended in 2007, focused on searching and characterizing mobile genetic elements from hyperthermophilic archaea. This raised my interest in molecular microbiology and the evolution of genomes. I was then recruited by the CNRS from 2007 to 2010, in G Baldacci’s team in Institut Curie, in order to work on 2 essential proteins in yeast in connection with DNA replication. Next, I joined Dr Stéphane Emiliani’s lab at the Institut Cochin in Paris for 3 years to study the early steps of the HIV-1 cycle. Since September 2013, I have been working in the DynAMic lab at the University of Lorraine. There, I am studying the molecular aspects of conjugation in Gram+ bacteria, in the team headed by Pr Nathalie Leblond-Bourget.

ResearchMy progress in research enabled me to discover several aspects of biology; indeed, I worked successively on archaea, eucaryotes, a virus, and bacteria, still focusing on micro-organisms and their evolution. During my PhD, I looked for mobile genetic elements, plasmids and viruses, from hyperthermophilic archaea. These pioneering works on Thermococcales led to the discovery of new families of plasmids; consequently, new genetic tools were implemented for this arising phylum. I also highlighted a massive production of membrane vesicles from these archaea, which have since then been involved in horizontal gene transfer. My skills in protein biochemistry enabled me to integrate the Institut Curie where I worked on the biochemical and biophysical characterization of two essential proteins in yeast. These proteins, conserved in eucaryotes, are involved in the biogenesis of the Fe/S clusters in connection with DNA replication. I was then recruited by Institut Cochin to characterize multiprotein complexes, which form during the early steps of lymphocyte infection by HIV-1. I especially focused on viral integrase and how it interacts with other viral or cellular partners.Since I was recruited at the Unviversité de Lorraine, I have been developing a new topic aiming at characterizing the first steps of bacterial conjugation in streptococcus using an ICE model, with molecular and structural approaches. Over the last few years, it has been demonstrated that ICEs are prevalent in bacterial genomes and that they are involved in the transfer of both antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. Characterization of their transfer at the molecular level may one day give insights to limit antibiotic resistance genes to spread. Morevover, whereas some aspects of conjugation are now well understood in proteobacteria, very little data is today available in Firmicutes. Yet, they harbor a lot of multiresistant strains which threaten public health. Thus, when I arrived in DynAMic lab, I was immediately attracted by ICEs as an emerging study topic in Gram+ bacteria.

TeachingSince 2013, I have been teaching formal genetics, general microbiology and microbial ecology at a bachelor level as an associate professor at the University of Lorraine. I also teach in molecular microbiology and virology within the Microbiology master degree. Moreover, since 2022 I am responsible of a training in biotechnology engineering, the “Cursus Master en Ingénierie Biotechnologies en Microbiologie et Ingénierie Moléculaire” (BioMIM) of the Université de Lorraine. This training is a five-year training based on a bachelor and a master degree with a special focus on project-based learning.

Publications

Article dans une revue (18)

Massive acquisition of conjugative and mobilizable integrated elements fuels Faecalibacterium plasticity and hints at their adaptation to the gut Gérard Guédon,Florence Charron-Bourgoin,Thomas Lacroix,Toufik Hamadouche,Nicolas Soleret al. Scientific Reports, 2025, 15 (1), pp.17013. ⟨10.1038/s41598-025-99981-y⟩ Article dans une revue hal-05397378v1
Two OB-fold proteins from a Gram-positive conjugative element engage in relaxosome assembly and DNA processing Haifa Laroussi,Robine Maffo-Woulefack,Julien Cappèle,Hicham Sekkouri Alaoui,Lysiane Lessureet al. Nucleic Acids Research, 2025, 53 (21), pp.gkaf1161. ⟨10.1093/nar/gkaf1161⟩ Article dans une revue hal-05445247v1
Exploration of DNA processing features unravels novel properties of ICE conjugation in Gram-positive bacteria Haifa Laroussi,Yanis Aoudache,Emilie Robert,Virginie Libante,Louise Thirietet al. Nucleic Acids Research, 2022, 50 (14), pp.8127-8142. ⟨10.1093/nar/gkac607⟩ Article dans une revue hal-03881644v1
Des vésicules pour échanger de l’ADN Nicolas Soler,Patrick Forterre Médecine/Sciences, 2021, 37 (6-7), pp.583-585. ⟨10.1051/medsci/2021070⟩ Article dans une revue hal-03273134v1
Extracellular membrane vesicles and nanotubes in Archaea Junfeng Liu,Nicolas Soler,Aurore Gorlas,Virginija Cvirkaite-Krupovic,Mart Krupovicet al. microLife, 2021, 2, pp.uqab007. ⟨10.1093/femsml/uqab007⟩ Article dans une revue pasteur-03264764v2
Vesiduction: the fourth way of HGT Nicolas Soler,Patrick Forterre Environmental Microbiology, 2020, ⟨10.1111/1462-2920.15056⟩ Article dans une revue hal-02571417v1
Characterization of a relaxase belonging to the MOBT family, a widespread family in Firmicutes mediating the transfer of ICEs Nicolas Soler,Emilie Robert,Isaure Chauvot de Beauchêne,Philippe Monteiro,Virginie Libanteet al. Mobile DNA, 2019, 10 (1), pp.1-16. ⟨10.1186/s13100-019-0160-9⟩ Article dans une revue hal-02138843v1
Membrane vesicles in natural environments: a major challenge in viral ecology. Nicolas Soler,Mart Krupovic,Evelyne Marguet,Patrick Forterre The International Society of Microbiologial Ecology Journal, 2015, 9 (4), pp.793-6. ⟨10.1038/ismej.2014.184⟩ Article dans une revue hal-01436521v1
Plasmids from Euryarchaeota. Patrick Forterre,Mart Krupovic,Kasie Raymann,Nicolas Soler Microbiology Spectrum, 2014, 2 (6), pp.27. ⟨10.1128/microbiolspec.PLAS-0027-2014⟩ Article dans une revue hal-01477453v1
Identification of low molecular weight nuclear complexes containing integrase during the early stages of HIV-1 infection. Annabelle Gérard,Nicolas Soler,Emmanuel Ségéral,Michael Belshan,Stéphane Emiliani Retrovirology, 2013, 10 (1), pp.13. ⟨10.1186/1742-4690-10-13⟩ Article dans une revue inserm-00788098v1
Fake virus particles generated by fluorescence microscopy. Patrick Forterre,Nicolas Soler,Mart Krupovic,Evelyne Marguet,Hans-W Ackermann Trends in Microbiology, 2013, 21 (1), pp.1-5. ⟨10.1016/j.tim.2012.10.005⟩ Article dans une revue istex hal-00779641v1
Plasmids, viruses and virus-like membrane vesicles from Thermococcales. Nicolas Soler,Marie Gaudin,Evelyne Marguet,Patrick Forterre Biochemical Society Transactions, 2011, 39 (1), pp.36-44. ⟨10.1042/BST0390036⟩ Article dans une revue hal-00596065v1
Interaction between the reductase Tah18 and highly conserved Fe-S containing Dre2 C-terminus is essential for yeast viability. Nicolas Soler,Emmanuelle Delagoutte,Simona Miron,Céline Facca,Dorothée Baïlleet al. Molecular Microbiology, 2011, 82 (1), pp.54-67. ⟨10.1111/j.1365-2958.2011.07788.x⟩ Article dans une revue hal-00634151v1
Two novel families of plasmids from hyperthermophilic archaea encoding new families of replication proteins Nicolas Soler,Evelyne Marguet,Diego Cortez,Nicole Desnoues,Jenny Kelleret al. Nucleic Acids Research, 2010, 38 (15), pp.5088-5104. ⟨10.1093/nar/gkq236⟩ Article dans une revue hal-04450616v1
A Newly Identified Essential Complex, Dre2-Tah18, Controls Mitochondria Integrity and Cell Death after Oxidative Stress in Yeast Laurence Vernis,Céline Facca,Emmanuelle Delagoutte,Nicolas Soler,Roland Chanetet al. PLoS ONE, 2009, 4 (2), pp.e4376. ⟨10.1371/journal.pone.0004376⟩ Article dans une revue hal-01625408v1
A protein encoded by a new family of mobile elements from Euryarchaea exhibits three domains with novel folds. J. Keller,N. Leulliot,N. Soler,B. Collinet,R. Vincentelliet al. Protein Science, 2009, 18 (4), pp.850-5. ⟨10.1002/pro.73⟩ Article dans une revue hal-00529493v1
Virus-like vesicles and extracellular DNA produced by hyperthermophilic archaea of the order Thermococcales. Nicolas Soler,Evelyne Marguet,Jean-Marc Verbavatz,Patrick Forterre Research in Microbiology, 2008, 159 (5), pp.390-9. ⟨10.1016/j.resmic.2008.04.015⟩ Article dans une revue istex hal-00356456v1
The rolling-circle plasmid pTN1 from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus nautilus. Nicolas Soler,Anthony Justome,Sophie Quevillon-Cheruel,Florence Lorieux,Eric Le Camet al. Molecular Microbiology, 2007, 66 (2), pp.357-70. ⟨10.1111/j.1365-2958.2007.05912.x⟩ Article dans une revue hal-00192504v1

Communication dans un congrès (2)

OrfL and OrfM: Biochemical and Structural Characterization of Key Players in Horizontal Gene Transfer Dunkan Begue,Hicham Sekkouri Alaoui,Louise Thiriet,Tiphaine Dhalleine,Aurélien Thureauxet al. 37th Rhine-knee Regiomeeting on structural biology, Oct 2025, Ottrott, France Communication dans un congrès hal-05503718v1
Characterization of the ICESt3 relaxase active site indicates evolutionary relationship between MOBT relaxases and rolling circle replication proteins of the Rep-trans family. Nicolas Soler,Philippe Monteiro,Emilie Robert,Marie-Dominique Devignes,Bernard Maigretet al. Type IV Secretion in Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive Bacteria conference, Dec 2016, Beilngries, Germany Communication dans un congrès hal-02974522v1

Chapitre d'ouvrage (1)

Plasmids from Euryarchaeota Patrick Forterre,Mart Krupovic,Kasie Raymann,Nicolas Soler Marcelo E. Tolmasky, Juan C. Alonso. Plasmids: Biology and Impact in Biotechnology and Discovery, ASM Press, pp.718, 2015, 9781555818975 Chapitre d'ouvrage hal-01478643v1

Vidéo (2)

Limiter l'antibiorésistance, un enjeu du 21e siècle Badreddine Douzi,Sophie Payot,Nicolas Soler 2020 Vidéo hal-03228358v1
ASR19 - Comment identifier un bon inhibiteur ? Nicolas Soler 2020 Vidéo hal-03645177v1