Objective
"In bacteria, DNA transposons play a key role in transferring antibiotic resistance, which poses a major threat to human health. I want to understand how this transfer can be controlled. One of the regulatory pathways applied in vivo uses specific small RNAs (sRNAs) controlling translation of the transposase mRNA. This is achieved using the general bacterial RNA regulatory machinery, and is mediated by the small RNA chaperone, HFQ. HFQ is a highly conserved, SM-like protein that modifies the secondary and tertiary structure of sRNAs and mRNAs, supports RNA unfolding and annealing and thereby regulates mRNA translation. In addition, HFQ also recruits the RNA degradation machinery through interaction with the endonuclease RNaseE and the poly(A)-polymerase PAP-I. Now I aim to understand the mechanism of sRNA-mediated regulation of transposition and the general gene silencing process in bacteria, applying an integrated structural biology approach. Using fluorescence anisotropy, SPR, FRET, NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography, I will study the structural changes of Tn10 derived RNAs upon binding to HFQ, the structure of the ribonucleoprotein complexes involved and the dynamics of RNA-folding and annealing. Furthermore, to investigate the intimate link between sRNA based translation regulation and RNA degradation, I will also analyze how HFQ interacts with RNaseE and PAP-I, and how these interactions affect the function of these RNA processing factors.
My study will not only reveal the mechanism of sRNA based regulation of transposition, but also provide insights into the general RNA chaperoning functions of HFQ and a comprehensive picture about the macromolecular complexes and dynamic events involved in sRNA mediated gene regulation. On the long term, I envision that down regulation of transposition may offer a way to inhibit the transmission of antibiotic resistances, which would be of greatest medical interest."
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences physical sciences optics spectroscopy absorption spectroscopy
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy drug resistance antibiotic resistance
- natural sciences biological sciences molecular biology structural biology
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IEF
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Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
69117 Heidelberg
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.