Objective
The question of how (intermediary) metabolism and the regulation of gene expression are inter-connected represents one of the central challenges for the next decade of research. This proposal aims to take a decisive stab at this question, exploiting hidden gems from the literature and modern day technologies.
Some metabolic enzymes have been caught “moonlighting” as RNA-binding proteins and, intriguingly, their RNA-binding activities appear to be under the control of metabolites and/or cofactors of these enzymes. Moonlighting enzymes could thus act as metabolite-controlled RNA regulators in RNA-enzyme-metabolite, or “REM” networks, imposing post-transcriptional influence on gene expression in metabolite-dependent ways. The riboswitches found in bacteria offer a precedent for how metabolites can have a direct effect on RNA metabolism.
Within this proposal, we describe how we plan to uncover “all” the mRNA-binding proteins (the mRNA interactomes) of eukaryotic cells in vivo, a feat which would have been impossible until recently. Following the determination of the mRNA interactomes of yeast and three strategically chosen mammalian cell lines, we will focus our follow-up analyses on the RNA-binding enzymes of intermediary metabolism of these interactomes: decipher their bound RNA targets, learn how different metabolic states and metabolites affect the RNA-enzyme interactions and, most importantly, establish the physiological importance of the studied REM networks.
The determination of mRNA interactomes will generate an unprecedented resource for the RNA biology community. We undertake this work with the motivation to uncover a key principle of how metabolism and gene expression may be connected, opening a new field of investigation for different disciplines in biomedical research, and unveiling a level of cellular regulation that would have broad implications for our understanding of basic biology and disease.
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: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics nucleotides
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
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.
ERC-2011-ADG_20110310
See other projects for this call
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.
Host institution
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.