Objective
Self-assembly is a hallmark of Biology. We are far from a complete understanding of this natural assembly, which in turn limits our ability to mimic biological construction in the bioengineering of tuneable synthetic systems.
This proposal addresses the major challenge of membrane protein folding. Here, I intend to make a step change to my pioneering biophysical studies and investigate co-translational membrane protein folding. A central feature will be the creation of synthetic systems to probe key events in co-translational folding, as the protein folds in the membrane whilst emerging from the ribosome. An ambitious target is to make these systems tuneable, which will provide a new tool for the fabrication of membrane proteins and artificial cells in Synthetic Biology. The assembly of a tuneable artificial module that affords control over membrane protein synthesis is unprecedented.
I focus on the ubiquitous superfamily of major facilitator proteins, namely the best studied family member, lactose permease, LacY. This proposal has state of the art biophysical mechanistic studies at its core, which interleave into Cell and Synthetic Biology. There are two themes:
Theme 1. Determination of fundamental membrane protein folding parameters: folding transition states and lipid control
Phi-value analysis will be used to probe the folding transition state of LacY; the first such analysis of a multi-domain membrane protein. Lipid parameters that control LacY folding will be quantified, including bilayer asymmetry using novel droplet interface bilayer methods.
Theme 2: construction of tuneable synthetic co-translational folding systems
Engineered ribosomes and translocon insertion machinery will be incorporated and LacY folding will be controlled. Translation will be regulated or halted using mutant ribosomes, arrest sequences, altered codon usage and controlling tRNA addition. Trapped LacY folding intermediates will be studied using biophysical methods.
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 synthetic biology
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules lipids
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins protein folding
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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.
ERC-2011-ADG_20110310
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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.
Host institution
WC2R 2LS London
United Kingdom
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.