Objective
Symbiosis is a major adaptive process allowing bacteria to interact with other organisms to colonise diverse and adverse environments. The genetic mechanisms behind these symbioses are poorly understood despite the fact that some have a major weight on human health and/or welfare. The goal of this project is to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in monospecific bacterial-host interactions, in particular those occurring between invertebrates and bacteria leading to disease transmission. As a tool, I will use a simple symbiosis model involving Drosophila melanogaster and Pectobacterium carotovorum (formerly Erwinia carotovora), two genetically tractable organisms which will enable the contributions from both the host vector and the bacterial infective agent to be studied. We predict that the genetic determinants of bacterial-host interactions do not differ much and in several cases may rely on a simple genetic basis: the acquisition of a single gene allowing bacteria to colonize the gut of the host. To confirm this hypothesis, we will study the role of EVF (Erwinia virulence factor) in the symbiotic relationship between P. carotovorum and D. melanogaster as well as that of EVF homologues in Photorhabdus luminescens and Xenorhabdus nematophila, both specific nematode symbionts and insect pathogens. In addition, we will dissect the cell-signalling systems, including bacterial quorum sensing, in the insect-borne transmission of P. carotovorum and study the impact of quorum-sensing interference (quorum quenching) in its prevention.
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 cell biology cell signaling
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences biological sciences biological behavioural sciences ethology biological interactions
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology invertebrate zoology
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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
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.
Coordinator
1067-001 LISBOA
Portugal
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.