Objective
Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) and antifreeze glycoproteins (AFGPs) enable the survival of various organisms in freezing or subfreezing habitats. Even millimolar concentrations of these proteins are sufficient to lower the freezing temperature by several degrees. To reach a similar freezing point depression using sodium chloride would require molar concentrations. Nowadays AF(G)Ps already find applications in food industry, for instance to prevent recrystallization in ice cream and have great potential in medical applications (cell & organ storage, operations at low temperature). Protein-water interactions are of general interest owing to the importance of protein hydration for protein function; AF(G)Ps form an extraordinary example of this coupling that is sufficiently strong and specific that the protein controls macroscopic thermodynamic properties of water. Despite their importance in nature and their industrial relevance, the mechanisms by which AF(G)Ps depress the freezing point are still poorly understood. Although substantial information presently exists on the static protein structures and thermodynamic properties of these systems, molecular scale information on the dynamics of the conformations of the AF(G)Ps, their hydration shells and their binding to ice, is extremely scarce. Here we propose to study the molecular mechanisms by which AF(G)Ps lower the freezing temperature with advanced nonlinear spectroscopic techniques like 2D polarization-resolved vibrational spectroscopy and surface sum-frequency generation. These techniques enable the label-free study of the structural dynamics of the AF(G)P conformations, their hydration shells and their mechanism of binding to the ice surface. They will be used to study several key elements in the functioning of AF(G)Ps.
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 chemical sciences inorganic chemistry alkali metals
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences physical sciences optics spectroscopy
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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.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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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.
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.
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF
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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.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2014
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
3526 KV UTRECHT
Netherlands
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.