Objective
Understanding the evolution of multicellularity and cellular differentiation/ complexity is one of the greatest challenges in biology. Of particular interest is to determine the evolutionary processes (selective causes) and mechanisms underlying the evolutionary transition from single cells to multicellular organisms.
This project will use cyanobacteria as a model system to determine whether cellular differentiation is a cause or consequence of multicellularity. A novel theory will be tested, which predicts that the division of labour/ differentiation among cells drives the transition to a multicellular state. This will be contrasted with the classical view, where cellular specialization originates only at a much later state during the transition. The proposed project will adopt an interdisciplinary approach by combining experimental evolution (WP1) with phylogenomics (WP2). More specifically, populations of unicellular cyanobacteria will be subjected to long-term experimental evolution under two different regimes that favour either the specialization of cells into performing different physiologically incompatible processes, or the formation of non-differentiated aggregates (WP1). By linking the phenotype to the underlying genotype and to gene expression patterns, the critical steps for the transition to multicellularity will be established at the genome level. This evolutionary sequence will be directly compared to the one inferred from the cyanobacterial phylogeny (WP2). Here, whole genomes will be used to reconstruct the gain and loss events for the main ‘multicellular traits’, such as filament formation and cellular differentiation.
The findings will not only provide insight into the key events during the transition to multicellularity but will also be the first study that directly relates a transition that was achieved under artificial conditions in the laboratory to one that actually happened more than 3 billion years ago in this phylum.
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 biological morphology comparative morphology
- humanities history and archaeology history
- natural sciences biological sciences evolutionary biology
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
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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-RI - RI – Reintegration panel
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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.
24118 Kiel
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.