Objective
Cells sense, affect and respond to their environment through the fundamental function of adhesion. Several types of adhesion sites, which are mediated via dynamically maintained multi-protein structures, anchor extracellular-matrix proteins to the cytoskeleton. Despite considerable efforts, the long-standing questions of how adhesion sites are formed, structured and regulated remain unanswered. In this research plan we will investigate desmosomes and adherens junctions by cryo-electron tomography of cells and tissue. The principal objectives are: (a) to visualize the molecular architecture and reveal the structural differences of the adhesion sites under various conditions and influences, i.e. mutations, wounds, etc. (b) to reveal their molecular association to the cytoskeleton (intermediate and actin filaments respectively), and to chart the network of interactions underlying cellular adhesion, and (c) to develop novel pattern recognition and classification techniques in order to structurally characterize the adhesion sites in toto by cryo-electron tomography of vitreous sections. We will use pattern recognition techniques and locally averaged cryo-electron sub-tomograms to quantify the macromolecular complexes in terms of stoichiometry and protein interactions in situ at high resolution (~3 nm). In particular, we aim to reveal how a pool of constituent proteins is organized in the two adhesion sites. Significant amounts of information coming from immunogold electron microscopy, fragments from X-ray structures, force measurements with atomic force microscopy, and structural bioinformatics will be integrated into our cryo-electron tomograms. This research will pioneer structural comparisons of protein networks at nanometer resolution in situ and in toto. The experimental and theoretical methods that will be developed would be indispensable for studying any spatially constrained protein network whose state depends on local properties.
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 biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy electron microscopy
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics mutation
- natural sciences computer and information sciences artificial intelligence pattern recognition
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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-2009-StG
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
60323 Frankfurt Am Main
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.