Objective
All eukaryotic genomes contain mobile genetic elements called transposons. They can be described as “endo-parasites” at the genomic level and come in a variety of classes including endogenous retroviruses. The uncontrolled spread of transposons to new genomic sites poses a serious threat, e.g. due to insertional mutagenesis. How the host functionally silences transposons remained mysterious for a long time. Recently, the piRNA pathway, a germline specific RNAi pathway has been shown to be at the heart of the animal transposon control system. In Drosophila two separate piRNA pathways exist: One is active in germline cells and the other in somatic cells of the gonad. Interestingly, the somatic piRNA pathway protects the neighboring germline from endogenous retroviruses that invade the developing gamete via viral particles. Only two loci have a described role in this pathway: the Argonaute protein Piwi and the heterochromatic flamenco locus, source of the involved small RNAs (piRNAs). We entirely lack a mechanistic understanding of the biogenesis of somatic piRNAs and how the Piwi complex silences transposons. Here, we first propose to identify new components of the somatic piRNA pathway by two RNAi screens, one in cell culture and one in flies. Our long-term goal is to dissect the mechanistic makeup of the somatic piRNA pathway, its molecular constituents and their biochemical function. Secondly, we will set out to investigate the consequences for gene expression and genome integrity caused by ablating the somatic piRNA pathway. We will use high throughput sequencing technologies to address the following questions: Which retroviral elements become functionally expressed in the absence of Piwi? What is the damage for the host genome caused by uncontrolled retroviral activity? This will be the first systematic, qualitative and quantitative description of the threat posed by endogenous retroviruses and the importance of the somatic piRNA pathway in silencing them.
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.
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering control systems
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes eukaryotic 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.
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-2009-IEF
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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.
Coordinator
1030 WIEN
Austria
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.