Objective
This proposal aims to provide insight into the physiological function of lipoteichoic acid (LTA) in the two Gram-positive bacterial pathogens Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. LTA is an essential component of the envelope in Gram-positive bacteria. While the chemical structure of this polymer was elucidated several decades ago, the key genetic determinants for its synthesis have been identified only recently. These genetic studies made it clear that LTA has a crucial function within the cell, as absence of LTA severely impairs bacterial growth; a cell that lacks LTA has an aberrant cell shape and does not form normal division septa, but the molecular mechanism underlying these defects is not understood. With the recently developed mutants in the LTA synthesis pathway, we can now begin to address these questions. It is particularly intriguing that the absence of LTA on the outside of the cell influences the function and localization of FtsZ, the key cytoplasmic protein involved in the cell division process. However nothing is known about the molecular mechanism that links these two fundamental cellular processes.
Upon consolidating my research group and with the experiments outlined in this application, I propose to investigate the molecular mechanism that links LTA synthesis with other fundamental cellular processes such as cell division and regulation of cell shape, provide insight into the structure and function of key enzymes involved in LTA synthesis, provide insight into the link between LTA synthesis and membrane lipid turnover and its functional consequences and determine the role of LTA as anchor for cell wall envelope proteins.
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 microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences chemical sciences polymer sciences
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules lipids
- natural sciences mathematics pure mathematics mathematical analysis functional analysis
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes
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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-2010-StG_20091118
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
SW7 2AZ LONDON
United Kingdom
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.