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Diadenosine Polyphosphate Alarmones as Drivers for Protein AMPylation

Project description

Role of diadenosine polyphosphate alarmones in proteome post-translational modifications

The complexity of information from genome to proteome is significantly increased due to post-translational modifications (PTM), which are covalent modifications of polypeptides after protein synthesis. The EU-funded AMP-Alarm project will elucidate the cellular role of diadenosine polyphosphates (ApnAs), formed in response to stress and called alarmones, and their involvement in the target protein modification by adenosine monophosphate (AMPylation), a PTM process. The objective is to identify and characterise new protagonists of AMPylation and study their interactions with ApnAs, using proteome-wide analysis in living cells. The project work will include the investigation of a protein already identified with ApnA-based probes as a 5'-3' RNA ligase, the first one found in human cells, which is implicated in cancer and neurodegeneration.

Objective

"It is puzzling that the human genome has only slightly more genes than the fruit fly and only half the number of cauliflower. Obviously, the sheer number of genes alone cannot determine the complexity of human development and the sophisticated signalling systems that maintain homeostasis. In fact, the complexity of information from genome to proteome is greatly increased. Drivers for the complexity of the proteome are posttranslational modifications (PTMs), i.e. covalent modifications of polypeptides after translation.
The aim of this project is to shine light on a scientific mystery known for decades. We will elucidate the cellular roles and functions of diadenosine polyphosphates (ApnAs), which are formed in response to stress and are therefore called ""alarmones"", and their interactions with the PTM processes ""AMPylation"", i.e. the covalent modification of the target protein by adenosine monophosphate. Although both topics are known for more than 60 years, their molecular mechanism and functions are poorly understood.
Based on our preliminary results, which unambiguously show the interplay of ApnAs and AMPylation for the first time, we will search for, identify and characterize new protagonists of AMPylation and clarify their interactions with ApnAs. Therefore, new chemical tools will be developed and applied in the proteome-wide studies in living cells.
We will also investigate the molecular function of a protein that we have already identified with ApnA-based probes. We have discovered that this protein is a ""5'-3' RNA ligase"", the first one found in human cells! The available data indicates the involvement of this RNA ligase in cancer and neurodegeneration, and we will therefore elucidate the molecular mechanisms and functions of this protein in detail.
Overall, this project will bring significant new and previously unexplored advances and will provide a guideline for future translational research in the fight against diseases."

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Topic(s)

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ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) ERC-2020-ADG

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Host institution

UNIVERSITAT KONSTANZ
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 2 491 235,00
Address
UNIVERSITATSSTRASSE 10
78464 Konstanz
Germany

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Region
Baden-Württemberg Freiburg Konstanz
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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.

€ 2 496 235,00

Beneficiaries (1)

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