Project description DEENESFRITPL How kiwellin proteins help defend plants against pathogens Plant diseases caused by pathogenic fungi can have a major impact on global food security and plant ecology. However, knowledge on how plants can defend themselves against pathogen invaders is limited. Kiwellin proteins represent an emerging class of highly diverse proteins with antibody-like properties that act as countermeasures for plants against virulence factors secreted by pathogenic fungi. The EU-funded KIWIsome project will establish the functional, structural and mechanistic basis that enables this fundamentally new class of proteins to combat pathogens. This European Research Council initiative will not only offer perspectives for future plant engineering but also provide a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the continuing arms race between plants and their pathogenic invaders. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Plant diseases caused by pathogenic fungi critically affect global food security and plant ecology. How plants defend themselves against pathogenic invaders and the molecular weaponry involved is still far from being complete. Kiwellin proteins (KWL) represent an emerging class of highly diverse proteins with antibody-like properties serving as countermeasures of plants against virulence factors secreted by pathogenic fungi. The aim of this ERC-project is to establish the functional, structural and mechanistic basis enabling this fundamentally new class of proteins in the defense against their pathogenic invaders. Thus, this ERC-proposal might not only offer new perspectives for a future plant engineering (e.g. towards resistance), but also provides a deeper fundamental understanding into the molecular mechanisms, underlying the everlasting arms race between plants and their pathogenic invaders. Fields of science agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagricultureagronomyplant protectionnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologymycologyengineering and technologyother engineering and technologiesfood technologyfood safety Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-2020-ADG - ERC ADVANCED GRANT Call for proposal ERC-2020-ADG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant Coordinator PHILIPPS UNIVERSITAET MARBURG Net EU contribution € 2 344 343,00 Address Biegenstrasse 10 35037 Marburg Germany See on map Region Hessen Gießen Marburg-Biedenkopf Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all PHILIPPS UNIVERSITAET MARBURG Germany Net EU contribution € 2 344 343,00 Address Biegenstrasse 10 35037 Marburg See on map Region Hessen Gießen Marburg-Biedenkopf Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00