Project description
Interaction of mitochondrial and nuclear genomes in a changing environment
Mitochondria provide energy and components for cellular biosynthesis, as well as help the cell withstand stress and apoptosis. The balance between these processes is driven by the interaction of the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes, with mismatches leading to reduced fitness. MitoNuEco is an EU-funded initiative aiming to understand how a changing environment can influence the interaction between these two genomes. Using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism, scientists will study the effect of temperature and diet modulation on fitness. Results will have important ecological value and will unveil novel aspects of population dynamics.
Objective
Mitochondria play a key role in energy metabolism through cellular respiration and provision of carbon skeletons for biosynthetic pathways, and act as gatekeepers for stress and cell death pathways such as apoptosis. The balance of these processes depends on the correct interaction between two different genomes, the mitochondrial and the nuclear genomes. As demonstrated by hybridization events, the cost of mitonuclear mismatches is metabolic dysfunction and potentially severe fitness loss. Temperature and dietary regimes are also well-known metabolic stressors influencing mitochondrial functions, metabolomic network structure and gene expression. Hence their variation can exacerbate mitonuclear incompatibilities.
Understanding the ability of animals to face the potential modification of their habitats is of vital importance. Climate change predictions estimate an increase in temperature and its variability, changes in in food web structures and in the distribution of populations. Events that may generate mitonuclear mismatches (such as hybridization between separate populations) are therefore expected to increase in frequency following the shifts in thermal niches.
The objective of this research is to test how far mitonuclear interactions contribute to thermal and dietary adaptation or breakdown in changing environments. Drosophila melanogaster is a leading model system to examine mito-nuclear interactions and adaptation. I will specifically employ experimental fly lines characterized by mitonuclear match and mismatch to investigate how temperature and diet modulation impact the major fitness effects of mitonuclear incompatibilities. This will be tested at the level of mitochondrial functions, gene expression and life-history trade-offs. The proposed project will be unique in its field, providing fundamental insights into how genetic and environmental factors interactions might translate to ecological population dynamics in a mutating world.
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.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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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.
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.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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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.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
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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.
WC1E 6BT 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.